first foreshaft arrow

[Pat B]

This is the first foreshaft arrow I have made. It is cane; some that Cade straightened and gave me at the camp-o-rama last summer. The foreshaft is sourwood and the fletching  is a tied on tangential(?) 3 fletch. Self nock with no inserts, all wraps are sinew set in super glue and the foreshaft is fitted to the main shaft with a long taper, set in super glue.
  I sanded the nodes of the main shaft and applied green leather dye to the whole shaft then wiped it off with alcohol. the sanded areas took the dye well and the unsanded areas took a very light green hue.
  The arrow weighs 608 gr and the point, made by Lil Pat(I think) weighs 166gr. I just took the arrow out to try it and from my 47# yew hunting bow, this arrow shoots like a dart. The fletching does make a bit of a flutter but I don't know if that is bad or not.
Enjoy!

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[cowboy]

Good looking arra Pat! I'm going to have to try that now . After spending an evening with Jackcrafty shooting bows in his backyard - his are really light and shoot very well. He made a gift of one - I may have to post a pic..

[Pappy]

Cool arrow Pat,you are getting pretty creative lately.Nice work   That should do a job on a deer.
      Pappy

[JackCrafty]

Very Nice.

[Pat B]

Thanks guys. Fitting the foreshaft to the main shaft so the arrow spins well is a trip!  The arrow is long, 34" from nock to the tip of the point.
Pappy, I'm sure it would take a deer but I have to see one first.   I am going this weekend so maybe I'll get some red on this new green arrow.      Pat

[Coo-wah-chobee]

....Very nice Pat. Another "convert " ta foreshafts. Workee good dont they.? I have been using em since, well ............ "as old as dirt"........ except I dont glue the foreshafts so they can come out in the critter. Good job on that arra ! ..bob

[Pat B]

 Thanks Bob.  Yeh the conversion was slow but I like the way this one shoots. I guess it is the extra weight forward.   By gluing the foreshaft in I was hoping it would break loose once in the critter. That's what Chris Cade told me at least.     Pat

[ricktrojanowski]

Nice arrow I like the fletching job.

[Pat B]

Rick, I am really liking the primitive fletching styles. They work well and utilize feathers most folks get rid of or don't mess with. These are from secondary turkey feathers but I have made good fletchings in this style with feathers that are only 4" to 5" long total. Laying three feathers around the shaft with their backs to the shaft and wrapped fore and aft is all it takes. I usually also add a little helical twist to these.  Great for survival situations as well as regular hunting.    Pat

[ricktrojanowski]

Pat-
That is 3 whole feathers (both sides of the quill)?  I think I'm going to have to give that a try sometime.

[Pat B]

Yes!  This is the top end of the secondary feathers but smaller whole feathers can be used. Give it a try.      Pat

[Hillbilly]

Nice arrow, Pat! Hope you get a chance to fling it at something. Rick, that style of fletching works good with smaller feathers like crow, duck, or guineafowl, too.

[Mechslasher]

sweet looking arrow you have there pat!  now you have five more to make to finish out the set.  once you see the foreshaft in action, you won't go back to regular arrows for hunting.

[Bowbound]

Looks nice and primitive.

[Pat B]

Chris, was that Jap arrow boo you gave me or another type?    Pat