Cane arrow silly question.

[Prarie Bowyer]

Hi,

I'm maknig my first set of cane arrows from the garden sticks.  Do I make the nock end the thick end or the skinny end?  They are lightly tapered.  I can argue both ways.  Diameter and girth fwd to add weigth foreward flight.  May possibly help flight stability also?  Or skinny end fwd to cut the air better and give more rigidity near the string on release.  I know medieval crossbow bolts tended to be bellied and weight/thickness foreward.  They had a ton of shooting force also so skinnier at the nock didn't seem to be a problem.

Thanks,
pb

[markinengland]

PB,
Personally I always put the heavier wider end of shafts as the front end. It seems to shoot better.
I imagine any small advantage in aero dynamics from having a narrower point end would be more than offset byt the better shooting and accuracy of an arrow with weight further forward and that is more spine tolerant.
Mark in England

[bowtarist]

I'm pretty sure most folks put the bigger end forward.  I'm sure there are exception, though.  There are several different tappers people do.  I always put the bigger end forward on my arrows, no matter the material.

[mullet]

Big end forward.

[hillbilly61]

Big end forward.

Ditto, Ditto and Ditto

[Prarie Bowyer]

Thanks guys. 

I later found some pics that I could tell what was going on in.

[Prarie Bowyer]

What are the best fast nocks for cane arrows?  I started to use my glue on nocks then I realized that the hollow core won't give much space to seat on. 

I haven't done self nocks yet.  I may need to break down and try some.  I prefer for now more function in my arrows.  I'll be loosing them or breaking them.  I'd hate to put the time and money into bone nocks and watch it dissapear in the horizon.

[markinengland]

A very simple self nock I like with a cane arrow is to cut two 45-60 degree cuts opposite each other. This provides a nock due to the central hollow of the cane or bamboo that needs very little extra work aside from binding.

[bowtarist]

PB, Not long ago on this page was a thread question on self nocks.  Try to find it and there is lots of info a pics there.

Mark, nice  looking nock. that arrow could hit the target with either end and penetrate. 

[Prarie Bowyer]

Trying my first self nock tomorrow.  I made a jig to cut the slot on the band saw.  I like the plastic nocks in that they "snap" onto the line.  I'll drop arrows left and right other wise..which given my eventual hunting aspirations, means lost game.

[Prarie Bowyer]

I'm thinking about gluing in a section of bamboo kebab skewer to fill the hole at the nock end for stability and to help prevent splitting. 

I've seen videos of the nail points being made.  I never realized they were the whole nail slipped in the shaft.  I wonder if the shaft needs to be reinforced for trade points?  I've also seen solid wood inserts for foreshafts.

also I like the snap on effect of the plastic nocks so I'm wondering about het bending and slightly pinching the nock tabs towards each other.

Thanks,
PB

[markinengland]

PB,
If you cut a slot for the nock that is a tight fit on the string and then open up the bottom of the nock with a needle file to make a slightly wider round shape then you get a snap on fit. All it takes is a couple of metal hacksaw blades taped together (3 should be about right) to cut the slot then a needle file to finish up.
Mark in England

[bowtarist]

PB, I've not made cane arrows, but I've made a lot of arrows.  No matter what kinda point, if you've split the forend of the arrow, just like the nock end, it will need to be wrapped w/ something for strength.  Lots of cane arrows on this site, poke around a little and look @ the pics.

Good luck.

[bowtarist]

Two more things.  I use three hack saw blades to cut my nocks, but you have to be really careful when sanding that you don't open them up too much.  I'm going down to two hack saw blades taped together the next time I self nock.

Your fear of slipping, I'm thinking you are worried about the arrow nock slipping up or down the string, can be brought to a halt if you set a nock stop above and below your nocking point on the string.  You can use brass nock stops, dental floss tired w/ half hitches and wrapped and tied and so on, probably use string material, B50 etc., thread done the same way as the floss....finish all the thread style wraps w/ Duco or super glue, just like finishing a nock or point wrapping.

good luck, dpg

[Prarie Bowyer]

I use nock stops but I like how the plastic nocks clip onto the string.  I'll be doing a few self nocks today.  I made a jig to cut them on the band saw kinda thin then I'll open them up with needle files.  However I also like the plastic nocks.  Turns out a BBQ skewer dipped in glue and crammed in the end fills it up enough that they can be tapered for glue on nocks.  I'm mostly about the utility for this batch.  These will be shot and lost or broken in animals.

I need to figure out how to make a floating flu flu arrow.  I wonder if the area between nodes is water tight?  I thought also about putting some gorilla glue in the end section and letting it expand out or expansion foam.  I want to try to take a few geese from the yak.  That way if I miss they will float fletches up in the water.