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Feathers make the world, or at least arrows, go 'round

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beardedhorse:
Kegan,  I hunt with bamboo arrows from a 62 lb sinew backed osage recurve and among the shafts are some over 700 grain is mass and a coouple inthe 100 pound plus spine.  They are capable of 3 inch groups at 20 yards and 8 inch diameter paper plate accuracy to 35 yards.  Tubular shafts can be stiff without the mass of a solid lumberized or shoot shaft.  Longer feather that are cut low steer Plains Indian arrows for hundreds of years but you'll get the sound of the barbs on the feather being drawnagainst the grain as you pull the string.  I think Mullet meant to say spine rather than spline.   The two terms have different meanings and are not interchangeable.  If the tolerances oon hafting your trade point is too close there is not enough epoxy in the joint.  If you wrap or cmalp the shaft too tightly around the tang of your trade point you can starve the joint.  Are you measuring the catalyst and the glue in equal parts and mixing thoroughly before applying?  Epoxy can expand somewhat to fill in gaps but can also break upon heavy impact.  Subjecting epoxy joints to heat over 150 degrees or so can may the bond hold up better in hot weather.  I practice a lot with my hunting arrows and change over to broadheads such as the Grizzly you pictured and practice with it was well right before elk season.  You can use a lot more wrapping of your tang.  I would recommend using genuine sinew and not the waxed nylon artificial sinew.  I'd use liqud  hide glue or hot hide glue mixed in with sawdust of the same species of wood as your arrow and then wrap with sinew.  Waterproof with pine pitch and dab some pitch on the leading edge of the arrow shaft where it feathers into the side of the trade point.  I doubt if the Indians who made or traded for points ever used epoxy.

Kegan:
I used genuine sinew- that held. But you mention starving the joint- something that might be another cause too. I'll try a slightly less "pinching" joint and do another foreshaft.

As for feathers- you're saying that your longer, low cut feathers work as well as taller, 5" feathers for stabilizing extra-stiff arrows?

Kegan:
I was really intrigued by Beardedhorses comment about his semi-Plains fletch, so I took an extra stiff birch and tried it out. The feathers are from a turkey's tail, 6 1/2" long and 1/2" tall and square. The shaft, after sandpaper tapering came in at 85-90#. Still pretty stiff. But, the arrow shoots beautifully. I mean BEAUTIFULLY. And it looks pretty nice too :). As expected, there's much less noise and less speed loss.

I'll sand it off and put some finish on it and get some pictures. I still have to try it with a broadhead, but I think I'll send Kyle out with his 12 gauge to find some crow feathers for me (and maybe a turkey if he's so inclined :)).

(I'm also trying a newly hafted trade. Seems stronger- hopefully I used enough glue on this one?)

I'd like to thank everyone for all their help and advice. I'm having a blast with all this ;D

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