Hello all.
I posted a similar thread on PaleoPlanet some time ago, but I left it up for a long time and never got any replies so I thought I’d try my luck with you folks. Please keep in mind that my experience with archery is still very limited so if I say something incorrect or have a misconception please do correct me. I’ll try to be as concise as possible.
I recently decided to get into archery with the goal of eventually hunting. To that end, I started exercising to make sure I could handle a heavy bow, and I acquired a really nice self bow. (Osage, 65# @29 inches) I don’t yet have any arrows though, hence my being here. I should also say that I will probably have to purchase most of the supplies online somehow, as I have a disability that prevents me from getting out as much by myself to gather shoots and feathers and whatnot. So if anyone has a good online source they could point me towards, I’d appreciate it. With all that out of the way, here’s the actual questions.
I think I’m going to purchase shafts from gills primitive archery, as he seems like an alright guy and I trust him to get the spine correct. Anyway, on his website it says the shafts come around 33 inches. Since my draw length is 29, is it necessary to even cut the shaft or can I just leave the extra 4 inches? The other issue I thought of is balancing the arrow correctly. Since I want to use stone points, which I’m assuming are around half the weight of an equivalent sized metal one, wouldn’t it actually be better to leave the arrow longer in order to still get the lighter point to balance the arrow correctly? Also, I’ve gathered that with self bows you need around 10 pounds weaker spine than your bow to get the arrow to flex around the handle.(therefore I’d need around 55#) Is this usually the case?
My last two questions are in regards to fletching. I had originally planned to do 4 fletch so it wouldn’t matter how I knock the arrow, but I’ve since learned that shafts have a stiff side that needs to be against the bow for correct flight. Does this make 4 fletch essentially pointless, as it still matters how you nock it? Lastly, if I’m using turkey feathers, and I wanna dye them(I’ve seen people use lichen and ammonia to get this crazy magenta color on wool, so I might try that) I’ve been told that if I do it’ll strip the feathers of oils and make them way less water resistant. If this is the case, is there a way to restore the water resistance naturally?
Any help that can be offered is appreciated
Regards,
_Hiller_