Self nocking horn... where can I buy it??

[AdamW]

Greetings all!

I apologise if this is a common topic, but I didn't find much using the forum search.  I recently completed an arrow kit for a medieval self nocked arrow from Richard Head Longbows.  It was so much fun and I have a deep interest in making many more.  Obtaining supplies is proving difficult as the raw animal products shipping from the UK to the US is not possible.  He can not ship feathers, horn, etc through customs.  I need a supplier in the US.

3riversarchery.com has the feathers so that is not an issue.  The horn slices are tough to locate.  Anyone have suggestions?  I'm looking for self nocks, not horn nocks.

Thank you for your time!
Adam

[Pat B]

Adam, 3Rivers sells blocks of horn that you can cut into splines for the reenforced self nocks. I'm sure there are other suppliers like Crazy Crow, Moscow Hide.  Find a piano rebuilder and get piano key ivorys from the keys. They work well also.
  You can also use hardwood splines and I have sucessfully used rawhide for splines. I got that idea from Glenn St Charles in his book "Billets To Bows".     Those 3" to 4" square rawhide dog chews works great for it. Just the right thickness.  Here is a pic of the arrows I made with rawhide spined reenforced self nocks. It's hard to see the spline but if you look close you will see it. I still shoot these arrows and I made them in 2003.

[scattershot]

The first photo is of a hardwood spline, and the second is of a wrapped self nock.

A cow horn works well, too, just cut thin sections from the horn and proceed just like the slender hardwood pieces.

Good luck!

P.S. You can find cow horns at Tandy Leather, or craft supply stores.

[gstoneberg]

Great idea Pat!  I would never have thought of that.  I've done osage and like the way it looks but rawhide does sound like a great idea.

George

[Bevan R.]

You might also check any local meat packers. Come later in the year, people might be having some beef processed. Worth a look.

[Pat B]

Easy to do too George. Cut the splines and soak them first but remove the excess water before glueing. I used my bandsaw for the initial cut then sandpaper to fit the splines. Use TBIII and wrap with rubberband until dry.Then shape the nock. I wrap all self nocks, reenforced or not. These were wrapped with artificial sinew. You can see it starting to ravel a bit. Real sinew is best!