Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Arrows => Topic started by: JackCrafty on December 29, 2010, 01:51:16 pm

Title: Southern Plains Arrow w/ Stone Tip
Post by: JackCrafty on December 29, 2010, 01:51:16 pm
Made this for a friend but I took pictures before I sent it. The arrow is based on a Comanche arrow that I saw on the AMNH website.

Materials:

Shaft - Chinese Privet  (Looks a lot like Texas Yaupon Holly)
Foreshaft - Osage
Arrowhead - Texas Pedernales Chert
Paint - Fish Glue with Food Coloring
Turkey Wing Fletching (attached with sinew and not glued down in middle)
Pine Pitch Glue (for arrowhead)
Deer Sinew


(http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/jackcrafty/2010-12-28-Southern%20Plains%20Arrow/DSC_1507.jpg)
(http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/jackcrafty/2010-12-28-Southern%20Plains%20Arrow/DSC_1511.jpg)
(http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/jackcrafty/2010-12-28-Southern%20Plains%20Arrow/DSC_1508.jpg)
(http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/jackcrafty/2010-12-28-Southern%20Plains%20Arrow/DSC_1515.jpg)
(http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/jackcrafty/2010-12-28-Southern%20Plains%20Arrow/DSC_1519.jpg)
(http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/jackcrafty/2010-12-28-Southern%20Plains%20Arrow/DSC_1518.jpg)
(http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/jackcrafty/2010-12-28-Southern%20Plains%20Arrow/DSC_1516.jpg)
(http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/jackcrafty/2010-12-28-Southern%20Plains%20Arrow/DSC_1512.jpg)
(http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/jackcrafty/2010-12-28-Southern%20Plains%20Arrow/DSC_1513.jpg)
Title: Re: Southern Plains Arrow w/ Stone Tip
Post by: Sparrow on December 29, 2010, 02:40:37 pm
Oh that is just a beauty.Like everything about it. Really nice working point there. How long is it ? '  Frank
Title: Re: Southern Plains Arrow w/ Stone Tip
Post by: JackCrafty on December 29, 2010, 02:55:34 pm
Not sure... I think it's about 28" overall.  The foreshaft is about 5" long.  It is designed for a short-draw, plains bow.  The arrow was not drawn to the arrowhead.  It was drawn to the base of the foreshaft.
Title: Re: Southern Plains Arrow w/ Stone Tip
Post by: Pat B on December 29, 2010, 03:42:32 pm
Cool and authentic Patrick. I know the Comanche would have used privet if they had it.  ;)
Title: Re: Southern Plains Arrow w/ Stone Tip
Post by: JackCrafty on December 29, 2010, 05:10:24 pm
Thanks Pat.  I don't feel guilty at all using the privet.  The fact that it's an invasive species is icing on the cake.   :)
Title: Re: Southern Plains Arrow w/ Stone Tip
Post by: half eye on December 29, 2010, 07:07:18 pm
Now that's an arrow.......very nice.
rich
Title: Re: Southern Plains Arrow w/ Stone Tip
Post by: Traxx on December 29, 2010, 07:37:28 pm
A question about the nocks...
Were they whittled down from a larger diameter shaft,or were they spread apart,in some fashion afterward?
Title: Re: Southern Plains Arrow w/ Stone Tip
Post by: JackCrafty on December 30, 2010, 11:06:30 am
Traxx, the nock is carved.  The thick end of the shoot became the nock.  I drilled a socket on the thinner end for the foreshaft.

I don't think very many plains arrow nocks were spread apart by cutting a slot and then bending the wood to form the "Y" shape.
Title: Re: Southern Plains Arrow w/ Stone Tip
Post by: medicinewheel on December 30, 2010, 06:48:37 pm
COOL!
Title: Re: Southern Plains Arrow w/ Stone Tip
Post by: cracker on December 31, 2010, 06:10:10 am
Dang fine lookin arrow.
Title: Re: Southern Plains Arrow w/ Stone Tip
Post by: Little John on December 31, 2010, 10:05:27 am
Patric, you alwways do the most awsome primitive work. Beautiful job there.     Kenneth
Title: Re: Southern Plains Arrow w/ Stone Tip
Post by: TRACY on December 31, 2010, 10:07:07 am
Awesome arrow and point Patrick! Looks like a real meat maker to me

Tracy
Title: Re: Southern Plains Arrow w/ Stone Tip
Post by: Wolf Watcher on December 31, 2010, 10:39:17 am
Mr. "Crafty" Beautiful arrow!  This will demonstrate my ignorance, but I am confused about the length of the arrows used to shoot buffalo with a short draw bow off horse back!  It seems a short arrow would be the best, but the ones on display at the local museum are quite long.  I know that the Indians used a very long arrow with very small points to shoot buffalo at the bottom of buffalo jumps.  Several of those types have been found in Montana and Wyoming.  I am planning on making a plains style quiver and need to know about arrow length before I can start.  Are you going to this years's classic?  Thanks for the help!  A/Ho Pokie
Title: Re: Southern Plains Arrow w/ Stone Tip
Post by: mullet on December 31, 2010, 01:34:08 pm
 Patrick, that is truely a work of art. Your arrows are museum quality, the detail amazing.
Title: Re: Southern Plains Arrow w/ Stone Tip
Post by: JackCrafty on December 31, 2010, 02:04:57 pm
Thanks so much for the compliments guys!

Wolf Watcher, I'm honored that you think I can answer that very difficult question!  I'll give it a try.

The long arrows you speak of are probably "composite" arrows with a long foreshaft and a stone point.  This style was used everywhere west of the Mississippi before European contact.  In many ways, they resembled the earlier atlatl dart.  East of the Mississippi, arrows tended to be made in one piece, also quite long.

After iron trade points became available, the foreshaft and stone point combination was discarded and the trade point was attached in its place.  The draw lengths remained the same.

There is a lot of debate about how the buffalo was hunted. Personally, I think the majority were killed after being disabled, tired, or in a confused state.  The technique of riding along side a buffalo and shooting it from horseback was probably reserved for the most skilled warriors/hunters who didn't care abut the risk of death (very few).

Anyway, if you want to make a plains quiver, decide if you want to make "pre-contact" arrows (with foreshafts and stone points) or arrows with trade points.  Then make your quiver long enough to hold the arrows with maybe a half inch of the arrow sticking out the top.

When you see a short arrow with a stone point, I believe you are looking at a "tourist" arrow.  It's just my opinion, but I think a foreshaft was used on the vast majority of hunting/war arrows that had stone points, especially if the arrowhead did not have a stem.

Hope that answers your question.   :)

Oh yeah... yes, I plan on going to the classic.
Title: Re: Southern Plains Arrow w/ Stone Tip
Post by: Wolf Watcher on December 31, 2010, 04:45:24 pm
Thanks for your information!  The common agreed on theory about the long arrows at buffalo jumps is that you could get close to a wounded buffalo that may have a broken leg or similar mobility problem and with a small head that would pass through the thick hair they could kill the animal.  They used a round blunt stone hawk to bash in the head of those that were completely immobile or dead for the brains.  I live on a bison ranch with huge pastures and I can tell you even in open prairie country it is easier to ambush than ride a horse along side a running herd.  Am going to do some research before I try to make the arrows.  A/Ho Pokie