Arrow photos

[Sockrablur]

I come to the arrow section often hoping to see new photos of some cool arrows so I thought it only fair to contribute from time to time. It is the new York deer season now but still I cant help but to have six different primitive arrows in the process of being done. I simply love them and their character, each so unique. I thought I would share some process photos just for fun and because its something I love to see from others. Thanks for looking and sharing your work as well.
it starts for me looking into the rafters of the garage and my handy work from years before.


I think back fondly to my wonderings throughout the winter in the boggy wet areas. shed hunting till I tire of finding none then cutting red osier shoots.


picking a bundle and looking them over good after two years drying


multiple heat gun sessions over days...


scraping and sanding to reduce spine and weight...

[Sockrablur]

multiple coats of poly I get excited to check the dry bare shafts before work early in the morning. then come the wild turkey feathers...


lol and my girlfriends favorite part the feather burner




I love them! They are so unique and beautiful each one different in its own way...


The colors and texture, burn marks and thoughtful planning. The sanding and weighing and knock cutting just right. Then the shooting and rethinking and trimming and point changing and rethinking and rebuilding... its a labor of love you can not buy only earn one scrape at a time...

[High-Desert]

very cool! I like seeing progress pics for arrows. Don't see them often.

[penderbender]

That's cool how you left the bark on. Is it just on by the fletchings? Cheers- Brendan

[chamookman]

Very nice ! Bob

[bjrogg]

Thanks for the pictures Sockrablur, it is a labor of love and I can feel the love in your arrows.
Bjrogg

[neuse]

Thank you sir for the pictures, I always enjoy looking.

[nclonghunter]

Awesomeness!

Of all the archery challenges the feather fletching is my nemesis...

[selfbow joe]

Thanks for sharing the pictures. I like to see how other people make arrows.

[Sockrablur]

Thanks guys.
Pender for that arrow I started by removing just 3" from the nock end and aprox 6" from the tip end simply for the look, something different. The arrow shot to stiff and could have been lighter so I removed the bark and some wood to get a little more what I needed. I like leaving the bark to me it makes them seem so different form bought shafting. I have been able to get a few arrows that were all barked. its tough because the spine has to be close enough and the weight not to far off. I'm no expert but sure have enjoyed learning as I go. It honestly amazes me. After all the scraping and sanding the natural qualities reviled in the wood as you hold the shafting after the first clear coat is dry just keep me staring and turning and looking. all the time and effort it takes to get that stick from the woods to look like shafting just makes me smile.

[penderbender]

Right on man that looks cool. I really enjoy making shoot arrows too. Cheers- Brendan

[bjrogg]

I agree 100 percent, it takes a lot of time to harvest, dry, straighten, scrape or file to spine, remove enough material to match weight all to turn a stick into a arrow shaft. I usually use big enough shoots that I remove all the bark and a fair amount of scrapping and fileing. I actually feel a bit of pride when someone looks at one of my shoot shaft arrows and says this is a store bought shaft right. I say no and show them what I start with their amazed. I haven't tried leaving bark on arrow yet but did on atlatl dart. Is that Red Dogwood your using? Mine seemed like bark wanted to get real sticky and flake off when I heated it to straighten. It wasn't drying 2 years though, love your stash in your rafters😊
Bjrogg

[Pat B]

Like bow wood, if shoots are collected in the summer(growing season) the bark will slip and shoots collected in the winter(dormant season) the bark sticks. I have seen some well made arrows with the bark still on them but you have better control of the spine by removing the bark(at an appropriate time) and reducing the shaft until you get the spine value you want.
 I like using sourwood. It is available locally for me and I can strip the barl as soon as I cut it summer or winter without worrying about it checking. Most of the other types of shoots I've harvested had to be dry before removing the bark or they will check.
 I like red osier dogwood for arrows but I can't get it locally. We do have silky dogwood(Cornus amomum), also a red stemmed dogwood but I haven't used it enough to say how good it is.

[Buckeye Guy]

Sackrablur
I like the feel of this thread
may have to try to get pic to join in the fun

[Pappy]

Very nice work, love working on shoot shafts when I have the time.
 Pappy