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blow gun darts fletched with mikweed fluff, cotton & squirrel

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swamp monkey:
Over the holidays i was able to work on some blow gun darts to go with my river cane blow gun.  I made six darts fletched with milkweed fluff, three fletched with cotton and two fletched with a section of squirrel tail. 

The milkweed darts took an hour each. 
The cotton darts took 20 minutes each
The squirrel tail darts took only minutes.  Skinning the squirrel and getting the tail off in a case skinning method took about a minute.  no adhesive needed.  Once the tail dried it was stuck good. 

I used fletch tight for my adhesive and created decorative wrapping with red and black thread. 

I like the milkweed most of all.  I want to work on how the cotton darts look.  The source I used to do them had darts that looked great.  Mine do not compare.  Live and learn.   :)  Now I have a goal.

It was fun and they are a hoot to use on a cardboard box!

CherokeeKC:
Awesome darts!  This is a project iv wanted to do for a while.  Where did you get your thistle?

swamp monkey:
Thistle grows weedy style in some pastures and roadsides.  I collect the pods before they mature so the silk portions do not release.  I do the same thing with Milkweed.  I really like the looks of a milkweed dart but boy they are work. 

aero86:
looks good!  this is my next project.  how long is your blowgun and how did you hollow it out?  i found a good piece when i last cut some arrow shafts, but it split when i tried to hollow it out..  i tried using a long pointy dowel right after i cut it, but that didnt work.. 

stickbender:

     Swamp Monkey;
     Those are beautiful.  How are you applying the thistle?  Are you laying the thistle in your hand, and putting the string in a slit in the end of the dart, and rolling the dart, and finishing off by wrapping and pull through, or are you gluing piece by piece?
I watched a guy making them by rolling them in his hand, and it was quick, and beautiful when finished.  Less than a minute.  I tried one some time back, and it was no beauty, but it functioned quite well.  I want to try again, and practice a bit.  I have lots of thistle on my property in Montana. :P  I want to make a blow gun, for them, with a piece of 1/2 inch copper tubing in a piece of cane. 

                                                            Wayne

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