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Topic Archives => Build Alongs => Topic started by: the Ferret on August 15, 2004, 11:53:00 AM

Title: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: the Ferret on August 15, 2004, 11:53:00 AM: Ahh a beautiful Sunday morning..what a better time than to work on some primtive shafting eh? So I went and gathered some bundles of Ocean Spray, Sourwood, Mock Orange and Gray Dogwood from the upstairs drying box, a knife for scraping and a cup of hot tea to sooth the senses

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v247/theferret111/primshafting01.jpg)
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: the Ferret on August 15, 2004, 11:55:00 AM: After selecting a piece of each it was time to start scraping off the bark

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v247/theferret111/primshafting02.jpg)

The Ocean spray was tan when it was scraped, the sourwood and gray dogwood were both white and the mock orange was kind of green with a distinct odor
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: the Ferret on August 15, 2004, 11:59:00 AM: In additon the barks were very different the ocean spray had a thin brown paper like bark, the sour wood reminded me of a reddish pepperoni stick, the mock orange had a real flaky orangish bark, and the gray dogwood had a smooth tight gray bark.

While scraping you could do some intial straightening by putting one end against your leg and applying pressure in the opposite direction of any bends

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v247/theferret111/primshafting03.jpg)
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: the Ferret on August 15, 2004, 12:01:00 PM: Eyeing down the shafts until you had them somewhat straight like you would any other shaft material. Further straightening will have to be done with heat. BTW while scraping the shafts I looked up to see a nice velvet racked 8 pointer in the one hundred and teen class crossing the front yard...GOOD MOJO!

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v247/theferret111/primshafting04.jpg)
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: the Ferret on August 15, 2004, 12:03:00 PM: Here are the ocean spray, mock orange and sourwood shafts scraped and initially straightened beside each of their counterpart raw shafts

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v247/theferret111/primshafting05.jpg)

And here is a gray dogwood shaft, with bark on, scraped and initially straightend, and final straightened and sanded

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v247/theferret111/primshafting06.jpg)
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: the Ferret on August 15, 2004, 12:04:00 PM: All four shafts initially straightened and cut to length. These are all going to make nice primitive arrows.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v247/theferret111/primshafting07.jpg)
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: the Ferret on August 15, 2004, 12:14:00 PM: IMO these "branch" shoots are all going to make nicer, smoother, and straighter arrows than the rose shafting I previously did a pictorial on, but I'll still be hunting with wild rose this fall.

When working with primitive shafting material one should not expect "carbon" straighteness or maybe even "cedar" straighteness. Afterall these are natural materials with their own charachteristics and idiosyncracies, however they will still make arrows that are plenty strong and straight enough to get the job done!
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: Madpigslayer on August 15, 2004, 12:20:00 PM: cool beans Mic, cool beans. :)
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: AZStickman on August 15, 2004, 12:26:00 PM: Mickey.... What time of year do ya harvest your shaft material??.... Terry
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: Madpigslayer on August 15, 2004, 12:32:00 PM: Terry, I think he harvests it during Mojam
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: Mark Baker on August 15, 2004, 12:35:00 PM: Nice tutorial going, Mickey. Just the night before last, I finished up my "hunters" for this year....the tonkin cane shafts that I started a couple weeks back. They were awesome looking, with a Doug Campbell damascus trade point on each one. And I was very pleasantly surprised when they all shot and grouped very tightly at 15 yards. Can't wait to put a couple through some critters in a few weeks. The ocean spray shafts are now ready for feathers, then tips. I got a couple stone points I may try on them....I got three. If they shoot as well as the cane, I know I'll be trying some more of them, as they are heavy and straight.
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: Flatstick on August 15, 2004, 12:54:00 PM: I can second Mickey's comment on how " straight " to expect these shafts to be. I'm currently working on some dogwood and popular shafts myself. I made two of each for practice arrows and saved the best ones to make hunting shafts,,so far these make a good hunting weight shaft but it seems no matter how much I try to straighten them,,they have a mind of their own and will "warp" back to their original shapes. So definately start out with as straight of material as possible.

Thanks for the picturial Mickey :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: the Ferret on August 15, 2004, 01:11:00 PM: Terry in a way Madpig is right, I got the Ocean Spray at Mojam from Timo who got it from Calvin so I don't know when it was cut. I also got the gray dogwood from Timo and I believe it was cut in Jan or Feb. The Mock Orange and and Sourwood came from Pat B and it was cut in Jan. The wild rose I cut myself and it was also cut in Jan..SO..I would say January is the best time to cut. For one thing the sap would be down and so would the leaves making it easier to spot the better limbs or shoots. Terry these should all be making the trip to Arizona in Jan.

Mark arrows sound awesome man, can you post any pics? Love to see them. By the way "Try Try Again" has become my "theme song", I hum it constantly ha ha
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: Madpigslayer on August 15, 2004, 01:16:00 PM: Mic, the ocean spray was cut by lcoast (kieth) in Port Alberni BC, I think it was in the winter last year, hopefully he will see this and answer.

I am watching with interest all the differant shaft materials you guys are working with...at first glance I am thinking that ocean spray is the heaviest, straighest most durable...but the jury is still out.

It will be intersting to watch you guys zip them old fashioned arras through some critters this fall. The ultimate bowhunt...natural materials.

cool!!!
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: Meathook on August 15, 2004, 01:26:00 PM: Quote
Originally posted by Flatstick:
...it seems no matter how much I try to straighten them,,they have a mind of their own and will "warp" back to their original shapes. :thumbsup:
Reminds me of a song. :D

Quote
"But when I step to the line, they have their own mind, I just can't hit a damn thing

I got some arrows that miss all the time
I got some arrows and they won't fly true
I got some arrows that shoot bad all day
I said I got a pretty arrow but it won't fly true" - Mark Baker - I Got A Preety Arrow(Sultans of Fling CD)
Looking good Mickey.
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: the Ferret on August 15, 2004, 01:27:00 PM: On another note the bark removal on these branches is not nearly the big deal it is on the wild rose. Pick wild rose about 1/3 bigger than you think you'll need. Pick branches just ever so slightly bigger than you'll think you need.

Calvin the ocean spray is the straightest initially of the stuff I got. The gray dogwood was nice and straight too and makes the best looking finished arrow once sanded (so far)very similar to cedar (methinks Timo knows what he is doing). The sour wood and mock orange I'm just getting to know.
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: the Ferret on August 15, 2004, 01:38:00 PM: and look at all the potential fletching that just walked into the back yard..LOL

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v247/theferret111/yardturks815.jpg)
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: Timo on August 15, 2004, 01:52:00 PM: Mark,I have your stone points done, and will try to ship them out to Doug, or you tomorrow.

Nice job Mickey!
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: SuperKodiak38 on August 15, 2004, 02:47:00 PM: I am gladf I read this post. A freind at work has a bunch of Viburnum growing in her wood edges and she has cut me a couple to show me their size. I gues I will wait until this winter to cut some more. Any experience with Viburnum? Thanks.
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: Timo on August 15, 2004, 05:24:00 PM: You know, Mickey does such a great job on these tutorials! But.... he does go to some extremes,in the straighting department.I suppose he does it on behalf of all those fledgling arrow smiths?

Here's a pic of what he normally hunts with!

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v86/Timotoad/snakyarrows.jpg)
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: Mark Baker on August 15, 2004, 05:36:00 PM: Nice Tim! Maybe I'll get em just in time for the season.

I also finished a couple of shafts - cane - that Dano gave to me... put the same damascus trade points on em, and they shoot right along with the others.

I'll see if I can get a couple pics together....if I can figure out the process....
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: sticshooter on August 15, 2004, 08:00:00 PM: SEE this thread is one of the reason's I call TRAD GANG HOME!NUFF SAID><><
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: the Ferret on August 15, 2004, 08:10:00 PM: LOL I've always said the middle can do anything it wants as long as the nock and tip are in alignment ha ha
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: the Ferret on August 15, 2004, 08:12:00 PM: SuperKodiak pull up a thread called "Dano's arrow"..it is made from BlackHaw Viburnum.
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: Dano on August 15, 2004, 08:35:00 PM: Great pictorial Mickey, just reminds me I gotta get ta makin arrows soon.
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: Timo on August 15, 2004, 08:50:00 PM: Mickey,I've been working on some "ocean spray" and some "rose".I can tell ya that the rose I have is some of the best arrow material, that I have ever worked with! I cut it in a multifora patch,but this stuff had very few thorns,very straight,and tall. It's a breeze to straightin, and is minding it's manners! I'm wondering if it isnt' a hybrid?

The ocean spray, is coming along well.A lot more dense,(hence the weight)takes a bit more heat to get it to correct. I'm haveing a rough time getting out all the kinks!

What bout yourself?
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: the Ferret on August 15, 2004, 10:01:00 PM: I agree with ya Timo on these branches needing more heat than say cane in order to straighten, but once hot enough seem to straighten well and some do seem to have a stubborn spot in them now and again but not as bad as the rose I worked. Hmm a rose that's straight and no thorns? Never been stuck in a patch of that stuff ha ha I did however cut too close to a patch of multiflora on my riding mower Saturday and had to pull one of those thorns out of the underside of my bicep...OWWWWWW
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: cjones on August 16, 2004, 12:42:00 AM: Good job as always lil buddy. :bigsmyl:
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: the Ferret on August 16, 2004, 07:40:00 AM: Photographer is an up and coming primtive archer. I'm teaching him all the ways of making bows with wood using nothing but hand tools, arrows of crooked primitive shafting and broadheads of ol worn out bandsaw blading. He "WAS" one of those hoity toity traditionalists with a lot of fancy glass bows, lots of pretty painted arrows and could shoot like Howard Hill. I've almost got him completely ruined...I just need a little more time :bigsmyl:
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: countrygirl on August 16, 2004, 08:10:00 AM: Hey guys..

If I trim the neighbors bamboo that is dragging on my truck roof when I come down the drive...(happens every time it rains) what do I do next with it...in order to make shafts out of it? Dina
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: the Ferret on August 16, 2004, 08:15:00 AM: Dina try and find pieces that are about the same diameter as the arrows you shoot. Cut them about 36" long and bundle them up with string and stick them someplace to dry. Will take from 3-6 months for the cane to dry sufficiently to make into arrows.
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: trashwood on August 16, 2004, 08:53:00 AM: any body can make a bow, takes a craftsman to make an arrow. Ferret makes some good 'uns

rusty
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: Dano on August 16, 2004, 11:55:00 AM: I can certainly vouch for that Rusty, the viburnum arrow Mickey made for me is a "humm dinger" ;)
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: George Tsoukalas on August 16, 2004, 12:50:00 PM: Very nice, Ferret.
Jawge
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: the Ferret on August 16, 2004, 02:24:00 PM: Thank ya Rusty, Dano and Jawge :notworthy:
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: the Ferret on August 16, 2004, 10:31:00 PM: 1st time with heat and 2 of the shafts, the grey dogwood and ocean spray straightened real well and will need maybe one more session, while the other 2 will need a couple of sessions. Once you get them properly heated they bend very easily.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v247/theferret111/primshafting08.jpg)
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: countrygirl on August 16, 2004, 10:44:00 PM: Thanks Mickey...I got home to late tonight to trim the bamboo...will do it tomorrow.

I have plant in my yard that I have wondered about..It is a night blooming Jasmine...has an intoxicating fragrance...this is not the vineing type...this grows straight up in a bush...grows to about roof height..now if we get a freeze down here...then it gets killed back to ground level..and regrows in the Spring back up to the same height...............

The stems are ........hmmm....hollow when dry...if it gets frozen back..they can be snapped off to encourage new growth...I have thought...that could be a bad sign...

Do you all know if they have any potential as arrow shafts?
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: the Ferret on August 16, 2004, 10:53:00 PM: Chances are Dina if it is real hollow and light weight and snaps easy it won't make a good arrow shaft.

I've been messing with some Horseweed aka Mare's tail aka Fleabane that some guy in Primitive Archer said made good shafts but it too is very hollow and lightweight and snaps easy. I'm not having much luck with it. Maybe make a good kids arrow?
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: **DONOTDELETE** on August 16, 2004, 10:57:00 PM: Dang Mickey, yer an inspiration!!!!
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: Pat B on August 16, 2004, 11:07:00 PM: Mickey, I've been pulling horseweed lately to try. I'll let you know how they work out. I've heard that dog fennell works as shafts also. It's a weed type also so I imagine they are good for a couple of shots, only...emergency shafts. Pat

If anyone out there would like to try sourwood shoots, I have a few to trade and will have more this winter.
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: countrygirl on August 16, 2004, 11:33:00 PM: Duh...my question sure looks dumb now that I read it...LOL!
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: Glasspoint on August 17, 2004, 12:49:00 AM: Mr. Lotz, sir (sorry, I couldn't help it...Daddy taught me to respect my betters :thumbsup: :thumbsup: !

Truly impressive work.

David---I hate when the bar gets raised---Rhoades
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: cjones on August 17, 2004, 02:45:00 AM: David, Mickey does great work. His attention to detail in everything he does is awesome. And he is a heck of a guy too. He just can't hit a running rabbit.

Quote
Originally posted by the Ferret:
Photographer is an up and coming primtive archer. I'm teaching him all the ways of making bows with wood using nothing but hand tools, arrows of crooked primitive shafting and broadheads of ol worn out bandsaw blading. He "WAS" one of those hoity toity traditionalists with a lot of fancy glass bows, lots of pretty painted arrows and could shoot like Howard Hill. I've almost got him completely ruined...I just need a little more time :bigsmyl:
Mickey, That's spreadin' it on a lil thick!
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: the Ferret on August 17, 2004, 07:53:00 AM: No Chad, I think you and David was spreading it a little thick ha ha, but thanks for the kind words guys. I enjoy making things because I've never been very good at it. Finally after decades of trying I can craft things that are respectable.

Ok, Chad, maybe the shooting like Howard Hill was a little over the top but the rest is spot on. I can still remember your advice to Dianne when she wanted to make her first bow (which isn't done yet BTW..the slacker)..."USE THE BANDSAW, DON'T LET HIM MAKE YOU DO IT ALL WITH HAND TOOLS LIKE HE DID ME" ha ha ha ha
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: Glasspoint on August 17, 2004, 09:46:00 PM: We try, Mickey :bigsmyl: , at least it's sincere.
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: cjones on August 17, 2004, 11:55:00 PM: David, Yes it is. Mickey, tell Dianne to get on the ball. If she would like, i'll come down so when osage shavings get tracked through the house she can blame it on me like you do!!
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: 2-BIG on August 18, 2004, 05:24:00 AM: Cool! I work with a couple of fellas that continually harass me about my choice of hunting equipment. Their favorite jab is (So, I suppose you are gonna whittle down a stick, put a string on it, and use a branch for an arrow!) I just tell them that I'm not that advanced yet! They just give me a dumb look and walk away!
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: the Ferret on August 18, 2004, 07:23:00 AM: LOL Good comeback 2-big, I'll have to remember that one.

I got's me a dilema here. About 2 months ago I straightened, filed the nodes and plugged the ends on 1/2 dozen cane shafts and for the life of me I can't find where I put them LOL

That ever happen to anyone else?
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: Dano on August 18, 2004, 07:30:00 AM: Not yet, Old timer :bigsmyl:
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: Jason Lester on August 18, 2004, 07:53:00 AM: Mickey,

Haven't straightened and lost them. But I have got a dozen cane shafts sitting in my garage just waiting for me to work on them. I'd forgot about them until I saw this thread.
I better get to work I got to make some hunting arrows. October is coming.

:)
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: the Ferret on August 18, 2004, 03:52:00 PM: Uh yea Jason. get on em! In primitive arrow making terms hunting season is right around the corner!

I tell ya it is driving me NUTS. I know they are banded with a tan rubber band, I had 2 picked out for Bro Randy and 4 for me. I know at one time they were sitting on the fireplace mantle but I have searched the house 3 times now without any luck. Arrgghhh
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: Bpaul on August 18, 2004, 06:32:00 PM: Rafters mickey? Attic?

B
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: Mark Baker on August 18, 2004, 09:10:00 PM: you'll find em in the last place you look....mark my words! ;)
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: cjones on August 18, 2004, 11:56:00 PM: I ain't got em lil buddy! :bigsmyl: As bad as you are about putting everything back in it's place, i'm surprised you ever lose anything except your hair. Did ya accidently use them when making arrows for other people?
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: Pat B on August 19, 2004, 12:11:00 AM: Chad, I'll bet that's it. Mickey is too generous for his own good.
Mickey, You will wake up in the middle of
some night with the answer. Just give it time. LOL Pat
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: the Ferret on August 19, 2004, 07:11:00 AM: Well boys, I'm giving up and just forgetting about them. Durn nice shafts too, and I had them "super straight". Maybe then they will appear some day. I know walking around and looking over and under things is only frustrating me. ha ha

I've done 2 straightening jobs on the shafts at the beginning of this thread and they are looking real good. One more sessions and we should have some arrow material! I'll try and not lose these :knothead:
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: cjones on August 19, 2004, 07:17:00 AM: Quote
Originally posted by the Ferret:
I know walking around and looking over and under things is only frustrating me. ha ha
I'm betting it's mostly under :D Are they in one of the plains quivers? I seen some shafts stuck in there the last time i was down there. :knothead:
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: Matt E on August 19, 2004, 08:23:00 AM: You will find them or remember who you gave them to sooner or later.I know the feeling.I usually find lost item exactly where, I know, I didn't leave them. :) .... "Your mind is the second thing to go" :)
Take care all.
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: Jason Lester on August 19, 2004, 08:49:00 AM: If it were my house I'd be asking my wife what she did with them.And of course she say "I didn't touch them" until we found them and she remembered moving them. LOL

Mickey I'll come help you look if you want. Just don't mind all those trips I make to my truck to check for them. :D
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: NEW GUY on August 19, 2004, 10:32:00 AM: Mickey, on the cane shafts how far can you work the nodes down without overly weakening the shafts?
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: the Ferret on August 19, 2004, 03:29:00 PM: I truly gave up and started working on 6 more, along with a couple more rose shafts to go with the ones in the beginning of this thread. I have 14 shafts almost ready to fletch, just one more giant session ha ha

Shane you can get them almost completely flat once the shafts are straight. If you try and take them down too flat and then straighten the shafts they will break in the node. I have taken them down with a scraper, a knife edge, a 4 cornered rasp, sandpaper and a belt sander over the years ha ha. It doesn't hurt anything to leave them a little proud either though. Those lumps won't affect the accuracy

Here is a node on one of my cane hunting shafts

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v247/theferret111/canenodes2.jpg)

And a comparison between a "raw" node and a dressed one

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v247/theferret111/canenodes.jpg)
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: the Ferret on August 19, 2004, 03:31:00 PM: Dang I should have turned that raw shaft around so they were facing the same direction, :knothead: but you get the point.
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: the Ferret on August 19, 2004, 04:24:00 PM: Here's a pic of the 14 shafts ready for their last session L-R (3) wild rose (2) grey dogwood, (1) mock orange, (1)ocean spray (1) sourwood and (6) rivercane

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v247/theferret111/primshafting09.jpg)

That sourwood is a lumpy one ha ha
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: SuperKodiak38 on August 19, 2004, 04:36:00 PM: Forgive me if this is an ignorant question. Is river Cane and Bamboo the same ? Can I make arra's from small Bambo shoots. I have alot of that growing around here.
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: NEW GUY on August 19, 2004, 06:09:00 PM: Thanks for the info Mickey. I was scrapein down some nodes last night and didn't know how far I could take it. Excellent pics.

On a side note, I have also been wondering on the measurements of your fletching. Such as the highth of the back and the front. I have been trying several different cuts on mine, just wondering what works the best for you.

thx,
NG
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: Flatstick on August 19, 2004, 07:00:00 PM: Hey Mickey,

I have six cane shafts plugged and ready for cutt'n nocks & point slots sitting on my work bench right now! :p Picked them up at a yard sale while I was in Ohio, the woman who sold them said she was tired of them laying around in the house, I only paid her $.50 for the six of them. She said if I was to come back in another week or so she could probably find some more to get rid of!

AAAAH, just fool'n ya Mickey, I actually paid a whole $1.00 for them :D .
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: the Ferret on August 19, 2004, 07:50:00 PM: SuperKodiak..now bear in mind that I am not a botanist, but rivercane, switch cane, tonkin cane and bamboo are all grasses that are tubular, and when dried become stiff. The differences may be in diameter, or node placement or node type, I am not sure. I have seen 2 or 3 nodes n a 30" section and I have seen 6 nodes in the same 30" section. I would think any of them would make good arrow shafting.

Shane I cut my feathers 5 1/4" long, after installing I then shave back the front 1/4" or so using a razot blade and either sinew wrap the quill or thread wrap it.I then cut the feathers down with a scissors starting at the back and trimming forward about 3/4" at the back straight to about 1/2" at the front..nothing specific I just cut then until they please me.

Flatstick..that's a good deal considering the labor SOMEONE went thru..if ya see any more like that would ya pick me upsome? :rolleyes:
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: Timo on August 19, 2004, 09:46:00 PM: Mickey, I think that Flatstick was saying that maybe,just maybe,that those shafts were yours? :knothead:
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: the Ferret on August 19, 2004, 10:42:00 PM: LOL I know Timo that's why I put up that little roll eye's gremlin

Why don't you tell them about yours? ha ha
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: Flatstick on August 19, 2004, 11:23:00 PM: Are you saying that Timo may have misplaced an arrow or two? :saywhat:
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: Timo on August 19, 2004, 11:38:00 PM: Only in the woods Richard! Only in the woods.
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: SuperKodiak38 on August 20, 2004, 04:54:00 PM: Thanks Ferret, I guess I will have to cut some and give it a try.
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: Jason Lester on August 21, 2004, 12:15:00 AM: Mickey,

Well I spent a while one ny rivercane tonight after reading this thread. The cane straightened pretty well. A couple more times and I'll be ready to make arrows. I think next time I'll only do half though. 12 shafts seem to be a lot to straighten all at once. I think I'm crosseyed now looking for the bend. LOL and of course the last one seemed to be the worst.

Now where did I put those turkey feathers. :)
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: jeff mccray on August 21, 2004, 04:00:00 AM: Hey, would plum tree shoots work? i have a mini plum tree and the limbs are tough....Jeff
Title: Re: Primitive shafting and Sunday morning
Post by: Glasspoint on August 21, 2004, 06:36:00 PM: Plum suckers work great, so do chokecherrys. I cut it so it's a little bigger around than a pencil on the narrow end and 36" long mol (nothin' worse than a too short, fat arrow :knothead: ).