Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Arrows => Topic started by: stringstretcher on February 15, 2010, 10:25:40 am
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I have a friend that is going to a shoot down in Florida then end of Feburary and is going to shoot in the all primative class. Now Alan can shoot a mean bow, so we are hopeing he will have as good of luck with these. All are Jap Arrow bamboo, 29" to BOP, self nock, hand ground turkey feathers, and wrapped in silk thread. If he don't shoot good, he sure will look good.....lol. Good luck Alan.
(http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e369/STRINGSTRETCHER/007-7.jpg)
(http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e369/STRINGSTRETCHER/004-9.jpg)
(http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e369/STRINGSTRETCHER/005-9.jpg)
(http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e369/STRINGSTRETCHER/006-8.jpg)
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looks good. do you just scorch the nodes to make them look like that? i kinda like the look, and would like to do that to some of mine.
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aero86. Some of the one's that I do yes, I scorch them for looks. Others just happen to come out like that when bending. I use a open flame to heat mine and use oil to help keep the scorching down. Most of it is done just for looks unless it is a real stubborn area.
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oh, alrightie. guess thats why mine dont do that! i use a heat gun. thats a lot of twist on those feathers.
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Howdy Stretcher,
Wow, those are some top shelf arrows you got there.
Do you make a lot of arrows, and do you have an area in you shop set up just for arrow making? How do you spin the arrows while wrapping the threads around the nock and feathers? Are they in a sort of jig? If so, I'd like to see a photo of that.
Thanks for sharing,
Canoe
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Good looking set of arrows!
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Canoe. Yes I make a lot of arrows since I work in a pro shop and have had my own shop year ago. I do have an area in my shop and basement that I work on all my primative stuff. I have gotten away from the more modern stuff by choice for myself and love it. The wrapping is all done by hand, tiwisting, turning, holding and hopeing.....lol. I am working on a jig now to help the old arthritic hands hold the arrow, somthing like a fishing rod builder uses. Hopefully it will help. I can only do about two and then have to take a break. All my arrows are fletched using a blitzenburger with a special made adaptor to orient the cock feather to the nock. I use super glue over my wrapping to secure them, but for my arrows, I use sinew. Hope this answers some of you questions????
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Thanks Hillbilly. I am going to make myself a dozen, your way, leaving the rind on them for camo effect next as soon as I get the right cane.
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whats the hillbilly way? i wish i had a jig for my fletching. but its fun trying to hold three feathers in place whilst tying!
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String -
Wish my wife looked that good! :o Beautiful!
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The arrows you see aero86 have the rind taken off, sort of polished with steel wool for a slick and for a lack of better words, "pretty arrow". Some that Hillbilly and others make are fletched and made just like they were cut for the most part for a more primative look and camo. Lay a piece of your tonkin as it comes out of the bag in some leaves and then try to find it on another day.....lol. Finished like these are, are as much for looks as anything.
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oh, ok, thats how i make mine! also, by the looks of the cut, you have some sort of feather cutter? if so, do you attach the feather, then cut off some of the vane, then wrap? im trying to figure out the best way to get mine uniform, since i have a cutter for my feather shape.
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I use a feather burner for all my fletching. I have several choppers here that are soon to go. I just don't like them. I like to burn mine after fletching on the shaft. I fletch my arrows with a full clamp length fletch. My ribbons are set so that they cut just to the quill and leaves me about 3/8 of an inch to the ends so I can taper than and then fletch over it. Makes for a much more uniform fletching, IMO.
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ok, cool just wondering. i like my chopper, but, your way probably is better, but it was cheap and i have uniform cut feathers
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Howdy Stretcher,
Hey, thanks for the info on how you make those great lookin' arrows.
It sounds like you depend upon your years of experience rather than some fancy jigs or setups.
I was hoping you'd share some short cut method of making great looking arrows - but No, I just have to gain the experience.
Thanks again for sharing,
Canoe
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he said he did use a jig for the fletching.
its pretty easy to make an arrow! just takes time! lol.
i found a neat little jig i may try soon for fletching. all it is is a piece of leather, or card board, with a hole punched in the middle. then slits are cut for the feathers at 120 degrees apart.
via this site
http://www.primitiveways.com/fletching_jig.html
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Canoe. I have no short cuts to making cane arrows....lol. I am still looking for those myself. What is do is, since learning a little, is be more selective in my cutting of the cane. Get the best ones that I can to start with. From there it is drying and then straightening. I use cooking oil mostly on my shafts when I heat them over a Colman stove. After straightening, I spine each arrow to find the stiff side, and cut my nocks so that the stiff side is against the arrow plate on the bow. Now as far as what spine to use??? What I was taught by a very very good friend and person that makes the best cane arrows on earth, is to put the node branch spot straight up 90 degrees to the side plate. I also use around 10 lbs of spine heavier than I would for a normal parallel shafting because of the natural taper. Once the nocks are cut, I use two carbon high speed blades put together on a high speed saw to cut the initial cut in the shaft, and then use a small flat file and round file to finish the nock slot to fit my strings. From there, I put them in a blitzenburger that I have a special nock adapter to adjust the nock index so that the cock feather is set 180 degrees from the side plate to give me total arrow clearance. After fletching, I burn the feathers to shape and then wrap each end with what ever material is needed for the function of that arrow. In the case of the above, they are tournament arrows, so I opted for silk so that rain or other bad weather will not unset a sinew wrap. From there I coat the wrapping with super glue and let that dry and the dip the complete arrow, except for the fletching end that I do with a brush in my finish. All of my Nick end and point ends have hardwood dowels in them to help in making a more solid nock area since I don not cut all of my nocks at the node. If you have any questions, please pm me and I will do my best to answer them
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Great looking arrows. If your buddy is shooting in the TBOF shoot in Florida, I hope he is a good shot. Those arrows are too pretty to sacrifice to the Palmetto God.
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I am not sure what the name of the shoot is, but I will find out.
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Those are very nice arrows.One caution though,cane scorched at the nodes tends to make them brittle,and when they break,it's usually right on the node.I do my best not to scorch them at all,then, they are very tough arrows that will take a lot of abuse.JMHO God Bless
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For the most part Pete, as you are right, I try not to scorch the nodes or for that matter, any of the cane. Sometimes I just get the mentality that I am going to get you or bust.......lol....... >:D
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Howdy S. Stretcher, aero86 and Group,
Wow, thanks for the detailed explanation on cane arrow making.
I didn't get over to HD yet, but I anticapate picking up a bunch of cane - I'm pretty excited about giving this a good try.
Aero, I've seen that fletching Guide before, but wasn't sure it was all that easy to use - I'll be giving that a try soon.
A while ago, I made a spine tested, and then I put together a half dozen 3/8" oak dowel arrows. From this "set" of arrows, (with their mismatching fletchings), I learned a lot. And, I like the idea, even more, of making my own equipment.
Thanks,
Canoe
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Great job Canoe. Thats what it's all about. Now only another million or two, and you will be set..... ;D Have fun
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Actually, I thought that that jig would help greatly. After fletching almost 3 dozen by hand, anything that would help hold the fletching would work in my opinion! Haha! You really gotta use all your body parts to hand fletch an arrow
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Stringstretcher, I'll be at the same shoot (TBOF march 5,6 & 7) shooting cane arrows and osage bow. Tell your friend to stop me and introduce himself. Also, I'll be tent camping all 3 days.
take care,
Donnie Wilkerson
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Donnie, his name is Alan Day in case you run across him. I know he camps down there in a camper, but not sure where.
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Beautiful arrows,you are right he will look good for sure. :)
Pappy
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wow - love the shield cut on those turkey feathers!
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Thanks Postman.