1st Time in Over 21 Years

[wildcat junkie]

My future Son-in-law bought my daughter a really nice 62" Ben Pearson Colt that draws 30# on ebay. A perfect bow for her to get back into archery with. She started when she was about 7 years old but hasn't shot since about 2000.

Since all of her arrows were cut to 26" or less she needed some new ones.

I have found all of my arrowsmith tools in the barn as well as about $1200 worth of dipping lacquers with the seals still on the cans and a gallon if white already thinned and ready to dip. 21 winters in the barn didn't affect the lacquers much. I did have to strain the white to remove a few suspended lumps that would not dissolve, but it worked fine. I also have about 4000 Port Orford cedar shafts.

After spine & weight matching some 5/16 shafts I had, I selected some from the most common group of 30-35# shafts and set about straightening/heat tempering them.

Unfortunately, my large tanks need to be stripped and cleaned so I was relegated to dipping the shafts individually.  

 

As I said, the white dip went well, and after 2 coats and several hours drying time,  I was ready to break out my cresting lathe.

 

After some time, I was ready for the fletching jigs.

 

It pays to have the right tools for the job.

 

Time to start making some smoke.

 

I love the smell of burning feathers in the morning.

 

All that's left is trimming the lead edge if the quills and dabbing a bit of Fletch-Tite on them.

 

All ready to be cut to length, tapered and have points glued on.

 

Finished product.

 

 

[dbHunterNY]

those look awesome! did you have a business doing them? that's a lot of equipment and stock to have if you didn't.

[G-Man]

Wow..  that is all...wow......

[rob-c]

Works of art... 

[Marion]

That is incredible! If I ever make the jump to recurve I'm definitely gonna have to have you work your magic! Assuming a) you still do them and you were interested in making some for a customer

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[wildcat junkie]

1 hour ago, dbHunterNY said:

those look awesome! did you have a business doing them? that's a lot of equipment and stock to have if you didn't.

Yes from 1993 to June if 1998 we traveled the midwest and east coast from Grayling, Michigan to Ocala, Florida and finished at the Hawkeye Bowmen shoot in Alden, NY in August. We hit all of the major traditional only shoots.

 

Our business name was "Quality Crafted Arrow Wood" and we sold upwards of 300 dozen arrows a year when we were in full production more. We had arrows in France and Germany. Much of our business was mail order. 

Edited May 28, 2019 by wildcat junkie

[wildcat junkie]

These were/are my personal hunting arrows. After 21 years they are still as straight as the day I made them.

Bear Razorheads, best damned cut on contact broadhead ever made IMO.

 

Unfortunately I can't draw the bow these were made for. At least not at this time. 66# @ 28". I'm shooting my wife's 42# Great Plains "Palo Dura" trying to work up to the the 53# Ben Pearson Hunter I just bought off ebay.

 

That's the wife's bow in the background, the Ben Pearson Hunter closest.

Edited May 28, 2019 by wildcat junkie

[Moho81]

The skills that can be found on this forum just amazes me.

Great work, I can only image the pure pleasure you get from shooting arrows you built vs. ones purchased off a shelf.


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[Overtkill]

What craftsmanship!!! They look awesome and great job.

[wildcat junkie]

12 minutes ago, The Jerkman said:

That is incredible! If I ever make the jump to recurve I'm definitely gonna have to have you work your magic! Assuming a) you still do them and you were interested in making some for a customer

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That's the plan. I have to get everything ready and invest in 1000 ea 50-55 and 55-60 11/32" shafts. Right now I only have 11/32" and 5/16" < 50" spine and 23/64" > 60# shafts in any quantity.

 

I have 5 ea 4" x 18" and 2 ea 4" x 36" dipping tanks. that need to be stripped and cleaned.

 

I also have to clean up my arrow dipping holders.

[moog5050]

Very nice work!

[wildcat junkie]

Anyone that was paying attention would have noticed that there were 13 shafts in the dip holders and in the picture of the cresting. I made an extra shaft to bare shaft tune to her bow. We found that a 28" arrow with a 100gr point impacted  straight into fresh cardboard without fetching at 6 yds.

The bare shaft tuning worked quite well. After a just a few minutes she was shooting respectable groups from 10 yds.

 

We had quite the enjoyable day on Sunday with lots of bows and wood arrows to try..

 

Oh and that extra shaft? After the bare shaft tuning,  I made a Flu-Flu from it so Jess can try her had at aerial targets.

[Five Seasons]

bad ass. really cool and thanks for sharing

[kpkot]

Ha ha and I bitch about spending $100 on a dozen! Really neat thanks for sharing.

[left field]

Very nice. 

[The_Real_TCIII]

That is outstanding work! Beautiful


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[ny hunter]

Amazing....

[steve863]

If I were a deer, I'd prefer to get shot with one of these arrows over boring carbon or aluminum arrows.  At least I'd go out in style!  LOL

[wildcat junkie]

18 minutes ago, steve863 said:

If I were a deer, I'd prefer to get shot with one of these arrows over boring carbon or aluminum arrows.  At least I'd go out in style!  LOL

Our handouts from the 1990s had this spiel.

Certain Native American tribes believed that if the hunter took the time to carefully craft his arrows, the game would gladly offer themselves up to be taken.

[coonhunter]

Wow! That is true master craftsmanship. I knew through reading your posts that you were very knowledgeable with old and modern hunting rifles and marksmanship, but had no idea that you were an expert making wooden arrows as well. You are truly a master at hunting weapons. Thanks for posting the pictures to give people like me a small view of the process. 

[airedale]

Those look to be some well crafted arrows, very nice! Port Orford cedar arrows are what I broke in with when I started out with archery many years ago. Went on to Fiberglass then to Aluminum and finally the Carbons, settled on Aluminum in the end.

Al

Edited May 28, 2019 by airedale

[doebuck1234]

Very nice work!!!

[Steuben Jerry]

Very impressive. Saw this post earlier today but am looking at your photos again - love the detail you put into your work!

[Nytracker]

That's some damn fine work .

[sodfather]

Great job those are some beauts right there