California Indian Style Archery Set Build-a-long

[JackCrafty]

Uwe, I'll measure the arrowhead soon and post the dimensions.  If you have access to "The Official Overstreet Indian Arrowheads Identification and Price Guide 9th Edition" , the arrowhead is shown in full size.

Yes, the sinew wrapping not only holds the fletching in place, it strengthens the nock and helps with the pinch grip too.

[JackCrafty]

Oops, correction: the bone arrowhead appears in the 10th edition of the Overstreet Guide, page 974.

[JackCrafty]

After reviewing my previous posts in this build-along, it appears that my arrows increased in spine for some reason (see reply #32 and reply #9).  Maybe they dropped in moisture content and became stiffer.... .  Maybe the shafts became stiffer after straightening with heat (heat tempering)?  I don't remember using a lot of heat (reply #11)......hmmmm.

Anyway, I'll try to figure out what happend and see if I can get them shooting straight when they are ready for another shooting session.  I might try scraping them a little more.

Time is short this week.  Hopefully I can resume the build along next week and finish up.

[uwe]

I use garden bamboo for my arrows and have been straightening them with dry heat. I haven`t have any problems with the spine even with thicker ones (5/16"- 3/8"). I soot them on a short, about 55" Osage recurve bow. May be I`m lucky in the correct spine range or ....?
Thanks already for some measurings or scans.
Regards Uwe

[JackCrafty]

Uwe, send me a PM with your email address and I will send you a drawing of some bone/antler arrowheads from the book and from the web.  It is in pdf (Adobe) format...I can't scan images right now.  The drawing contains 7 arrowheads with dimensions (including the arrowhead in this build-along).

When I am able to scan the drawing as an image, I will post it here.

Anyone else who's interested.....send me a PM with your email.

[donnieonetrack]

Patrick, it takes years for cane to dry if the wax is left on, when you removed the "skin" the shaft started drying and the added heat helped spend the drying.  Cane will increase in spine a good bit with drying.  If I leave the "skin" on my shafts I punch a small hole with a thin knife as I heat the shaft to release steam/moisture.  It's surprising how much moisture will come out of a shaft cut a year earlier.

Take a shaft and cut it in half, now add heat to the open section and watch the water/steam.

take care,

Donnie

[JackCrafty]

Thanks Donnie, yeah, that makes sense.  You recognize those canes? 

I wish I had recorded the weights of those shafts just before I added the foreshafts.  I'll bet they got lighter too.  Next time, I'll have to remember to spine the arrows AFTER peeling and straightening.

Anyway, I'll post more pics soon....when the set is finished.

[donnieonetrack]

I went by the cane patch last week and the state (state land) has mowed and poisoned the cane.  I have other places to cut but this was the best quality i've found, so far.......

Contact me if you need more,

Have you made any arrows from the sparkleberry yet?


Donnie

[JackCrafty]

Ah yes, the sparkleberry.....nope, no arrows yet.  Made two kids bows from it, though.   That sparkleberry is tough stuff.

I've got a half-dozen of your sparkleberry shoots prepped and ready for blunt-tipped arrows.  The others are waiting....

I'll contact you for more cane if I don't pick up some at the TN Classic.

[donnieonetrack]

It works really well for foreshafts.

I've been using black cherry saplings for the kids bows, seems to work pretty well.

take care,

Donnie

[Wulamoc]

Very well done build a long.  I appreciate all  of the effort and your willingness to share it!

Wells

[JackCrafty]

Thanks Wells.

[JackCrafty]

Finally finished the set.

This first picture is me showing off the prize I got for winning the johnstone knapping contest:
 







This next series shows the finished items.
Time was short so I didn't take pictures during contruction (sorry).























I took some pictures of a California-type set and as far as I can tell, there is no stiffener in the quiver....
So I didn't put one in mine.






Close-up of actual arrow tips:






The End.

[donnieonetrack]

Patrick, you did it again.  The best repoduction equipment I've seen!!!!!

When should I place my order!!!!!

take care,

Donnie

[JackCrafty]

Thanks Donnie!  Glad to see you're still lurking around....