Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Arrows => Topic started by: D. Tiller on May 13, 2008, 04:32:02 am
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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
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Here's a build along david :)
http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,4507.0.html
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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.
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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
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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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Dont know what type it is but when it gets older it can grow really tall. It also has tons of small little thorns on it and the early skin on it is brown then becomes a grey with age. Those growing under tall trees and brush seem to loose most of their thorns and grow thick and very straight with few side shoots. It also gets small pinkish red flowers with a yellow center. Any idea which type this is?
David T
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I'm probably wrong for your area, but sounds like multiflora to me.
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Multiflora usually has small white flowers, not pink. Looking at the USDA map, you have several native roses plus several introduced ones in OR. You'll probably have to do a bit of research to see which one you have. If it makes good arrowshafts, just call it "arrowshaft rose". :)
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Makes really good shafts Steve (Got it right this time!) ;D But, I seem never to get a chance to really work on the stuff and make much from it. Now that I have a ton of it I will be playing with it more.
David T
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Multiflora usually has small white flowers, not pink.
Naw, I've seen pink flowers as well on multiflora -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiflora_Rose (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiflora_Rose)
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Nope, thats not it. Bark is all wrong. Thanks for the try on ident!
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HEy Dave!!
YEah dude, I know the wild rose you're talking about. I've found it in Oregon in the dry side of the cascades. IT grows really straight and has tons of needle-like thorns all over it. I've used it for arrows and it works great. Second year growth is much better. Dave Cheney and Steve Allely use syringa, but wild rose is also really, really good. Oceanspray is also an excellent arrow material.
Hope you're doing well over there!
Billy
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Doing great Billy! Yep! Thats the one! You wouldnt happen to know what the species is?
Things here are good. Just got back from the Tenn. Classic. You have got to join us all there next year. It was a heck of a good time. I will try and get Keenan and Dave to come allong too. Think you can make it?
David T
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Could it be Rosa rugosa? Pat
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Thats IT! Rosa Rugosa! Thanks Pat!
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Collect the rose hips in late summer or early fall. Very high in Vit C. It will make a nice tea. Pat
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Thanks Pat! I will do just that. Maybe along with something else in it though. Rose hip tea can be a bit bitter if I remember right!
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;D Yep, it can. Add to your Mate'. Pat
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Just don't put the petals in your soap. ;D
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Hey, ya remember the Mate! Good memmory Pat! ;D
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Wild rose is good arrow material. I do use it. Jawge
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George, should I let it dry out completly and use heat to bend it or start bending it to shape as it heat dries. Seems its a bit fragile at the moment for bending.
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sourwood better. ;D (mostly cuz its all i can make. :-\)
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D,. I bundle up a 1/2 dozen or so shafts and try to hand straighten them weekly. When they are dry I scrape of the bark and use my torch to heat them so I can straighten them as needed. Basically, that's what I do with all wild shafts. Jawge
http://mysite.verizon.net/georgeandjoni/shoots.html
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i like using wild rose but since i started using spicebush i wont be using rose shoots for a while. spicebush shoots are harder to find but they are worth it
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Don't think there are any arround here. Whats it look like?
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I've been using the wild rose stems for arrow shafts for many years. They are my personal favorite. They are readily available and make tough shafts with a fairly stiff spine. I dry them with bark on to eliminate or minimize checking. I get mine in the thickets growing near our rivers in Eastern Washington.
Allen - Happy Knapper
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Yeah! I like them too. Do you straighten them as they dry or do that with dry heat after the bark is stripped and they have dried out completly?
I noticed that they seem really fibery when they are wet but as they dry they really become quite dense and when cut almost look like plastic. How about your shoots? Weird stuff!
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Hi Dave I use rose shoots a lot I try to straiten them as they dry them use heat to get the last bits out. How have ya been? Tom
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Hi Dave I use rose shoots a lot I try to straiten them as they dry them use heat to get the last bits out. How have ya been? Tom
same way i do it. sometimes they are straight enoguh by the time they dry i dont even have to use heat
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Yo Tom! Doing prety good how about yourself? I will work on the arrows and see what I can do with them.