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Horn reinforcements and draw weight.

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Chapel de Fer:
I have two longbows. One is about 50 pounds @ 32 inches, the other one is rated 55 pounds @ 32 inches. I have been using arrows with plastic nocks so far but now I have finally tracked down a bunch of (surprisingly hard to get) 36 inch pine arrow shafts that I want to make some completely traditional arrows out of. My question is: Do I need reenforcing bone nock inserts for these bows, i.e. as of what draw weight are bone inserts actually necessary?

Pat B:
If you make self nocks you should either use reinforced spines or a sinew(or strong thread set in glue) wrap or both.

Chapel de Fer:

--- Quote from: Pat B on October 25, 2018, 03:52:13 pm ---If you make self nocks you should either use reinforced spines or a sinew(or strong thread set in glue) wrap or both.

--- End quote ---

Hmmm, yeah ... but it appears that milage varies for different people. I found this guide on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zd8shBqmvyE

.. this dude says that horn strengtheners aren't necessary until you get into the 100 pound range. I suppose that tying thread at the base of the nock and sealing it with epoxy or something won't hurt. Also, most surviving historic arrows that I have seen don't have any horn inserts.

Chapel de Fer:
Well, to answer my own question in case it helps somebody at a later date. In the Traditional Archer's Bible, Volume 1, page 315-316, in a very interesting chapter on arrow making written by a fellow named Jay Massey it says:

Nocks cut from a separate piece of hardwood or horn and glued onto the shaft add a beautiful touch to a handmade arrow, but they aren't at all necessary if your shaft has a diameter of 11/32 inch or greater at the nock end.  This is true even when you're using a softer wood such as cedar, spruce or fir. ...... I have found self nocks to be sufficiently strong even without such reinforcing for bows ranging up to 75 pounds. During the years I've used self nocks, I've broken only two even though I have never reinforced the wood in any way.

... meaning that you want to start adding horn inserts or nocks to your arrows once the draw weight enters the 75-90 pound range. Furthermore, the poundage you want to start doing that at probably also varies depending on the type of wood you are using. Since my arrow shafts are made from pine which is one of the softer types of wood and my bows are below 75 pounds in draw weight I'm going to take his word for it but maybe with the added precaution of adding a reinforcing binding just below the nock. A little paranoia never hurt anybody.  ;D

BowEd:
Making many shafts with horn inserts with and without out of many different types of wood on self nocked arrow shafts I would say horn inserts are a beautiful touch as James says too.Still it's not about paranoia enforcing self nocks with wrapping.It's about safety.If you've ever had an arrow shaft nock break without wrapping off release you'll get the point.

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