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hazel shoots

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stuckinthemud:
Hi guys, newbie question time. I am going to build some arrows from hazel shoots. They've been drying for over a year but I can still pick them up and bend and shape them without heat or water. Do I need to heat them to lock in the shape as I straighten them? Also, for sub 40# bows, are horn inserts in the nock necessary? If so, does the horn go from the very end of the arrow, across the notch which is then cut into it, or from the bottom of the notch so it forms the base of the nock?

Thanks
Andrew

Pat B:
Sounds like your shoots are immature. After a year drying time they should be well seasoned.
The horn reinforcement should go from the back of the arrow for about 3/4" to 1" into the shaft with the nock cut into it from the back and across the reinforcement.

steve b.:
Yea, I would spine them and discard them if they didn't match up to the bow.  So if you're using them with a #25 bow then yes they will feel flimsy if they match.  If you straighten them and they lose their straightness later then I would heat and roll them and try again but scrap them if they continue to curl.
I only use oceanspray.  I wrap a bunch in foil with a little moisture and lay them over two propane burners, set on low.  Once they are hot I take one at a time on the concrete floor and roll a 2x8 back and forth, from one end to the other, with most of my weight on them, sort of compressing the shafts.  I dry them over night and then inspect for any keepers.

stuckinthemud:
Thanks both. These are for a 25# bow and at a 24" draw they are very flexible. I'll try that heat and roll technique. The problem with these shafts is they are easy to straighten but they don't hold their shape, I'm tweaking them every few shots.

Pat B:
Tempering them, heating and rolling, should stiffen them up some.

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