basic arrow-making questions

[Pat B]

...and another couple of point options.
  The nail points are made for cane arrows but will also work with soft center pith shoots. These are made from 16d common nails with a wad of brass braised to the head and shaped into a cone. They weigh just about 130 grs.  Some folks use duplex nails with the double head ground to a point.
  The others are pieces of saw blades cut into 3/8"x2" strips. They are hafted into the shaft like with a trade point.






...and these are some of the tools I use to make shoot and cane shafts...

[crooketarrow]

    Shoots don't spine as close as dowls. I only spine to find the stiff side. Forget the spine and weight. If they shoot out of your bow use it. You only have to worry about spine and weight with speed you get with a compound.

[Chicknlady]

Pat, thanks for the pics!  Unfortunately, the only chicken feathers to survive the winter in the coop are all the big wing feathers.  Huh, and the weird thing is when I sorted them there were over twice as many righties and lefties.  Not sure if they'll work yet.  I need to make some straightening tools like what you show.  What is the saw-like thing on the bottom?  And the gadget with the metal hook and eyelet?

Crooketarrow, thanks for your post.  I haven't even made a whole arrow yet and I'm tired of agonizing over the spine-issue! 

[Pat B]

The saw-like thing is for cutting ceramic tiles with a hacksaw. It is the perfect size for cutting nocks in arrows. I made the osage handle for it.  The tool with the eye and hook is a straightening tool. You rub it on the high side of a crook to compress the fibers and straighten the shaft.