by admin on October 21, 2010
Arrow making has been around for thousands of years, maybe as far as 100,000 years. The arrow has seen use in ancient Egypt, Assyria, Persia, China, Japan, Greece, Rome, and many other ancient civilizations. It served as the missile weapon of choice until the advent of gunpowder. However the arrow has continued to see use in hunting, and for sport into the present day.
Over the years the arrow has seen many changes, modifications, and improvements due to knew technology, and the changing needs of the archer. However, the arrow is still basically the same as in the past. It has three basic parts: the head, the shaft, and the shaftment (which includes the feathers, the crest, and the nock.
Arrow making is a long and detailed process, but has many benefits over buying premade arrows. You will save money by making your own arrows, you can experiment to find the “perfect” arrow for your needs, and of course there is the general satisfaction of the craft.
by admin on October 20, 2010
Selecting The Right Wood
The first step when discussing how to make arrows is to decide what type of wood we will make our arrows out of. Today the most common wood used to make arrow shafts is Port Orford Cedar. Other good choices are the Douglas Fir, Birch, or Norway Pine. Port Orford tends to be softer and usually straighter making it ideal for target arrows. Birch is a harder, tougher wood, making it ideal for hunting arrows. You can purchase wood in blocks which you would have to cut and shape into shafts yourself, or you can buy them already shaped.
Another option if you want to take a more traditional route is to make your shafts from saplings you cut yourself. You will want to choose the straightest saplings available, or if this is impossible choose ones with extra thickness so you have more room for adjustments and straightening. Once you have your saplings you must season them. This is a process of drying and preparing the wood that can take one to several months depending on how moist the wood is and environmental factors.
Drying The Shaft
If you have decided to follow the more traditional path and make your arrow shafts from saplings you cut yourself then the first thing you will need to do is dry your saplings. First you will bundle them together and lay them on their side to dry in a humid environment. The reason for the humid environment is so the saplings will dry without splitting.
The wood will shrink a bit as it drys. To avoid the bundle becoming loose you should use water soaked rope that will tighten as it dries. After a few weeks pass you will unbind the saplings and remove any remaining bark then rebind and allow the saplings to finish drying. Once they are thoroughly dried you can begin to work them down to the desired size. Leave a few inches in length to give you room for any errors. Most arrows are 28 to 30 inches long and 5/16th inches in diameter. Your arrow length will depend on your bow and preferences.