A Public Answer to a private question

[Mudd]

"Mudd, nice shootin with Tommy's Mohawk. I've been wanting to try one too.

I was wondering, do you shoot and make your own woodies? I was wondering what your shaft of choice would be. I'm really tempted to this year, go back to shooting woodies.

Thank you"
____________________________________________________
Here's my answer:
I've not hidden from anyone how I feel about making arrows nor have I hidden how much I love woodies.

I do shoot woodies, I have for years. I can build an arrow and will but I almost need someone else with me. Someone who is willing to hold a gun to my head...lol

I absolutely hate, I mean hate building arrows. I hate repairing arrows. The only thing I love about about arrows is absolutely everything except making them. A good looking arrow that will fly true is a thing of great beauty and awesome to behold.

I may have an arrow or two on the place that was built by my hand but they've become very rare.
I'll trade for or buy arrows if at all possible.
It would have to be an emergency situation before I would consider starting an arrow from scratch.

Right now I have upwards of 4 to 5 dozen that need something, a tip/nock replaced or one or more feathers.

Long answer made even longer, "No sir!"

God bless,Mudd

[Craig Schoneberg]

Mudd,
Don't hold back, tell us how you really feel about building arrows . . . ha!  
I still build my own - and enjoy it, but I hate to repair them.  Usually just build new ones.  Have several boxes sitting in my garage and basement -that are in need of repair - oh well, one of these days I'll get around to it . . .
Craig

[hayslope]

Mudd,

Good man.......tell it like it is.

I now have this thing for carbon....really like those arrows.  I buy the shafts and go from there.  Is it my favorite thing to do?.....no way....in fact if someone would have the attention to detail when building them as I do....I would probably pay them to do them.  But......

But, I still build them.  I TRY to pick the nastiest days to do that kind of thing.....that way I don't seem to mind it so much.  Somewhere in my head I've categorized fletching, re-fletching, putting in inserts/nocks, etc. with mowing the lawn......something that has to be done.

Some folks probably love it.....some of us don't.

Mudd...as they say...."It's all in your priorities".  And it's obviously not high on ours.

Anyhow, glad to hear there are other archery addicts out there that feel the same way about arrow building as I do.

[David Mitchell]

Mudd, too bad!  Wish you enjoyed arrow building as much as I do.  One of life's little pleasures for me.  As I'm building them I will often wonder what sort of critter this one may bring down.  Maybe the reason I like it so well is that I have discovered something I can actually make with my hands that turns out half way right    I have two hands like most people but 10 thumbs most of the time when it comes to doing stuff with them.

[Ric O'Shay]

Mudd -

In my "down time" (what little there is), I enjoy piddling with my woodies. Replacing nocks, stripping and replacing damaged fletching, even sanding and refinishing. It's not for everybody though. That's why there are builders, buyers and diddlers.    

[Gray Buffalo]

Hey Mudd
I make arrows when the wife has a hen party and I have to spend time (hide) in the basement. I’d rather hit my thumb with a hammer repeatedly then listen to those old hens. Knowing what going on upstairs makes it easer to stay down there building arrows.

[HATCHCHASER]

I like putting my arrows together myself for a few reasons.

1. I don't have to wait.

2. I can get my color, shape and size of fletching.

I never just do a bunch at a time. Just throw an arrow on the jig and place a fletch. Then whenever I walk bye I stick another on. It may take me all day to do one arrow while I am doing whatever else. Ymmv but I like to do it that way.

[JMartin]

Mudd....thanks for the morning chuckle!

[bofish-IL]

Gray Buffalo I am with you, going to the basement smelling stain, cedar, paint, and glue. Much better than listening to a bunch of women.

Only problem is I keep hearing someone upstairs yelling what is that smell?

[Steve H.]

I HAD a Mudd made "Grassy" (bamboo) but it got swallowed up by some SE Alaska muskeg, never to be seen or heard from again.

I don't know, something about wood arrows, they are so wholesome!

[David Mitchell]

"Wholesome"--hey, I like that term.  

[reddogge]

That's funny.  I love making and repairing them.  Just got done putting a favorite back in service with a reparrow and tested it this morning.  Shoots great.

[bentpole]

             Great Answer Bud!

[dnovo]

Mudd, I enjoy making arrows. It's part of what I really like about archery. Watching an arrow I crafted myself flying thru the air and landing right where I want it to.
If you want, contact me an I'll whip some up for you.
Dan

[Hud]

The best arrow is the one you made with your hands. I can't remember the first one, or even the second dozen, it was a long time ago. I still have a dozen woodies, and micro-flites that were made before I learned to drive. Being able to drive, allowed me to got to Northwest Archery and buy more stuff to build more arrows.

It wasn't until I met a gentlemen named, John Dodge at a shoot in 1984 and saw his arrows, that I realized how little I knew about making arrows.

[Mudd]

Wow! dnovo that's a wonderful offer. I'll be in touch. Thank you!

God bless,Mudd

[Earthdog]

Only reason I make my own arrows is that nobody else is any good at it.

We have no real custom arrow builders where I live,,an the shops just slap them togeather any old how.

So like so manys things in life,if you want it done right,,,you do it yourself.

[str8narr0w]

Hello to all. I am a brand new member to Trad Gang.  I was told about it by a friend of mine who has been into trad hunting for a number of years now.  I am also new to traditional shooting and hopefully, next September, trad hunting. We'll see.  I am also a carpenter and anxiously looking forward to crafting my first trad bow and wooden arrows.

[Bowferd]

Mudd, thank you for the up front answer. If shipping weren't so darned expensive, I believe I'd start an arrow repair service. I love working on mine.

[Mudd]

Welcome to the Tradgang family str8narr0w. You have set a really good goal for yourself.
 
It's a real learning experience to take game with equipment you've built yourself. The journey is fun too!

I met that goal myself some years back and I'll never forget the experience or the lessons learned by doing it. I look forward to reading about your experiences as you move toward your goal.

God bless,Mudd