noob - dogwood arrows

[Matt A]

i would like to make primitive arrows. I have lots of red dogwood around, and i harvested a bundle of it last winter. I scraped the bark off with a utility knife and tied them all together to dry, now how do I straighten and smooth them. heat gun and sandpaper???

[Lone500]

Pretty much. never tried straitening dogwood myself but i imagine it doesnt go to badly.

Always liked dogwood. guess its my favorite tree. I would love to have a bow out of one if a nice dogwood staff even exists lol.

[Matt A]

probably not. at least as far as ours is concerned here in MN. not even an inch round, just brush basically

[Pat B]

There are tree dogwoods and multi stemmed shrub dogwoods, all true dogwoods(cornus) but in two different forms.
  I use our gas kitchen stove to heat shoot shafts for straightening.A heat gun will work as well. I like to oil the shaft first with cooking oil so I don't scorch them while straightening.

[Josh B]

I managed to find two red osier staves, one was 2" thick at the big end the other was 2 1/2 "  thick .  I got in a hurry on the smaller one and ruined it.  I waited a month, debarked it and roughed it in, then sealed it all around.  A week later when I pulled it out, it had almost split itself in two lengthwise.  I'm letting the other one cure on its own with the bark on.  I hope it works a little better that way.  Josh

[Matt A]

when I have them straightened then start sanding do I spine first then sand or visa versa?

[Lone500]

finish then spine them.

[Pat B]

With shoot shafting the actual spine is not that critical. The natural taper will make the effective spine about 10# less than the actual spine. Leave the arrows a little long and reduce the effective spine by 5# per inch over 28".   I generally use my spine tester to find the stiff side of a shoot shaft. That side goes against the bow. Other than that I don't actually spine out the shafts.

[Matt A]

alrighty i'll give it a whirl. just cut a bunch more and tied them up to dry today.

[Pat B]

One thing you need to know if you don't already...cut only second year growth or older. When a shoot sprouts it grows to it's untimate height the first growth season and has leaves along its stem. The second growth year small branches grow from the leaf scars. You only want to cut shoots with branches on them. First year growth will make arrows but they will be flimsey and unstable, needing constant straightening. Second year or older growth, because of 2(or more)growth rings are stiffer and more stable. Once straightened and tempered they stay straight.

[Matt A]

k, thanks! the ones I cut were the size of my pinkie finger or bigger and had branches
 so hopefully I won't have any trouble

[Pat B]

Sounds good! 

[George Tsoukalas]

Cut the shoots a half inch wide. Bundle them with duct tape, etc... 6 per bundle or so. Here's the key to handling any natural shoot arrow...unbundle them every few days and straighten. Eventually they will begin to respond to corrections. My goal is to not to have to use heat to straighten. Info on my site. Jawge
http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni/

[bowtarist]

Sweet site George.  First time I've been on there, but not the last.  dpgratz

[crooketarrow]

   I cut alternet dog wood where it sprouts from a base and have maultable shoots comeing up. By the time the get to 3/8's there a couple years old. On all shoots this first couple ,3 feet are clean and straight no limbs.
 I did some as GEORGE and straighten as they dry. But can't see any difference in just leting them season 6 months to a year then straighten,sand ,heat the very bad kinks if needed. TEMPER them restraighten that last time they stay straight and don't have to restraight to often if at all. I've did lots where I never tempered and some where I temper first after I removed the bark before I started. I can't see any difference.
  I think the key to not haveing to restraighten is to start out with a nice straight shoot. Not that you can't make arrows from bent shoots I did 100's. Just like bows the better the materal you start with the better the finished product.