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Rose shoots for arrow shafts?

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D. Tiller:
Got access to a ton of wild rose shoots on a neighbors property and I am in the process of turning them into arrows. Anyone have sugestions and hints for doing this?  How should they be trimmed?

Also, I found that these dry very diferently than sapling shoots. Seems the small second year growths are the best and the ones that are forced to reach for sun are the straightest.

Anyone made these before? How do they shoot?

David T

DanaM:
Here's a build along david :)

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,4507.0.html

Hillbilly:
Most species of roses make good arrows. I've used multiflora, Carolina, and swamp rose. Leave them a little long, some kinds check badly. I've found that I can usually peel the bark on multiflora, but swamp rose checks to hell if you peel it too quickly. I let them season awhile, periodically hand straightening them, then debark, heat-straighten, and plane them down to diameter with a thumb plane. Like you already found, you need at least second-year shoots, the first year ones are thin-walled with a lot of pith. They're not as tough as some hardwood shoots, but at least as strong as cedar shafts and heavy enough for hunting arrows.

TRACY:
I would agree Hillbilly with the Swamp rose checking more and severe. MF seems to check sometimes even when I debark after cutting. I know that peopple suggest not to but it works fine for me and saves time because it's a lot like debarking Hickory when the sap is up.

Tracy

BigWapiti:
I found less checking, with multiflora anyway, if you de-bark all but the last inch or two from the ends.

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