Primitive nootka rose arrow

[Carson (CMB)]

I was going to make up about a half dozen of these, but so far, only one has made it to completion.  Shaft is nootka rose shoot. Elk bone point (~135 gr.) Canada goose fletch (plains style). Cherry bark cresting wrap.  Elk sinew for point, fletch, and nock reinforcement.  Loctite holding the cherry bark on. Shellack finish (dark flakes). I haven't found the bow that it flies real good out of yet.  It is a little weak in spine for my hunting weight bows, unless I had a really wide handle to shoot around.

[Pat B]

Very nice arrow. I love the cherry bark accents. I've used cherry bark for backing but not other things like this. Did you have to thin it? If so, how?  I actually like everything about this arrow. 
  Is the fletch 2 or 3 feathers? I can't tell from the pics. I've made a few 3 fletch like this and really like how well they work.

[sadiejane]

now that there is one fine arrow.
love all the detail.
was out shooting two fletched arrows late last nite.
they fly just like they're supposed to!

understand only have one complete. spent hrs out by the fire straightening shafts
and grinding feathers wed.
after all that time only had one arrow complete
but most of the work done on the other 5....

i shoot 40-45# bows, maybe that arrow would work better outta one of mine..

[Carson (CMB)]

Thanks Pat.

The cherry bark was thinned using a cabinet scraper (I love cabinet scrapers).  You can get the bark very thin, almost ribbon thin. It looks like cherry bark was also used as a handle wrap too, so I am definitely trying that on one of my paddle bows.  Cherry bark wrap with beaver fur strips bordering top and bottom, now that would look good on your little yew paddle bow Pat 

Two feathers.  I believe this is plains indian style fletch, but I could be wrong.  I was originally going for an arrow that was authentic for the willamette valley kalapuyan indians, but I find this style of fletching so much easier than splitting feathers, and it is quite effective at putting some spin on an arrow. 

[Carson (CMB)]

sadiejane, Thanks!

It probably would fly pretty good out of your bow

I have about a dozen shafts straightened, but most were lighter in spine than this one, so I will just keep collecting, seasoning, debarking (cabinet scraper works great there too), straightening, and eventually I will have some matched dozens for the whole family. 

[sadiejane]

love those cabinet scrappers. dont have any but have used a pals. one of these days...

do you live in the willamette valley?
i have yet to find much out about the native peoples who lived there.
have a brother who lives outside newberg. grows pinto noir grapes and filbert trees.

could hang out on his place forever

once again great looking arrow!

[Pat B]

CBM, after looking at the examples of NW paddle bows in TBBI I thought cherry bark would be appropriate for a handle wrap too. I've got a little bark left. I'll see if I can make it work.
  I love a cabinet scrapper too. I do most of my tillering with one. I usually use a pocket knife for scraping bark from shafts but its the same principle. 

[stickbender]

     Beautiful arrow!  If you are having trouble with it's flight, you might try turning the feathers over, so the dull side is up.
The Cherokee style two fletch is like that, but it flies great with the feathers bottom side out. 
Well done!
                                          Wayne

[Pat B]

Wayne, that is the way Steve Parker tought me.

[jermcramp1]

Hey Sadie just curious, what do you tiller with? I have only used a 4n1 but got a set of scrapers last week.

[Carson (CMB)]

Thanks Wayne. I will have to try with the underside of the feather facing out on the next one.  Wayne, so the cherokee style two fletch is how I have done it?

Sadiejane, the history of the northwest Indians is pretty poorly documented. In western oregon most tribes had been decimated by disease, prior to the arrival of settlers.  The kalapuyans were known for their semi-agricultural way of life.  They modified the habitat using controlled burning to increase production of camas (a bulb food) and tarweed (a seed food), and to increase habitat for game.

I am reading a really cool book called oregon archeology that has some good info in it and lost of pictures of points!

Newberg is a nice area.   Lots of wine and filberts!  Maybe I could live out at his place forever!  If it has any problems with deer or varmants I could provide my services. 

[sadiejane]

CMB_thanks for the heads up on the book oregon archaeology. just read a review of the newest edition-sounds great. will pick it up when i can.
yeah, thats been my experience, finding out much of anything is difficult...except for artifacts left behind
theres a ton of history of the earliest pioneers but not the native folk
what little ii have found is written by those early pioneers and from a very skewed perspective(that of squatter/conqueror/manifest destiny)
now if bill would let me build a shanty on the back of his property i would so be there

[Pat B]

CBM, here are a few different fletching styles I use on primitive arrows...


...and how I make the tangential 3 fletch(I think that is what it is called).








this series of pics is just a teaching aid and not on an arrow.

[Carson (CMB)]

Pat B, Nice diversity of fletch styles there.  I am going to have to try that three fletch you just showed, I like how the faethers lean on eachother, looks pretty solid. 

I want to do some fletching with split feathers too, as it appears that is how the natives here in oregon did it.  I have split and ground turkey fethers for traditional arrows, but i want a more authentic look for the replicas.  How do you split yours?  How did the indians split theirs?  I have tried my hand at hand-splitting enough to decide I don't want to waste any more feathers.  What is the trick?

[Pat B]

I've used an Exacto knife or box cutted type knife and split the quill(sharp obsidian chip) down the center then ground the quill thin and flat.   On the tangential 3fletch I just tapered thebasr of the  quill so it laid flat and reduced the size for wrapping.
  You can also strip the feathers from thr quill. This way you have a very thin membrane for the feather base. Lots of folks do this. Stripping works best on fresh feathers but you can hydrate dry feathers first then they strip just like new ones.