rose shoot arrows.. finished arrows!!

[david w.]

Wow great build along. thanks because i just cut a few rose shoots.  Do you have much of a problem with them checking after you debarked them green?

[Sparrow]

 Hey great buildalong.I cut a bunch of wild rose about six years ago,I've still got most of them,still building arrows out of them.I moved up here to alaska about 5 years ago and now make alot of arrows out of alder shoots but, they are not as dense or tough as the rose shoots. Good looking arrows you turned out.  Frank

[lowell]

david w.,

  There was some thoughts on the shoots checking earlier in this thread.  I don't seem to have any trouble with checking.


  Thanks for the kind words all!!

[TRACY]

Great build-a-long Lowell. Thanks.
Of the few shafts I've harvested, only a couple have checked at knots, for what its worth.

[madcrowjr]

How would you straighten the arrows if you didn't have a straightener?

[cowboy]

Nice build along Lowell! It'll be of use to me .

[lowell]

How would you straighten the arrows if you didn't have a straightener?

Most of my straightening is just by looking down the arrow and bending the shaft so it is straight!!

 The shafts sit near my easy chair and they get checked and "tweeked" often before they become arrows.

[Pappy]

Nice build along,thanks for sharing.Need to get on my Cain. :)Looks like about the
same process
   Pappy

[Easternarcher]

Lowell, your fletching reflects what I've wondered alot but never tried...mixing  goose cock feather with barred turkey....how do they fly? Isn't the goose a bit light weight compared to turkey fletch?

[lowell]

Lowell, your fletching reflects what I've wondered alot but never tried...mixing  goose cock feather with barred turkey....how do they fly? Isn't the goose a bit light weight compared to turkey fletch?

   I questioned mixing goose and turkey too but asked opinions here and was told they fly fine.  I can't see any difference than using all turkey.  Seems to me that proper spine is the most important consideration to get good flight!!

[medicinewheel]

nice arrows! nice build-a-long!  thanks, frank

[jeduffey]

My question is, when do you cut your shoots? I have a rose bush in the back yard, I handle the greenery, and the neighbor despises it, so I have free reign on cutting. My recent research says to prune your roses around the time the forsythias bloom. What say you?

[lowell]

I have always cut them in the winter.  Seems I read some where to cut them in the winter...... when the sap is down??

  If I needed some in the summer I would probably cut them and see what happened!!

[Pat B]

It all depends on whether you are talking horticulturally or for archery. Ideally you should prune your roses initially just as the new buds begin to swell in early spring(late winter). Most roses bloom on new wood so the more you prune, during the growing season the better the bloom. For arrows, winter is the best time but you can cut them any time of the year.    Pat

[avraham]

First post here, as a question.  Has anyone ever heard of using owl feathers for thier arrows?