Rivercane arrows

[LEGIONNAIRE]

Just a quick question on rc arrows. Do you put the thicker side of the cane towards the tip?

[LEGIONNAIRE]

oh forgot to mention im specifically interested on what is traditional for native americans such as the cherokee, how they placed the shaft, thicker side towards tip or nock? thanks

Cesar

[Cacatch]

As I understand it, the fatter end is always pointed to the front and the skinny end is where the knock would be. I think this is how everyone has always done it.

CP

[Josh]

Thicker side towards the tip is the way most people do it.  Flies better that way with the weight forward.  

[sailordad]

flight shooters (to my understanding)shoot them with the fat end at the nock
also alot of primitve cultures use them that way too

i think the real advantage other than weight forward is the recovery time off the bow with the fat end forward
in other words they tend to straighten out in flight quiker off the bow if the fat end is forward

[LEGIONNAIRE]

Thanks guys, Im still confused though, since I would put the fat end forward however i really want to be authentic. Goes the TBB mention anything about this in the arrow section? I dont have it so cant look. Thanks again

[Pat B]

You would probably be authentic doing it either way but I'd think the Cherokee made their arrows fat end forward. It is the most practical way to do it. Weight forward as mentioned stabilizes faster and the natural taper give very good bow clearance so spine is not as critical.
  You can Google Cherokee cane arrows or Southeastern Woodland arrows and see what comes up.

[part Cherokee]

Osiyo,
  I would for sure go with the fat end forward. Also crop your feathers real close and use long fletchings with lots of helicoil on the shaft .
Thats how i make mine and all the originals i have seen have the feathers cropped pretty low. Mine weigh in at about 700 grains or so and out of a 65 lbs bow they still are hard hitting ,fast arrows. I love the design of these and you will be suprised the how much they spin. The Cherokee people of old were a very practical and smart people.
wado
Matt

[LEGIONNAIRE]

Thankyou Pat and thanks Matt. I love it when an arrow really spins, it is one of the most beutiful sights I enjoy, like magic. Thanks again guys really appreciate your input. I wont be too authentic with the material like rivercane and salt cedar but I wanted to make sure the desing was authentic atleast.

[JackCrafty]

Many arrows, from East of the Mississippi, that you see in museums are made from split hickory. But the traditional material for the vast majority of NA arrows before contact with Europeans was cane, hardwood foreshaft, and stone tip...especially for war arrows.  Hunting arrows were made with the most effective material for the prey in question.

All the cane arrows I've seen are fat end forward.  All have foreshafts.  About 25% are simply sharpened to a point with no stone tip.

I think the Cherokee used leaf shaped stone arrowheads for hunting and triangular shaped arrowheads for war (just an educated guess).  They also used solid wood arrows with fat blunt tips: for birds.

[Tom Leemans]

folks have been tapering the back end of wooden arrows for a long time, to gain performance. Mother nature has done it for you here.