Comments on: Episode 51: Myths Reopened

By: Tom

Tom — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 02:53:43 +0000

I DID IT! last week i split a fiberglass arrow to the end. ha i know most wont beleive me and most of my friends didn’t either until they saw the arrow itself. they told me mythbusters said it was impossible so i looked this episode up and found this. mythbusters, you are wrong :D

By: Jay The Archer

Jay The Archer — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 22:16:14 +0000

I know this is old but a rerun prompted me to check the site about this one. The split arrow is not a myth and in fact, the mythbusters CONFIRMED it, they just don’t realize they did. Its not at all about skill , its all about the arrow. You must have a straight grain arrow. Rare but not uncommom in high quality wooden arrows.It’s the exact same type of grain we look for in pool cue shafts.(My business) With a straight continous grain wooden arrow, it will “Always” split end to end when hit in rear and in the center. Mythbusters showed this over and over again, they just had the wrong grain, one the left the shaft before the end of the arrow. As an experienced archer, if asked to reproduce this, all I need to do is find the right arrow. Done. :)

By: Toby Jo Fisher

Toby Jo Fisher — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 13:58:58 +0000

As a grandson of a Fletcher of old, I have seen this done to amuse neighbors and friends many times. Now I was told not to tell anyone the trick to this or risk a kick in the arse. Well my grandpas gone so I’ll let you know the secret. You make your arrows from black or even WHITE ASH. you would never make an arrow like this intending to reuse it. Cut 4-5 feet off the stump end of the ash tree then cut your preferred arrow length off the remaining tree. Cut perfectly parallel to the grain, which is easy as ash is so evenly grained. ASH trees are used to make adirondack style baskets and back packs. Not only will they split in half arrow length, they have killed many loggers from barber-chairing, splitting the tree perfectly up 50+ feet at times. You can literally split one of these arrows with your fingernail, if strong enough. Yet ash trees are used to deck ships due to it’s strength!

By: Jeff

Jeff — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 14:23:51 +0000

I also have done this a few times with both a crossbow and a compound using aluminum and carbon arrows.

By: William Harper

William Harper — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 23:59:24 +0000

Yeah this can be done guys. I’ve got pictures actually of arrows I’ve done it with. However it is a compound bow, and they are carbon fiber. I’ve got a buddy that did this last Saturday and I actually got one in this Sunday. I’m not going to lie though it is still a feat of mainly luck as I’ve shot for almost 10 years now shooting compound bows and this was my first true Robin Hood.

By: Mick

Mick — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 19:51:18 +0000

Totally agree with Merv. Experiments conducted with information based on incomplete research are useless. Unfortunately they haven’t proven it couldn’t be done, they’ve only proven that they can’t do it.

By: Kim

Kim — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 20:00:55 +0000

Your right Chris, modern arrow shafts are turned wood. When I was a scout we were taught to make medieval arrows like a fletcher would taking a copiced shaft with no knots etc. anything else would be rejected! The point is if you hit the back of the arrow it follows the grain on a copiced shaft by definition has to go straight down as its the entire section of wood, just the same as spilting a log with an axe.

By: mitchell

mitchell — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 18:02:12 +0000

this can be done as I have personally done this with a compound bow

By: Vincent Cate

Vincent Cate — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 16:15:40 +0000

There should be a prize, say $10,000, for the best video “Busting Mythbusters” every year.

If there were such a prize it would be worth my while to try to demo the arrow split. I would make some Robin Hood type arrows. Using laser sight on my crossbow I think I could split one, after enough tries. I would get the whole thing on slow motion digital camera and send in the video to try for the prize.

By: Devan

Devan — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 02:56:16 +0000

Alright i know for a fact that you can put one arrow through another arrow because today i got a brand new bow and was siteing it in and i shot my first arrow on bullseye and second shot BOOM right throgh the first arrow and it split and the second arrow stayed in the first and im going to keep those arrows and already took pictures for when im older im 13 and i took this shot for 15 yards away and it is not a lie