Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Arrows => Topic started by: Eric Krewson on March 09, 2016, 07:07:47 pm

Title: Crepe Myrtle for arrow shafts
Post by: Eric Krewson on March 09, 2016, 07:07:47 pm
I am about to prune my crep myrtle and noticed some really nice straight sprouts a little bigger than 3/8". I think I will bundle up a few to dry and see if they make good arrows.

I know some folk have made bows out of the wood but don't remember seeing anything about arrows.
Title: Re: Crepe Myrtle for arrow shafts
Post by: mullet on March 09, 2016, 09:34:54 pm
I'm curious to see how it works out, Eric. The city plants them all over town and prunes them every year. There are piles on every street corner or a month when they do it.
Title: Re: Crepe Myrtle for arrow shafts
Post by: Pat B on March 09, 2016, 10:58:45 pm
The wood is pretty heavy but that's not a bad thing. I'm curious to see how they work for arrows.
Title: Re: Crepe Myrtle for arrow shafts
Post by: Springbuck on March 10, 2016, 11:00:59 am
Cool, I want to see!

 I haven't seen a straight woody shoot that just wouldn't work as an arrow, but, they all have their little idiosyncrasies.  I bet they could look beautiful.
Title: Re: Crepe Myrtle for arrow shafts
Post by: stickbender on March 18, 2016, 12:23:43 am

     As my Brother would say, that stuff, is harder than the knobs of hell!  But it will crack while drying, if the ends are not sealed.  I have some big pieces that I am going to carve on, and it has split quit a bit.  If you want to make a nice war club, that will do it!  Interested to see how they do as arrows.  As a side note, the leaves, are good for diabetes.  The Herbalists sell the powdered leaves as a herb called Banaba.  It doesn't taste bad.  Well, get some shoots.  ............ ;)

                                    Wayne
Title: Re: Crepe Myrtle for arrow shafts
Post by: Eric Krewson on March 18, 2016, 09:32:45 am
I did my pruning yesterday, turns out the sprouts were a lot bigger close up than when viewed from a distance. I threw back one shaft for a test but it will have to be whittled on to get it down to arrow diameter.
Title: Re: Crepe Myrtle for arrow shafts
Post by: le0n on March 18, 2016, 10:45:58 am
on trad gang: http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=print_topic;f=1;t=114739 (http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=print_topic;f=1;t=114739)

i too grabbed a few from the pruning this year. i left them bundled outside though. it's been over a month and the unsealed ends haven't split.