River Cane Arrows

[islandwalkr]

I am working on some river care arrows. I would appreciate any help anyone can give. I think I should add inserts in the front and back but I am a little confused. Some people say to taper the ends and some people say to make a dowel insert. The hole the dowel goes in is not very large, it wouldn't offer much strength. I would like to use live oak and taper them from branches. I have Knox gelatin for hide glue. Can I use this for the hafting or do I need to find some pitch for a really secure hafting. I don't want to use superglue, that is SO not primitive.
I really love Primitive Archer mag. I have an interesting blog this group might like to read. Here is the address
http://eaglegoesdancing.blogspot.com/
It is about pre-contact Native Americans on the Outer Banks of NC and how to live primitive in a modern world.
I don't permit comments on the website but you can email me with any suggestions. Always willing to learn new things.
Judith Bailey

[HoBow]

A lot of interesting stuff in your blog!

[Hillbilly]

Most river cane shafts don't need inserts unless they have a big hole inside. You can whittle a small insert to fit if you need to. I often use pieces of bamboo skewers in the point ends if I want to taper them for field points. For the nocks, I just cut them and wrap in front of the nock with sinew. If you're talking about a foreshaft, I don't use them or care much for them, just a weak link and a pain in the butt to get balanced. If you're going to add a foreshaft, you will have to drill the front of the shaft out at a taper and match the taper on the foreshaft to fit it. The Knox will work fine for hafting, but it won't be waterproof. You can cover it with a thin layer of pitch to waterproof it. For actually setting the points in, I prefer a pitch/charcoal/beeswax mixture. You can fill the hafting notch with the pitch, heat the point, and it will seat firmly in the slot so you can spin-test it. If it wobbles, just heat it back up a little and adjust the point.

[aero86]

nice blog!  hillbilly beat me to it.  wrap under the nock and you can put a little insert in the hole to help out.

[Bill Skinner]

I wouldn't use a foreshaft unless you plan to use something very light, such as a gar scale, as a point.  The foreshaft will then add enough weight forward for the arrow to fly properly.  If you use a point the same size as a lot of points used in the deep Southeast, you will probably need a foreshaft.  Bill

[Pat B]

I have made lots of cane arrows and only sometimes use a dowel or skewer to fill the center hole. It isn't necessary. The cane is tough and add a sinew wrap and it is almost bullet proof.
  Like Hillbilly said foreshafts are a pain to get true. I have made one cane arrow with a foreshaft and I gave it to WolfWatcher. 

[Pat B]

Here are three pics of a cane arrow with a foreshaft...







...and more without foreshafts or inserts. The self nocks do have bamboo skewer inserts but they are not necessary...







..and stone heads hafted to a cane arrow(without foreshaft or insert), two sourwood arrows and possibly one a privet arrow.

[islandwalkr]

Hey guys:
Thanks for all the tips. That was what was confusing me. I have an old Primitive archer mag on the river cane arrows I am following for info but then I got sidetracked by videos from Paleo Planet where he was doing inserts. But I don't want to deal with inserts if I don't have to. From what you are saying, just a bamboo skewer will do or nothing at all. The blanks are really long, 36" so there is plenty of space to make a full length arrow without resorting to an insert.
Pat: Your arrow pics are great, the arrows look really good. Hope mine look that good when they are done. Love the hafting. I'm in NC too. Thanks, guys for all your help. Glad you like the blog. I've been working on Native American knowledge for quite a long time now. Trying to get it all down on the blog for people to read.
Judy

[Pat B]

Judy, from your PA handle I'm assuming you are from the Eastern end of the state. I'm having a primitive skills weekend(Patty's Camp-O-Rama) in two weeks(July 23, 24, 25) and you are welcomed to come if you are in the area. We have some arrow making(cane and hardwood shoots), flint knapping, pitch glue making and bow building lined up that you might find interesting.