Pennsylvania Game News - February 2010 - 58

resin called Hybtonite holds the carbon fibers together to produce a smalldiameter, thick-walled shaft that is almost indestructible. This arrow is so durable that folks at Easton say the N-Fused carbon arrow is 182 times stronger than steel. According to Easton’s marketing manager, Gary Cornum, in order for the FOR THOSE not needing or wanting the high technology that drives other carbon arrows into the high price range, carbon nanotubes to work the Maxima arrow by Carbon Express offers shooters a high in arrows they have to be quality arrow with weight forward technology for about covalently strengthened $120 per dozen. and, the Hybtonite epoxy does this. Carbon nanotubes have the high- dozen price tag. Stephen Graham, Marketest specific strength of all known materials ing Manager at Carbon Express told us the with diameters as small as 1/10,000 as that Aramid KV arrow shaft incorporates an of a human hair. The length of the expensive layer of bullet-stopping Kevlar nanotubes can reach several millimeters, fabric between the carbon fibers, making making them act like a continuous nano- it pound for pound, five times stronger than fiber reinforcement. Cornum said the pos- steel. “The Kevlar is lightweight and tough, sibilities of carbon nanotubes technology giving the shaft enough strength to withis endless, but they can be utilized to full stand impacts with rocks, trees or heavy potential in arrow shafts only with a true bone,” he said. chemical bond like the Hybtonite epoxy. As is the case with all of the company’s Cornum said the unique hybrid premium arrows, Graham said Carbon ExHybtonite material outperforms regular press has incorporated weight forward techcarbon resins to create a new standard in nology into the Aramid KV shaft. For years, carbon arrow construction. “You’d have to hunters and manufacturers alike have bebe a chemist to fully understand the tech- lieved that shifting weight to the front of nology of carbon nanotubes, but the bot- center is the way to increase an arrow’s tom line is that arrows made with this pro- down-range accuracy. Carbon Express put cess yield high strength with a built-in bo- this innovative weight-forward technology nus of vibration control, providing archers into its line of Aramid, Maxima Hunter, with some of the best arrows available,” he 3-D Maxima premium and LineJammer said. “In addition, the AXIS N-Fused ar- arrows. To reduce arrow oscillation out of rows have an extremely smooth finish, the bow, the company uses an exclusive, which makes extracting them from high- highly advanced carbon fiber called density foam targets much easier, a feature BuffTuff Plus, which makes the back onesure to be appreciated by 3-D shooters,” third of the arrow stiffer than the front. he added. Since the back of the arrow is stiffer, it Another big player in premium shaft straightens faster, resulting in dramatically technology is Carbon Express. Ever since improved recovery. the company introduced its Aramid KV Tests have shown that when an arrow arrow in 2008, sales of these shafts have flexes, it resists the spinning that the been excellent, despite the nearly $200 a fletching is attempting to provide. In short, 58 GAME NEWS

Pennsylvania Game News - February 2010

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pennsylvania Game News - February 2010