Author Topic: small knots shoots...?  (Read 2268 times)

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Offline nsherve

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small knots shoots...?
« on: October 14, 2018, 08:49:12 am »
If you're trying to make arrow shafts with shoots/saplings (whatever you call the little young growth), what do you do about the small knots? Wouldn't sanding/shaving them down weaken the shaft?

Offline Pat B

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Re: small knots shoots...?
« Reply #1 on: October 14, 2018, 10:41:37 am »
Generally with the sourwood shoots I use mostly the knots are at the nock/fletching end and not affected shooting the arrow. Most of the bending stresses is towards the center. I've made lots of shoot arrows and never had a problem with knots affecting the durability of the arrow. I've never had a shoot arrow break when shot. I've used sourwood, blackhaw viburnum and a few different types of bush dogwoods.
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline nsherve

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Re: small knots shoots...?
« Reply #2 on: October 14, 2018, 04:53:38 pm »
I was shooting one today (privet, without feathers), that has small knots up and it...It did seem fine. Also, it flew straight which surprises me. This is the first time I've tried it...

Offline burtonridr

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Re: small knots shoots...?
« Reply #3 on: November 16, 2018, 07:58:50 am »
In my experience, sanding down the knots does not seem to hurt anything. Typically wood is stronger and more dense in the area around a knot, so sanding shouldn't weaken it in relation to the rest of the shaft, it will likely still be stiffer than the rest even after sanding. This has been my experience with red dogwood anyway.
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Offline BowEd

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Re: small knots shoots...?
« Reply #4 on: November 17, 2018, 07:49:17 am »
Making shooting shafts from shoots is like shooting a little tree in my mind.Dog woods are very elastic as most shoots are except for most bamboos but they are tough as a hickory knot too.Shooting too weak of spine for a bow though will have it's consquences.Sanding knots have never been a problem on dogwoods for me.Even planing or sanding the small wiggles out of dogwoods have not been detremental.
BowEd
You got to stand for something or you'll fall for anything.
Ed