Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Arrows => Topic started by: WillS on June 25, 2017, 11:20:19 am
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These arrows were made for a customer who had previously bought a beautiful Viking bow from Weylin. The bow was a Hedeby / Haithabu replica, but these arrows are Nydam copies. The period is the same, I just prefer the look of the Nydam arrows!
The shafts are 3/8" ash, and the fletching area is reduced in diameter to form a shallow area for the pitch glue to sit in. The nocks are left full diameter, giving them the classic "bulbous" appearance.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4238/35526109295_146574c68e_b.jpg)
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4258/34716693493_1b11422248_b.jpg)
The fletching area is then coated in a pine pitch compound made from pine resin, charcoal and some beeswax and allowed to set hard.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4233/35139529460_457e1f96ce_b.jpg)
The arrows are then fletched with goose feathers - 4 per arrow. They are stripped from the quill, cut to length and then the pine pitch is gently heated over a flame to become soft again. The fletchings are pressed into the hot glue and held for a few seconds.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4256/34716693593_7fbecc2ccc_b.jpg)
Once all the arrows have had the feathers glued, they are bound tightly with hemp. The compound is then reheated over a flame carefully until it melts and flows like liquid over the bindings, sealing everything in place very firmly. Once the glue cools it hardens like plastic.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4281/35487344856_b811f3dd7c_b.jpg)
There are 12 arrows in total, and they're fletched in three groups. The first group of 6 are fletched with a rounded, open profile with four feathers each. Three are fletched with a shape found in an existing fletching at Jufvonna, a straight cut square profile, and the last three are fletched with a very modern target shape for the customer to use as target arrows specifically.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4234/35359091162_ce5d5d3dc4_b.jpg)
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4208/35139710160_ce6e9c468c_b.jpg)
Once the fletching is done, the heads need to be made. These were all handforged by myself, based on actual Nydam heads. Again, they're made in groups - 6 simple 4-sided bodkins, 2 long needle bodkins with unique bulbous necks, 2 socketed leaf-shaped heads and 2 tanged leaf-shape heads.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4207/35359191262_12ddd5b787_b.jpg)
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4287/35395791901_fc93cb1dee_b.jpg)
The heads are then fitted (the tanged heads are burned into the shafts, glued in place and then bound with hemp soaked in the pine pitch glue) and the shafts are decorated using makers marks found on the original Nydam arrows by carving the shapes with a knife and then filling with powdered charcoal.
Once the shafts are oiled, the Nydam replicas are complete!
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4231/35526109435_2888c5cbab_b.jpg)
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4290/35139529550_e71867d251_b.jpg)
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4256/35139529650_0a33d1b9ed_b.jpg)
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4282/34685013714_8819b906d5_b.jpg)
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4279/34685013584_cb5641fb3d_b.jpg)
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4278/34716693823_68a5579651_b.jpg)
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4265/34716694243_11ac03e36e_b.jpg)
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4284/34716694273_e5b8f2d3be_b.jpg)
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4289/35358956342_038f5ceed6_z.jpg)
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4242/34716693993_43563fd72f_b.jpg)
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Very nice arrows Will. Does the pitch compound hold the fletching at all or is it for aesthetics while the wrap holds the fletching?
Maybe aesthetics isn't the right word. :-\
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You could get away with just the pitch for quick arrows, but binding makes them permanent. Once the pitch is melted and flows over the bindings you ain't ever getting the feathers off!
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Thanks. I was thinking that but I wasn't sure.
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Wow, absolutely amazing work. Those are beautiful arrows. Interesting that the fletching is the same pitch and wrap technique Otzi, the iceman, used on his arrows.
Kyle
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Nice looking arrows.
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Amazing. I'm curious what the shaft spine measures and the weight of the points?.....or do you care in the case of these arrows?
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Beautiful arrows, that person is going to have quite the set up!
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Real nice arrows! Are the markings from the era of "runes", with actual meaning, or more or less trademarks? May have to try that in Celtic Ogham letters. Good work!
Hawkdancer
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Nice arrows.
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Excellent arrows. :OK
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I don't deal with anything that heavy ...but very cool looking arrows.
DBar
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Very nice arrows wills. As always a pleasure to look at. Cheers- Brendan
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Great looking arrows. I might have to steal some of what you did with these. Especially the recess for the fletchings to sit. Any idea how heavy the heads are?
Kyle
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I want to see more on making the heads!!!!!!!!!
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Thanks for the comments folks!
To those asking about the weights I'm honestly not sure, as these were designed to be pure replicas and whatever weight they came out was the weight they stayed! I can tell you that a very similar arrow based on English medieval military arrows would be around 60g, using the same shaft, same amount of fletching compound and a similar weight head.
The carvings are probably just makers marks but there's no reason why they couldn't have been runes - symbolic runes were in use waaaaaay before this period!
Archeryrob - I didn't document much of the forging as it's not something I think about much, I just get on with them. If there's anything specific I can help with or provide info on let me know and I'd be glad to help where I can!
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The Nydam arrows actually pre-date the bow Wills spoke of in the original post by a century or two, the nydam arrows are from the migration period and the bow is later.
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Those piles are spot on
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Wow! Everything about those, Will should be in a Museum. Amazing craftsmanship.
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absolutely beautiful craftsmanship!! :OK :OK
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Good job done! Nydam is only 20 or 30km away from Haithabu, which lies near Schleswig in Schleswig- Holstein, near the danish border.
The Nydam items are about 250- 300 years earlier as well as the Nydam boat, which is to be rowed. The weapons and the ship were given to the gods of the Angeln, a saxonian tribe. The swords were bent.
The distance from where I live is about 100km to Haithabu .
Regards Uwe
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Very nice arrows!
Once all the arrows have had the feathers glued, they are bound tightly with hemp. The compound is then reheated over a flame carefully until it melts and flows like liquid over the bindings, sealing everything in place very firmly.
How do you avoid burning the feathers?
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https://www.facebook.com/elijensenknives/media_set?set=a.131064500363596.24513.100003801397825&type=3
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Hi,
I hope somebody may understand some german!
http://www.schloss-gottorf.de/zbsa/aktuelles/nachrichten/neu-erschienen-begleitband
http://www.schloss-gottorf.de/archaeologisches-landesmuseum/copy_of_ausstellungen/thorsberg-nydam
http://www.schloss-gottorf.de/archaeologisches-landesmuseum/copy_of_ausstellungen/nydamboot-nydambaaden-versenkt-entdeckt-erforscht
Regards Uwe
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danke sehr. Das alles werde ich später lesen. . .
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That sounds quite good Jeff! :)
Regards Uwe