From: Frisky
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Date: 26-Jun-16 |
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Myth #1- Collect your shoots in the winter.
Truth- Spring is better, as the bark peels off with ease.
Myth #2- Straighten with bark on and then bundle, occasionally unbundling to straighten.
Truth- Get the bark off and the shoots drying! No sense in bundling. You have to straighten several times daily for a few days. In a week, you’ll have a shaft ready for finishing. In 6 months, the shafts will be as cured as bundled arrows, with bark left on, will be in a year.
Myth #3- Arrows will crack on the ends if you remove the bark right away.
Truth- This is actually true, but it’s not a problem. Cut your shoots a foot longer than the finished shaft will be. The fat end might crack for an inch or two, but that will be cut off when you cut the arrow to length.
Some additional thoughts on primitive arrows. Native Americans had straight shoots everywhere, as wetlands abounded. They could find and cut a 30” arrow with excellent straightness. Tribes that shot shorter arrows had no trouble at all getting them very straight. Today, some places might have few really good shoots growing, as so many wet areas have been drained and cleared. Shoots would have been gathered, stripped of bark and straightened immediately. They would have been stored in the quiver, with finished arrows, and worked on daily until straight and assembled. They would have been ready to shoot, even before complete curing had taken place. They would not have been bundled for a year, as it isn’t necessary and having finished arrows was a necessity. The tribes were also familiar with bird molting and would have gone out to gather feathers yearly. Ok. That’s what I’ve figured out so far.
Joe
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From: Jeff Durnell
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Date: 26-Jun-16 |
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I'm not a bundler. I want to see what the shaft wants to do when left to its own devices, and then correct it with heat.
When I remove the bark depends on the kind of plant it is and when I cut it.
I got a tip that a guy was selling Flint Ridge flint at a flea market yesterday, Joe. I got several nice pieces.
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From: George Tsoukalas
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Date: 26-Jun-16 |
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I just scrape the bark off with a knife on the dried arrows. Takes only a minute.
I wrap some tape around the bundle. I think they stay straighter that way. I undo the bundle and straighten them every few days. Eventually, the corrections begin to register and most of the time I don't need heat.
My shafts dry within a month though I don't often use them so soon.
Jawge
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From: Frisky
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Date: 26-Jun-16 |
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I know a professor who collected a box full of flint from under a bridge in Texas. I guess they were using flint as bank rip-rap. That's what I call plentiful!
It is true you can gather shoots at any time of year and make arrows, but I like to get them when the sap is flowing and that bark peels right off. I believe it likely American Indians collected shoots all year long. I also think they rarely used heat in straightening, as the shoots they got were easy to straighten without it.
Joe
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From: Dkincaid
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Date: 26-Jun-16 |
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Around fredricksburg Texas where I hunted for many years you could without exaggeration load a true full of flint in an hour. I took a lot home but in never figured I'd loose the place so I didn't really stock up. Huge pieces as big as a bowling ball sometimes
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From: paul craig
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Date: 26-Jun-16 |
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Been using dogwood shafts for years, with an abundant supply 10 minutes from home along a river. Use both Jawge and Frisky methods, depending on available time. Reminds me that I have a few bundles, bark on, that have been drying out of sight and out of mind for about 5 years now. Anyone see any problems with stock that old? They've been very dry and insect-free.
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From: Jim Davis
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Date: 26-Jun-16 |
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" believe it likely American Indians "
Glad to see you finally qualified the Indian comments.
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From: woodshavins
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Date: 26-Jun-16 |
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Neat to see a post from you that doesn't really seem to be baiting anyone Joe;-) Your observations seem pretty spot on to me. I've done some primitive arrow building myself, and have to agree regarding bundling. I have also been fishing a large stretch of river this summer where one could collect bushels of primary and secondary goose feathers if inclined. No need to try and kill the bird to do so.
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From: Frisky
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Date: 26-Jun-16 |
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If you're going to be too busy to work on shoots, I can see where the bundling method would be the way to go. However, in the back of my mind, I'm thinking to busy to work on shoots might be a fine explanation for laziness, just like shooting from tree stands.
Joe
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From: bradsmith2010santafe
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Date: 26-Jun-16 |
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I have a been working on some dogwood shafts so this is great info for me,,
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From: Frisky
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Date: 26-Jun-16 |
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Let's see them when they're ready! In spite of my miserable nature, I like to see how others are doing things.
Joe
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From: 2 bears
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Date: 26-Jun-16 |
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I gathered about 3 dozen Mule Fat shoots. I cut then in the winter,bundled them,and stored them in the den. I only cut the straightest that were 3/8" or a little less at the big end and left them several inches long. There isn't much advice out there on Mule Fat. They have been bundled about 5 months. Any ideas on how to proceed now or how to gather next time. Thanks Ken
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From: Bob Rowlands
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Date: 26-Jun-16 |
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This is useful info. Thanks. Some day Imma do this.
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From: Frisky
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Date: 26-Jun-16 |
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I found lots of stuff by Googling mule fat arrows. Seems they are willow-like but members of the sunflower family. Very straight shoots. Type red osier arrows into the search box here, and Jawge provides a link to his great page on making wild shoot arrows. He uses wild rose.
Joe
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From: Iwander
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Date: 26-Jun-16 |
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Frisky, The ancients are going to roll over when they read this. Are you sure you really want to rile them up?
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From: Frisky
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Date: 26-Jun-16 |
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I think the ancient ones would be happy to see the record set straight. Remember, in spite of settlements, these people were on the move a lot, following game and such and would have been opportunistic, gathering shoots for shafts and picking up feathers. Building arrows as they went along, replacing lost and broken arrows. They had arrow building down to a science. Then, these modern old guys come along, and like all old guys, are set in their ways, perpetuating myths that would upset the ancient ones.
Joe
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From: TrapperKayak
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Date: 27-Jun-16 |
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Frisky, I have a question. I cut red osier shoots last year and did not bundle or straighten due to lack of time. They dried in the shape I cut them, bark on. Can I soak them in water to work them or are they worthless now? Thanks.
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From: Jeff Durnell
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Date: 27-Jun-16 |
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No water. Not worthless. Heat them and straighten them.
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From: Frisky
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Date: 27-Jun-16 |
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Jeff is right on!
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From: Osr144
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Date: 01-Jul-16 |
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Going to cut a few dozen today but got no idea what they are.I did that as a kid and got reasonable arrows.I found if cut the straightest I could at about 1/2" down to 3/8 and dry them worked best.I preferred to plane them down to 5/16 " or11/32.Forget trying to straighten or scrape them it seemed to be time consuming and didn't really have any advantage.Those tiny irregularities come out usually with one pass of the plane.Allowing them to sit and dry by them selves makes sense as that is where the wood naturally wants to be.I can't recall any of them warping using that method.Some wood species some times dried out but would take on an oval shape so that is when I figured a plane could take care of that.I really need to identify what wood it is that I am using.I don't think it is native to Australia where I live but it is rather abundant around here.It is full circle as I am doing what I did 40 odd years ago.Thanks for the inspiration Joe. OSR
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From: Frisky
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Date: 01-Jul-16 |
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I hear you when you speak of planing them down to size to get then straight instead of hand straightening. It make sense. Can't wait to see them!
Joe
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From: Osr144
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Date: 02-Jul-16 |
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Ya just ain't going to believe this .I go out with my grandson to harvest me some shoots and it's been bulldozed.The next nearest stand of shoots is a good 20 miles away.I did however get a few good bottle bottoms for knapping so all was not lost.I am still waiting to get some road kill kangaroos for more sinew and maybe some skins and dog food.There is so much good material for free if ya just look around. OSR
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