what do i do now?

[recurve shooter]

i have waited as long as i can for my first batch of arras to dry. im going to my grandfather's this weekend, which means i got lots of tools to mooch from . what do i do to em now? and what is arra tempering? i have heard of it on here before, any help?

[huntertrapper]

well, i cut em to length and start straightening, the maybe file or shaveem down in thick places, and rub down with grease and then you could straighten again incase they somehow worked backed to crooked....

[Pat B]

Yea, what HT said but straighten them first before you cut them to length. That way you can pick the best section to use for your arrow. Then you will have to remove the bark and cambium layer. If the shoots are still damp do a bit of hand straightening and let them lay on a flat surface to dry some more. When you use heat to straighten them, if you start at one end and work towards the other you will force moisture out the far end. Be careful of the HOT steam coming out .
  After your shafts are straight and cured you can "cook"(temper) them and add a camo pattern in the same operation. The tempering sets the resins in the wood and makes it more stable. You will notice on my arrows I have scorch marks as a camo pattern and Hawk's recent medicine arrow had a spiraled scorching. This process pushes the moisture out and sets the resins in the wood. You do have to let your shafts rehydrate for a few days before stressing them.   Again, patience is the name of the game!        Pat

[recurve shooter]

ok, cool, what do you use to temper em? torch? propain burner? what???

[Pat B]

I use my kitchen gas stove but any heat source will work.  I use oil when straightening but no oil when tempering. Its kinda like heat treating a bow belly.    Pat

[recurve shooter]

ok, cool. gonna start this weekend. i think (if i can make it work how i plan ) that im gonna put cow tooth blunts on em. should be enteresting. i'll let yall know how it works.