Who Grows Their Own Shoot Shafts?

[bhenders]

I've had some Pseudosasa japonica  (Japanese Arrow Bamboo) planted for several years but kept moving it around.  Finally have it in the same place for the third year and should be able to cut some two year old clums this season.  It's root hardy down to 0 but not top hardy.  Most of the leaves died last month (Feb in central Michigan was COLD) but the clums should leaf out in May.  It's a runner so you may need to keep it under control.  Mow around it or dig a trench around it and fill with leaves.  The runners are very shallow and you can cut them off in the trench every year.  Very straight clums, with long nodes and leaves directly off the nodes. 

When making arrows, align the nodes with the arrow nock... ie... nodes on top or bottom of the arrow (that will put the stiff side of the clum against the bow ).

[Wind D Ranch]

I'm glad to hear Japanese Arrow Bamboo is hardy in Michigan.  This is the first winter outside for mine in Northern Missouri and I was a little worried about it.  It looks fine so far other than leaf burn.

[Thesquirrelslinger]

Try that great stuff called Honeysuckle, it is a bit invasive:(
It is sort of like easy-straightening cane, and grows faster, and its nodes are a lot less pronouced. Plus the walls are thicker than RC(river cane).
Honeysuckle makes good arrows- primitive style. it loses strength if you thin it too much, and can split if you do not make the foreshaft correctly. I use the arrows mainly with a 50 pound recurve bow(Sadly, fiberglass back/belly, wood cored, I only make longbows), and they are fast and hard hitting. Quite heavy.
I intentionally prune the bushes a certian way each year, it makes a large number of 1/2 inch shoots grow.
I can also make bows from the wood of the big, thick bushes. it is very close grained, very heavy, with big, thick growth rings and very little spring growth(if any). I think it is a diffuse-porous wood.
-Squirrel

[ncpat]

I have found a shrub/tree that grows in a lot of wooded areas around here. Don't know what it is but it has fairly straight shoots. I have cut a few and have them in the shed now, hanging straight as possible. I have to find out what this is & if it's any good. Seems like it would be.

[Thesquirrelslinger]

Take a pic.
At least give us a good description.
-Squirrel

[ncpat]

I will take a pic this week and try to post. I don't usually have much luck at it. This is a shrub or tree that grows up to 6 or 7 feet that I have seen. Most of the limbs are somewhat straight. The ones I cut are very springy.

Is it better to season shoots/limbs with barn on or off? Can they be kiln dried?

[Thesquirrelslinger]

I would leave the bark on for the initial seasoning, and cut your shoots extra long- they like to check(split) at the ends.

[richardzane]

it may seem obvious ,
but i have found that its best to label shoots or in the next couple of years you'll be guessing.
its frustrating when you work down a good spined shaft and you don't even know what it is, to be able to go get more!
I use a piece of masking tape on the end of the longest shoot in a bundle
this morning i cut some green hazel shoots so:    hazel (grn) 3/2013
put a blob of elmers or woodglue on the ends before storing your bundles. I store them up on end
leave the bark on for a couple months ..after that you can scrape and straighten roughly.

I made an arrow press for getting kinks out of the thicker shoots...it works great!

[Pat B]

Patnc, where in NC do you live. That will help with the plant ID.
 Some shoot material you can remove the bark right away but most you should leave the bark on or they will check. I use sourwood shoots for arrows and can scrape the bark off as oon as I cut them. I have even quick dried sourwood under my wood stove, fresh with the bark stripped off and they never check. Viburnum on the other hand will check terribly if you remove the bark too soon.

[Dan K]

This thread has me on the hunt!  I found some red dogwood (red osier) along the highway by my house.  Cut about three dozen shoots.  Most of them are so straight and could be used as they are.  I need a little help though cause I've never done this before.  I cut them all to 32" long so I have enough to straighten or cut off if they check (Don't know if red osier checks).  I bundled them all in six-packs and tied them firmly to hold them as straight as possible.  I stacked them horizontally on a table in my shop.  I have a few other really straight shoots of unknown type that are bundled the same way.  Should I glue the ends or anything else I need to do to these and how long should I wait?  I read somewhere I'm supposed to straighten them before debarking.  Is that true?    I'm building a spine tester to check them so don't waste time on shoots that don't fit my bow. 

[richardzane]

wow...sounds like you're very lucky to find such a haul !! I'm envious!!!
from limited experience, but with successes, i would immediately seal the ends of all the shafts with some cheapo glue.
this is the time of year when they are sucking up sap from the roots, and when you cut them the shoot is still sucking...when it sucks air
it dries quickly and as a result HAS to shrink.

they'll be sappy and flexible ,so any dry heating won't really do any permanent straightening...till a couple few months go by.
I'd tie them up in small bundles just hand bending and flexing,until they are all laying fairly straight in a row.

unknown shoots:
I was working on one unknown last night,cussing myself for not marking what it was , because the spine is excellent!
unknown shoots can make great arrows, but they won't teach us anything, other than "dang! what the heck wus this?"

[Thesquirrelslinger]

Take a pic. Someone might be able to identify it.

[richardzane]

could have done that, yeah...
but the "what's it?" shaft is already reduced to 11/32 and has great spine - going in with a set of hazel arrows i'm building now.
the bark looked a lot like a wild cherry shoot, horizontally striped , it was at least a year old.

[DuBois]

I have a red osier plant in my yard and have noticed them all over now that I know what to look for.
I did some cuttings and have about 30 that are sprouting buds but not sure how to get the roots and it is still too cold here to get them outside.
Same thing with some very straight small purple plum shoots.
Hoping for the best and also for some nice sapling bows from the plum.

[Dan K]

Thanks RZ. I with you on the dang!  The unknowns are bound to be the best shafts. Just how life works for me too. I see a bunch of talk about Hazel. Is hazel and hazel nut the same thing?