Daka rih' hon tye for Meathook

[Walkingstick]

I am sure that title will roll a few eyes but a few weeks ago I was Meathook's guest along with a bunch of tradgangers for a bunny hunt. As is a practice with me when I am a guest of someone I try to give them a little something when I meet them and more especially if it is the first time. I was first to arrive and got to visit some with Don before the gang arrived. When we went out to shoot a little I asked him to try some arrows I had made for him for that day basing it on his bow weight and draw alone. They were underspined terribly so I told him I would make up another dozen and get them to him. Later I found out he was going to hunt pigs down on 4nolz's place so I told him I would make some pig stickin arras. then Calvin gets that pretty little gal of his to model these arras for Uncle Mike so now I know I got to work hard to make these special cuz I ain't got no pretty lil model like he has workin for me. I drove over to Allegeny Arrowwoods in Coudersport and asked Bill Boncarz to help me with these arras. I told him that hook told me he shoots a 50#+- bow weight with a 29 inch BOP spined to 60-65 and 125 grain points. Bill drug out a dozen laminated birch shafts coming in at 540 grains at 32 inches or about 17 grains to the inch. I then picked up some nocks and field points and a half dozen grizzly heads at 125 grain. I know Hook favors Wensel Woodsman and I have some of those if I find them but I favor those grizzly heads cuz I like how the fly and the do mean stuff inside an animal. They are a trick to sharpen though. So I a going to build these arras on here for all to see cuz meat told me I can make them however I am moved and tonight I started moving. Follow along over the next few days and watch these arrows develope. This way some newbie can see it done another way.

[the Ferret]

cool but tell me what in the heck the thread title means?   :confused:

[Walkingstick]

Most bows are named after they are finished but I wanted a name for these arrows and I did a little research. I dug out my Book of Indian Crafts and Indian Lore by Julian Harris Solomon copyright 1928 and published by Harper and Row. I found what I wanted on page 386. Hook lives in New York or Iriquois country so I named his arrows Daka rih' hon tye which in Iriquois language means Silent Messenger so each arrow will be inscribed with that name.

[Walkingstick]

Patience Mr. Lotz. You read too fast and I type real slow.

[Meathook]

Way to cool. Mac love the name!!!!!  That alone should have the piggies trembling.  

As I said it certainly wasn't necessary or expected but appreciated they will be.     At least by me the pigs may not be too thrilled by them.   :D

[Walkingstick]

We are starting with laminated birch shafts that are actually somewhat like plywood arrows. The birch is laminated in layers of criss crossed grain for strength and then dowelled and made into shafts. You can see the layers in the photo.  

[Walkingstick]

I then took out my Woodchuck Grinder and proceeded to taper the nock ends of the shafts. Here you see the squared shaft approaching the sanding disk and then you see it being sanded to its pointed taper.
   
   

[Walkingstick]

Then I slide on a fluorescent nock because I can see through the nock and tell how well the taper is seating in the nock. It needs to be seated properly and to be sqare when glued on.
   

[Walkingstick]

Next I cut the shafts to length using my cutoff saw. This way my arrows are all exactly the same length. I have allowed for the point taper and the small amount the nock adds. I then simply rotate the wooden shafts into the abrasive wheel.
   
   

[leftybearfan]

Great thread Walkingstick!! Can't wait to see what you will come up with to compete with Calvin's little girl .  :D

[Walkingstick]

You can see that when I add the nock and the point the distance BOP or behind the point is 29 inches from the nock throat to the back of the point.
     
 

[Meathook]

Mac, don't sweat the little girl.  I got one of those and she is cute as a bugs ear so I will shovel off the deck put her in a dress and a cuter arrow model you will not find.  

[Walkingstick]

Now we have a dozen shafts tapered on both ends and the same exact length. I like to taper before I stain and finish so that there is no little gap of unfinished shaft where the tapers are made and the nock or point applied.
     

[Walkingstick]

Next we stain using yellow and orange rit dye mixed with denatured alcohol. Laminated birch is glued together so I try to avoid water based stains. The glue may be water proof but without knowing I take no chances. I made a shade similar to osage and apply it with a cotton swab and latex gloves.
       

[Meathook]

When he is done I will have him send me or I will go get the pics as well and put them on the tradgang server so they are here with the thread.  

[Walkingstick]

Now we have stained shafts and we will put them aside to dry.
   

[Walkingstick]

after they have dried I go over them with steel wool to remove the grain that was raised by the stain seeing it contains a small percentage of water in the alcohol. It also tones down the boldness of the stain.
   

[Walkingstick]

next I seal the stain and the shafting with a spray acrylic sealer..Krylon satin. I normally like to use the water poly but as I told you I was afraid to loosen glue joints.    

[Meathook]

Mac, You may have been planing on it but can you put your sharpening technique for the grizzlies in the pictoral too.  

[Walkingstick]

The krylon dries rather quickly. I would dip with gasket laquer right now but as someone has shown this method already I will do them another way. I will spray on a coat of Krylon Crystal Glaze which is a compound much like they cover decopuges with to make them look glassy smooth.
   

 Only trouble is the drying time of overnight and my wife is already noticing I failed to turn on the exhaust fans in the shop. Heck it's winter and cold and I don't want to waste any heat. We will continue this tomorrow guys....Nite all.