I was very fortunate to make a trade deal with 2bears. Ken made me a dozen bamboo arrows (6 are 2 fletch). Even with the slight natural differences in diameter, they seem to fly true and are forgiving of different draw weights and string material.

Is bamboo generally forgiving? Thanks.

Trader

I am finding they are! Love them!

Just tried some for the first time also and really like the two fletch. John

Yes. The larger diameter ones seem to fly better for me.

What is the diameter of the larger ones at each end? The 2 fletch at 1:00 and 7:00 o'clock?

What is the diameter of the larger ones at each end? The 2 fletch at 1:00 and 7:00 o'clock?

I'm not seeing any photos of the bamboo arrows??

Send pics later. Out and about right now.

That's my next arrow project. For $25 a dozen and their durability I figure they're worth a try out of my selfbows.

Are they straight? I saw some a fellow had at a shoot and they were not straight. Wooble was bad. He said they were hard to straighten. I used to hand straighten laminated birch. Can they be straightened by hand or warmed up and straightened?

Need some pics please!

I am trying to make my first. I am not getting them perfectly straight, far from it. But, if I get my spine close they fly reasonably well. I am making them for a light (33# at 24.5") sinew backed hickory "flat bow", and shooting off my knuckle. One day, maybe I will figure it out.

Jim... They are dead straight. I gave them the spin test and detect no wobble.

osage... The larger ones are around .32" at each end. Some are closer to .30". One is .28 BOP and .25 at nock.

Half of the 2 fletch are 1 and 7. Ken accidentally didn't index the other 3 properly and they are 11 and 5. They shoot just the same as the 1/7. The 2 fletch shoot the same as the 3 fletch.

I'll try to get better pics.

Trader sent me a beautiful bamboo woven quiver for the arrows. I am lousy with pictures but you can still see it in the swap thread. I was running slow in finishing up his arrows and was out of 1/4" nocks. Trader graciously accepted the three miss indexed arrows. The fix is to replace the nocks turning them 30° c'clock wise.Trader I will send you new nocks when my order comes in. Pa Steve and I have exchanged P.M.'s To any of you that want to try them I hope you like them as well as I do for the self bows and homemade longbows. They have all been straight and correctly spined. They do vary in size. They come 33" long so you can work with that somewhat. They have a little natural taper All have required 1/4" nocks so far but take 9/32 to 5/16 glue on points. I get both in the same weights and fit them individually. If there is still a tiny shoulder I smear a little epoxy around the intersection of the shoulder,so they don't hang up in bag targets. For a little more primitive look, I like to cut self nocks in them and wrap with sinew or thread. The wood is hard and tough to cut. I sand nock and point tapers on a belt sander with V notched block. I will attempt pictures but usually don't have any luck with it. >>>----> Ken nope as long as I am in this format my files won't open, I did find one in email.It is not showing here but maybe after I hit Submit????

Well it worked but upside down. 1/2 of this dozen were self nocks & 1/2 glue on. The self nocks have primitive cut feathers the glue on Shields. The cock feather is a goose feather. It only shows in the feather on the far right which should be left. Sorry I just don't get it with computers and pictures. >>>----> Ken

Some can be quite heavy!

https://traditionalknowhow.blogspot.com/2018/07/bamboo-arrows-crafting-and-review.html

Visit this for my experiences.

Thanks for the info guys. two4hooking, that's a great link. Going to give them a try with my new selfbow.

Thanks for a great link. Sure wish I would have seen it some time ago. It agrees with my experience nearly 100%. I don't find near that much weight variance but I don't use that heavy of a spine either. It would be well worth your time to sort them if they vary that much. >>>----> Ken

Ken, Yes sir. I ordered in bulk and sorted them by weight and need. Great Value, tough shafts.

I made up some with the rubber blunts that have a steel washer in them to prevent blow outs and I can bounce them off rocks and concrete!

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