Gonna try River cane arra's!

[Madpigslayer]

Thanks Murray. I do know it feels pretty "native" LOL!!! I fired one a couple times last night, and they hit hard. I was only shooting at 6 yards (basement)so didn't see the real flight but...I think I like these arrows a lot!

I quit because I needed to add more sinew wraps to the feathers, they were starting to get loose.

so far, so good!!!

[Glasspoint]

Shot a "pointless"    .

[Madpigslayer]

David...first rule, dont count your time (or..if you do, dont tell your wife...it will only confirm to her that you are 'stupid' LOL!)

I love the look of these arrows but, what will happen if I lose one?  

[Madpigslayer]

while Im at it...what did the point look like, was it hardened? and where is the $%#^ pictures?!!!

[Dano]

Loosing one will surely be a heart break, LOL. It'll just make you shoot better.

[Splinter]

David, have you ever seen carbon look as good as cane?

[Madpigslayer]

I took my one fletched cane arra to the range tonight, and hey, I cant tell the differance in flight between the store boughts, and my cane arra. first thing I thought was..."man, they hit HARD!" I might have a new favorite arrow material here...and dang they look good!

[the Ferret]

Calvin, lets see a pic of the finished arrow

[Madpigslayer]

I'll try and get a picture up later today.

[ky_longbow]

i have one problem guys,i dont own a spine tester.................hhhhhhhhhhmmmmm, ive been working with some tonkin cane shafts i got from Mike Yancey,but dont know the spine......ive just been experimenting with the straightening so far, they are really crooked........

[Splinter]

In my limited experience with cane, I think weight matching is more of a concern than spining. I have several shafts that are way off in spine, but very close in weight, they all shoot pretty much the same. Then again, I do cant my bow close to 45 degrees.
If you will just make them all about the same diameter, I think you will be pleased with the result. I get close to the same weight as my ash arrows and the canes are so much easier to make and probably more durable, which leads to another cane tip... cane shafts with an ash foreshaft. That is probably the most durable arrow of natural materials.
I shot a cane shaft at Mojam that has the cane tapered with a field tip glued on. I hit the ground more times than I care to mention and the arrow looks the same except for the sinew wrappings are a little dirty, which adds to the authentic look. I have abused the ash foreshafts in the same manner with the same results.
Cane, the poor man's carbon. Or, cane, the smart man's arrow. Take your pick, mine's the poor man's arrow as brains don't run in my family.  

[Matt E]

Darrin, post a picture of your arrows. I enjoy seeing others work.I am sure everyone here would like to see it.
Take care all.

[the Ferret]

Splinter how about explaintg the process of how yo uadd your ash foreshafts..maybe with some pics?

[Killdeer]

Enjoyed being able to look at the two cane varieties that Murray gave the links to. My stuff looks kinda like what KY Longbow has bundled, but it's hard to tell with the leaves knocked off. I looked mine up at the library, and it is Phragmites communalis. Also known as river cane...

The beauty of a Latin name is the lessening of confusion that arises when using "common" names. F'rinstance, there must be six different plants that go by the common term "umbrella plant".

The way I look at it, unless you are making museum quality replicas, do what the natives did and use what comes to hand. The only worry then is, "Will it shoot?"    

It probably will, unless you're me!    

Killdeer

[Madpigslayer]

cut down the feathers on my first cane   arrow.  

I think it looks pretty good...here is a   closer  shot of the feathers.

2 days ago, me and the wheelie shootin godson went to the outdoor range, shot some rounds, followed it up with some stump shooting...and in the process...got another   one!  he is sleeping over tonight so we can work on the rest of those arrows...then we will start working on his bow!!! (longbow that is LOL!!!)

oh yeah, before I forget, here is the   baby  shot you knew was coming!!!!

[Timo]

You done good  boy!Like the cut!I may have ta send you the fixuns so you can make me up a bunch!

Young apprentice shows signs of his masters humor!    

And as always,your little angel is just that!  

[Dano]

You did good Calvin, both the arrows and the youngens.  

[Killdeer]

Totally impressed, Calvin!
Hailey is a work of art!

The arrow is wonderful as well. Really like the feather cut. Gotta get off my gozeimus and get some done for myself!

Thanks for letting us tag along and learn.  :D  

Killdeer

[Madpigslayer]

thanks all! hey Timo, anything for you bud!!! talk about yer time consuming process...wow. I got a build a lot more to get saving time on these babies.

anyway, we puttered around with some   goose feathers,  we were initially going to try those, but   Chris  desided he liked the looks of the barred turkey better. We got the nocks cut into the arrows, this time we tried to sinew in the front of the feathers   first.  tommorrow we will finish the sinew, and put a point on, cut the feathers to size. the reason they look wonky in the picture is it is easier to tie in the back of the feathers if they are shorter, so we trimmed a bit.(will clean it up later)

Then I had an eppifany (sp?) and dragged out a    glass point  David Rhodes had made for me. I really dont know how to install it, but I friction fit it, and will sinew it maybe tommorrow. what do you   think?  

I am having a blast with this stuff, so is Chris.

and hey, thanks for the point David!!!

[Timo]

Looks good calvin!Now just mix yourself up some pine pitch and set that point in!

Or you you could use epoxy!Just make sure you get it straight.Then just sinew the shaft behind the point.