I haven't shot a bow (loosed a bow?) in at least ten years but I recently had a renewed interest in archery. I still have my two recurve bows, but most of my arrows have been lost over the years and I have no idea how to select which length, weight, shaft diameter etc. Searching the internet for this information just confuses me so what I need is a recommendation. Any help would be appreciated.

Read about the work of a certain Mr. R. Hood?

As far as I know, the length should just be so that the tip of the arrow (or just before it) is resting on the arrow shelf. That's how I've always chosen my arrows... It's probably not the best method, but just so long as your draw won't pull the arrow too far back, it seems like a good reason to choose this method.

I never really concerned myself with choosing a good weight or diameter, I just chose the nicest looking arrows... Purple and silver 'jazz' arrows with two orange and a black fletching 

My archery experiences:

Long long ago we kids would get Tommy H's bow & arrow set, the real thing, and go out into the woods with it.  We'd take turns standing behind pine trees while one of us would shoot as close as possible toward those trees.

Pretty scary hearing and seeing those arrows just whooooosh on by within inches of your face.  But just stay behind the tree until you hear "All clear", and no problems. 

Oddly enough I have no recollection whatsoever of having been one of the archers.

Several years ago I came home one Sunday afternoon and found five arrows in my back yard near the property line.  Turns out the neighbors kids, supervised by adults, thought the line of palm trees would stop the arrows if they missed the target.  Yeah, right.  I called the cops and told them to politely inform the neighbors of what happened.  I also returned the arrows.  The arrows landed about where I drive my car when I park.  There have been no further arrow incidents with them.

Archery is pretty cool, but doobee careful. 

Very cool H. I've often thought of making a bow, or a medieval-style crossbow. As I said, I haven't been involved in archery for the last ten years or more, but these things still occur to me because I like making things.

Also, I found a few arrows in the attic the other day and took my 45lb recurve out and shot it. I can still hit the target bag most of the time, but I need some practice.

I'm a little surprised that anyone, especially a person who uses a crossbow every day would think that they could match the range of a longbow. But I guess war can make one desperate.

I didn't metion it earlier because I don't consider crossbow shooting to be archery, as it is an entirely different skill. I have a modern recurve crossbow made by Barnett. I don't shoot it as much as I would like, but I am familiar with limitations and advantages of the crossbow. Mine differs just a little from the medieval version with fiberglass prods and a string release mechanism that would confuse even the best engineer of the time.

Untill they make a belt fed bow, i'm not interested....

BFMF wrote on Feb 12^th, 2011 at 2:42pm:

Jaimie and Adam made one on MythBusters.