Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Arrows => Topic started by: bjrogg on January 29, 2022, 05:10:10 pm
-
I’m going to try to get this done right away, but I might get dragged away.
Started out by straightening up a river cane shaft and wrapping sinew on both ends. Then using cutoff wheel in grinder I shaped notch for obsidian point and dry fit it.
Bjrogg
-
Then I us two hacksaw blades to cut my self notch and use my leather man’s file to widen it and shape it
Bjrogg
-
Next a tail feather
-
I decide how long I want it. At that spot I strip of the fletch from the quill.
Bjrogg
-
Then about half way back the fletch I strip the fletch off other side of quill.
-
Then I strip both side of tip
-
Then repeat. I hold the finished fletch up to the second one to know where to strip.
Bjrogg
-
Then using my bench grinder I carefully grind off excess pith
Bjrogg
-
Then I strip some sinew and put it in water.
I lightly wrap the shaft then one fletch at top of shaft. Then the other bottom of shaft. They should line up with string notch. I lightly wrap them first so I can move them a little if I have to. You can never have enough hands for this.
After I have them where I want them I let the sinew dry and tighten down a little. Then I wrap it good.
I like to have rear of fletch so back of fan tail (as on turkey) is against shaft at this point until the sinew shrinks down tight.
I will put fletch back of fan out when I wrap rear of fletch to shaft but it fits nicer if I let opposite side to dry.
-
After the sinew has shrunk down tight I lightly wrap rear of fletch. I orientate fletch so rear of turkey fan (as he facing away from you) is facing away from shaft and tip o fletch is quarter turn and now on side of shaft.
After I get everything where I want it and as tight as I can get it. I wrap it good.
Bjrogg
-
From the back it should look something like this.
Bjrogg
-
Then it’s just trim and sign. I guess I skipped applying pine pitch, halft with sinew and putting on my markings.
All finished up
Bjrogg
-
Hope that shows it. I’ll try to answer any questions, but right now wife is wanting me.
Bjrogg
-
Thank you for putting this together
-
Your welcome Allyn. I hope it helps.
Bjrogg
-
BJ another good looking arrow.
-
Thanks Rob
-
Thanks for the clear, close up pictures to go along with your descriptions. This should help a lot of newbies. (I had to learn how to cut and tie such an arrow through trial and error and studying a bad drawing :( ).
-
Nice arrow. I might have to use my bench grinder now to get the pith off. I felt it was not primitive enough before but that seems like a ridiculous standard when I’m working under electric lights
-
Very cool, BJ. I'm going to have to learn this fletching method. I like it.
-
Thanks Hrothgar. I hope so. Some of it I probably made a bit confusing with my explanation. And I’m not saying this is a replica Cherokee two fletch. It’s my rendition of one though from my limited knowledge of them. I do like it.
Kenneth I like to blend old and new. I find they often complement each other. Besides. I’ve tried scrapping it off with a obsidian scrapper and the bench grinder works a lot better.
Give it a whirl WB
If anyone has any questions I can try to answer them
Bjrogg
-
I ordered a bundle of 20 Wild Turkey tail feathers yesterday.
I haven't started my viburnum shaft arrows yet but it was recommended to me that I replace the rubbery plastic vanes of the carbon shafts I've been using to avoid occasionally kicking out to my left when shooting.
The arrows I made when I built an Apple wood bow many years ago I two fletched with a strong spiral. I had not seen the full South Eastern fletching at the time.
The feathers I ordered look much the same as used by the OP. I'm intending to experiment with different styles of fletchings on groups of three arrows each. When I settle on the best for me I'll order more feathers and fletch most of the two dozen carbon arrows I have and start on my viburnum shafts.
When I finally get a start on my bow I'll be building it to work best with the Viburnum arrows I'll have already constructed. Perhaps tweaking those arrows a bit to fine tune it all.
-
Thanks for the instruction! I found a fan in the freezer that I didn't know I had so gave the two fletch a shot last night, first fletching job that wasn't plastic and I will see how it flies tomorrow. First time using sinew as well, that stuff is amazing...
-
Good how-to, BJ. You should write this up for the magazine. I'm sure it's been done before, but not since I've been subscribing.
-
I had a few people ask me questions about the Eastern Cherokee two fletch. Or at least my rendition of one. I directed them here. Hope they can find it I don’t know how to post a link to it.
Got looking and noticed I missed a few replies.
Thanks WB I might have to try one for the magazine.
Buckskinner that looks good. And yes sinew really is some amazing stuff. How did your arrow fly? Glad I was able to get you away from plastic.
Thanks again everyone for your kind words. I do really hope this helps.
Bjrogg
-
Thanks! I haven't shot them yet, patiently waiting for my shoulder to heal up. It's getting a lot better though in the last couple weeks, I have an appointment for MRI on Friday, but if things keep progressing, I may be cancelling and shooting a light # bow soon!
Plastic is a thing of the past for me I believe. I still have my unmentionable but don't intend to hunt with it at least this fall, I have a WI bear tag and it will either be a self-bow or flintlock hunt.
I got a ton of thunder chicken wing and tail feathers from spring hunt, so have been working on some 3 fletch as well.
-
Looks great Buckskinner.
Hope your shoulder just keeps getting better.
Bjrogg
-
Good build-a-long BJ.Nice slick way to fletch up an arrow.
-
Thanks Ed. This really has become my favorite fletch.
bjrogg
-
Cool build along buddy.... nice arrow
-
Built a half dozen based on Bjrogg's build-a-long and have started shooting them. I am amazed at how well they fly and their durability. They don't look like they would hold together too well, but they do. I haven't shot instinctively since I was a kid, so I skip off of target, miss and bury them in grass a lot, all of them are holding up.
-
Thanks Stix
Buckskinner I'm glad you tried them and share your enthusiasm for them. I've been very pleasantly surprised by them.
bjrogg
-
My brother in law text me today. Said this arrow is in the Meat Eater pod cast studio and Steve really liked it.
That’s kinda cool
Bjrogg
-
That's freaking awesome how did it end up there?
-
That's freaking awesome how did it end up there?
My brother in law’s brother works with Steve. I made my brother in law this arrow and asked if he would give it to his brother and that’s how it got there.
I sent the same pictures to my brother in law as I posted on this thread and descriptions. He said he shared some of the pictures but not all of them. If I could figure out how to send a link to this thread I’d share it with Steve.
Bjrogg
-
:) 8) :KN )P( thanks for Sharings