Okay so Ive got a new bow and no suitable arrows. I had just finalized my decision on which carbon shaft to get when I discovered some of the comps I would like to shoot at only allow wood arrows. Since I also would like to move to more traditional and back to a self bow at some point, I figure I should make the move on arrows now.
Long story but my family used to make themselves river cane arrows for hunting my Pa being the youngest used wood and my oldest uncle moved to aluminium but he had the most knowledge on cane since my Grand and Greatgrandpa tught them but by the time pa came around they had moved to an area without cane and he became used to normal wood shafts.
I talked with my Uncle for a long time and now wished when I was back home I had him show me some tricks of the trade. Im glad I learned other things from him but missed out on the cane. However I think they will be not too unlike most tradtional shafts.
BTW I had asked my uncle this very question Im about to ask all of you. later I'll tell you what he said.
So my question is; I Have a #51@ 28" BIg Jim Buffalo bow and I draw 28" I would like to try a bamboo shaft that equals close to 650gr and has as high as FOC as possible. so I am speculating around 225-260gr point and shaft being 380-400gr
I could be off so if someone has experiance I'd apreciate all info. Of corse heres the thing, what shaft should I start with? most bamboo is either pricy and only in a dozen or cheaper but in lots of 50-100 so Id like to get a shaft I can tune thats close as possible. ( I do have 60 assorted shafts Ive collected but Im time poor at the moment and would like to get shooting whist I complete some other shafts)
Most Boo shafts are spined @28" instead of 26 I've been told this componsates for the tapered shaft by a suplier but other say add 5# plus 5# for center shot which I the buffalo plus I've heard +5# for every 20gr and Ive heard +5# for every 35-50gr over a 125gr head. Im not sure which way to go?
Does anyone know how many gr in +point weight it takes to move up 5# in a boo shaft?
Can anybody help direct me which shaft to take a punt on to get a shaft that weighs close to 650gr with as heavy as point weight as possible?
Okay when I asked my Uncle he said. "I dont know, we used to look for the right diameter and a nice looking piece then flex them a few times and make em up with a biggish fletch." So I asked what thier bows were like and he said they were straight self bows or backed bows with little cut out is any. Also he told me they were around 40-45# and rarely over. Then he told me though that a lot of the info died with my great grandpa since he was the last in our family to hunt Buskwa Moostoos with cane. For a while our family could not hunt any by law and later they moved to an area were they were wiped out.
For those interested we are Metis the buffalo people, I'm recognized as part of the Metis nation of Alberta and a half blood, but fairly european looking whereas my Uncles look like they stepped off the reserve Pa is somewhere in between. and my Great Great grandpa was a voyageur but came to stay in Alberta after he disagreed with some policies of the great western fur trading company. My Great great Grandfather Metis but lived as a Cree with a Cree wife as did his son ( my Great Grandfather took a Metis wife but stayed living as a Cree). By my Grandfathers time he took a Metis wife and settled in Souther Alberta By Head Smashed in Buffalo Jump where my father also grew up. I was fortunately born in and around my people but unfortunately later moved to the city. Dad kept things fairly quiet but I always yearned for life on the land and spent my childhood doing bushcraft and traping in the coulees of our area. Fortunately My uncle who made his living as a trapper took me under his wing and taught me lots.
He his getting quite old now and me being half way around the world I guess Im getting a bit sentimental as I'll likely never take a river trip with him paddling in harmoney again.
Id like to say though that people that preserve the knowledge of our ancestors keep thier spirit alive and as we travel the same journey by learning the things they once new connects us at a level that some people cant understand and to all you that do, I would like to say thank you.
I hope I have not board people to much and that somewhwere in all this my questions will not be overlooked.
Topic: Calling all bamboo arrow shaft shooters (Read 251 times)
