Unusual Vintage Self-Nock Arrow

[Wade Phillips]

Has anyone ever seen this self-nock on a hunting arrow? Self-nock is cut slightly off center but appears to be machine made, it has a fiber insert and .65” long tapered grooves in the side that resemble nocks on some flight arrows that were shot out of very short bows.

The .330” OD shaft is spined for 55# and is 25.5”long, full length green paint with red crown and hand painted white & black bands. Shaft is still straight. Case Korrek broadhead. The 4.95" long gray bar turkey feathers have factory ground base and were cut with a burner. Guessing mid 1940s to early 1950s. Have seen one other arrow identical to this one, but like me the collector had no idea about who made the arrow or put the self nock on the shaft. Anyone got any ideas?

 

[Cody Roiter]

Wade, I have never see any thing like that before...I will have to look around in my old arrow box.. I think I may have something like your arrow... If I do I will post a photo.......

Cody

[jcar315]

Wade, Sorry but I can't shed any light at all on this but had to comment that I too am very curious about the self nock. I have never seen one quite like that. The groove on the side is very interesting. I will be curious to see what we come up with on info and maybe how it was made.

[TimberlineX]

Wade,

Extremely interesting self nocks. Surprisingly precise.

I’ve got one set of arrows with something remotely similar, although the self nocks on these elderly arrows seem not nearly as exact as yours and they lack any sort of reinforcing insert.

 

The arrows themselves are also interesting in that they are marked with the owners or manufacturer’s name - Walter N. Molzen, Newton, Kansas. I’ve always wondered who that early archer/bowhunter was.

 

They are also equipped with a range of broadheads, although I have no way of knowing at what point in these arrow’s lives those heads were added.

 

Any insights on these arrows and their self nocks?

Bill Krenz
Colorado

[johnnyrazorhead]

Bill,
 That last picture is very cool.All the same arrows with different heads.The one in front is a Ben Pearson,the middle head looks like a Zwickey Unknown #20 and if I'm not mistaken,the top head appears to be a very rare Zwickey 4-blade.I think they are all from around 1942.Wonder of someone was experimenting with different heads back then.Nice.

[Ted Fry]

Could that small side of the nock be in line with the cock feather?
Maybe that is how he would index the arrow.

[Wade Phillips]

Bill - Thanks so much for posting the photographs of the three string grooved self nock arrows.

Your self nocks are surprisingly similar to mine. It appears that the same process, machine and/or person was used to make them.

Yes, I have seen several old ink stamped arrows. Some by the manufacturers and others by bowmen. Hard to say who Walter N. Molzen of Newton, Kansas was, but perhaps we sill get lucky and have someone Kansas tell us more about this gentlemen.

The two Zwickeys would date circa 1939-1941, the Ben Pearson would date 1942. As you say these broadheads could have been put on the arrows at any date.

John - Bill's two Zwickey's are convex cutting edge sloped shoulder models, much narrower than the straight cutting edge Unknown #20 (Bear's Special Order). Note on Bill's 4 blade that the bleeder is cut from the right side, this was the original die.... All Zwickeys made after these original heads, (1942 & later), have the bleeder cut from the left side of the ferrule, that includes the 4-blade Unknown #20 (Bear's Special Order), which I am sure you have noticed.

Ted - Very interesting observation that the small side of the nock is in line with the cock feather and could be used to index the arrow.

I'm sure you have seen the old self nocks that are stepped, meaning one leg is intentionally and noticeably longer than the other. At one point, Glenn St. Charles used stepped nocks. Glenn's old hunting pal Bert Wallis used them too. Just checked one of Bert's stepped nock arrows and see that the string groove is also off center. However, the cock feather side is the thicker side of the nock, but also the shorter in length. Both Glenn's and Bert's arrows had no string groove extending forward down the shaft.

Thanks to all who posted. Hopefully we will all learn more from additional posts and someday be able to identify who made these string grooved self nock shafts.