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Bows / Re: Hickory – black cherry – osage, 43#@28"
« Last post by Selfbowman on December 27, 2025, 04:09:07 pm »That’s a pretty one!
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Bows / Re: American Elm v. Slippery Elm.
« Last post by bassman211 on December 27, 2025, 02:32:21 pm »Vikings used elm most of the time, and the English on occasion. Time tested, and proven to be a good bow wood. Not easy to split, and work with, but the end result is worth the effort. Red oak under clear glass makes a handsome glass bow, and has been used for years to get that look. On a scale from 1 to 10 for me it is a 10 for white wood bows. Try a fire hardened sapling, and you will be pleasantly impressed.
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Arrows / Re: Rivercane flight arrow
« Last post by Robert Pougnier on December 27, 2025, 02:23:53 pm »I'm just outside of Georgetown right now.
I had some cane that I harvested years ago from the Asheville NC area. It was on streambeds. Could that be hill cane? I most recently harvested some in SC around the Waccamaw river and near Santee, maybe that is switch cane? I don't remember the day I harvested the ones in NC so I can't say how different they looked in the ground. But the raw shafts look very similar. I have both side by side right now. I'll try and get some definitive ID features next time I harvest them so that I know which ones they are, I did not know we had three species! Thanks for the information.
Off topic, but since you are in NC do you ever go to the trad shoot in Conover NC? I will be in the Asheville area for the month of March and was hoping to attend.
I had some cane that I harvested years ago from the Asheville NC area. It was on streambeds. Could that be hill cane? I most recently harvested some in SC around the Waccamaw river and near Santee, maybe that is switch cane? I don't remember the day I harvested the ones in NC so I can't say how different they looked in the ground. But the raw shafts look very similar. I have both side by side right now. I'll try and get some definitive ID features next time I harvest them so that I know which ones they are, I did not know we had three species! Thanks for the information.
Off topic, but since you are in NC do you ever go to the trad shoot in Conover NC? I will be in the Asheville area for the month of March and was hoping to attend.
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Arrows / Re: Rivercane flight arrow
« Last post by Pat B on December 27, 2025, 02:16:40 pm »Where in SC are you. We lived in Bluffton, outside of Hilton Head Is for 12 years before we moved to Brevard, NC in 1990.
I think the cane you are cutting is switch cane(Arundaneria tecta) one of the 3 native varieties of cane. Up here in the mountains we have hill cane(A. Appalachiana). It is very similar to hill cane but better I think. Both make good arrows. River cane(A. gigantia) makes ok arrows but not as good as the other 2 native canes. River cane grows up to about 15' or more and is about 3/4" in diameter at the base. I think "river cane" is a generic name most folks call any cane used for arrows.
I think the cane you are cutting is switch cane(Arundaneria tecta) one of the 3 native varieties of cane. Up here in the mountains we have hill cane(A. Appalachiana). It is very similar to hill cane but better I think. Both make good arrows. River cane(A. gigantia) makes ok arrows but not as good as the other 2 native canes. River cane grows up to about 15' or more and is about 3/4" in diameter at the base. I think "river cane" is a generic name most folks call any cane used for arrows.
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Arrows / Re: Best wood for 450-500 gr, FOC arrows?
« Last post by WhistlingBadger on December 27, 2025, 01:08:07 pm »I guess the way to do it with shoots would be to tune each arrow individually. That would be time consuming but probably worth it if it resulted in scratch-made, indestructible arrows. I'll give it a try one of these days.
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Arrows / Re: Rivercane flight arrow
« Last post by Robert Pougnier on December 27, 2025, 12:31:59 pm »Thanks!
That's great to know Pat. I'm new to cane arrows, made my first two dozen this fall and was definitely worried about the ends splitting. I'm beginning to realize how tough the material really is and have gradually been trusting it more. My most recent batch (still drying from finish) has inserts into both ends but flush rather than built out. I'll post them in the next couple days.
Next batch I will try them as true self arrows. I appreciate the feedback!
I haven't got to shoot this one yet. I am currently in South Carolina and not in my home area so I don't have the space to shoot it. I really want to do some distance shooting with this arrow and test it on a few of my bows. It looks like a lot of fun really. If I get a chance to do that and measure the distances I'll post some results.
That's great to know Pat. I'm new to cane arrows, made my first two dozen this fall and was definitely worried about the ends splitting. I'm beginning to realize how tough the material really is and have gradually been trusting it more. My most recent batch (still drying from finish) has inserts into both ends but flush rather than built out. I'll post them in the next couple days.
Next batch I will try them as true self arrows. I appreciate the feedback!
I haven't got to shoot this one yet. I am currently in South Carolina and not in my home area so I don't have the space to shoot it. I really want to do some distance shooting with this arrow and test it on a few of my bows. It looks like a lot of fun really. If I get a chance to do that and measure the distances I'll post some results.
27
Arrows / Re: Rivercane flight arrow
« Last post by Pat B on December 27, 2025, 11:59:06 am »Nice flight arrow, Robert. Let us know how it flies.
A note about cane arrows...You can make self nocks in cane arrows without inserts. That's how I do it. Just cut in the nock and add a sinew wrap in front of it. I've never had a self nock fail unless hit by another arrow. The sinew wrap will hold it together without fail. And it will reduce the physical weight as far as a flight arrow goes. Even on the point end with stone or trade points the sinew wrap will hold it all together. I used to insert a small dowel into the cane but realized it wasn't necessary so I stopped doing it. With field points or glue on points I just taper the point end and glue on the point. You do have to use a sanding type tapered. In my experience a pencil sharpener type taper tool doesn't work well with cane.
A note about cane arrows...You can make self nocks in cane arrows without inserts. That's how I do it. Just cut in the nock and add a sinew wrap in front of it. I've never had a self nock fail unless hit by another arrow. The sinew wrap will hold it together without fail. And it will reduce the physical weight as far as a flight arrow goes. Even on the point end with stone or trade points the sinew wrap will hold it all together. I used to insert a small dowel into the cane but realized it wasn't necessary so I stopped doing it. With field points or glue on points I just taper the point end and glue on the point. You do have to use a sanding type tapered. In my experience a pencil sharpener type taper tool doesn't work well with cane.
28
Bows / Re: Hop hornbeam static recurve
« Last post by barebo on December 27, 2025, 11:40:16 am »A bit late to the party but wanted to extend compliments on the bow. I've nade about a dozen HHB bows with 2 recurves and by far those were my favorites. Your bow is perfectly executed finely crafted. Very Nice!
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Arrows / Re: Best wood for 450-500 gr, FOC arrows?
« Last post by Robert Pougnier on December 27, 2025, 11:21:46 am »WB: I also don't own a spine tester. It's the next piece of gear I'd love to get!
I usually straighten extra shafts and bare shaft test all my arrow sets with the bow they are intended to be shot with. I keep ones aside that did not match and then group them with similar ones later once I test a different batch. I do some testing bending by hand but It does not help me much. It's invariable that there is quite a bit of variety there. I have not used timber shafts as much but I understand they can vary some too depending on grain orientation and density.
It's definitely a bit of extra work. But the rose shafts are very durable and never break since the grain is intact. I've had several shafts break over the years, but the only shoot shaft to ever break on me were viburnum.
Chokecherry is really good as well, I like it almost as much as rose and it can be easier to find good shoots as they grow in larger patches more commonly than rose. I think if you were to have a few bundles of dried rose or cherry shafts on hand you would inevitably get the bug to try them at some point, I totally recommend giving them a chance!
I usually straighten extra shafts and bare shaft test all my arrow sets with the bow they are intended to be shot with. I keep ones aside that did not match and then group them with similar ones later once I test a different batch. I do some testing bending by hand but It does not help me much. It's invariable that there is quite a bit of variety there. I have not used timber shafts as much but I understand they can vary some too depending on grain orientation and density.
It's definitely a bit of extra work. But the rose shafts are very durable and never break since the grain is intact. I've had several shafts break over the years, but the only shoot shaft to ever break on me were viburnum.
Chokecherry is really good as well, I like it almost as much as rose and it can be easier to find good shoots as they grow in larger patches more commonly than rose. I think if you were to have a few bundles of dried rose or cherry shafts on hand you would inevitably get the bug to try them at some point, I totally recommend giving them a chance!
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Bows / Re: Hop hornbeam static recurve
« Last post by Robert Pougnier on December 27, 2025, 11:11:16 am »Update about hemp strings. Had my first one give out the other day. At the knot on the lower notch, which is most common. This string was not the one I have shot the most, which surprised me. It is on a flatbow with no recurves or reflex so the string angle there might have worn it out more. I have recurves with hemp strings that have outlasted this string easily twice over. This one only lasted a little over 1000 shots.
It broke at brace height during a shooting session but between shots. I felt it give a little during very early draw and sure thing it started popping. It was a very clean incision made into the string by the knot itself. So not a failure of construction or fiber weakness, but localized strain instead.
Anyways, there is not a string-specific thread, so I thought I'd share this here since I was asked about hemp strings on this thread.
It broke at brace height during a shooting session but between shots. I felt it give a little during very early draw and sure thing it started popping. It was a very clean incision made into the string by the knot itself. So not a failure of construction or fiber weakness, but localized strain instead.
Anyways, there is not a string-specific thread, so I thought I'd share this here since I was asked about hemp strings on this thread.