Question on arrows and silk thread

[Buck67]

I made up about a dozen arrows based on the Livery arrow design.  31" long 3/8" Poplar shafts. 45# to 57# spline weight.  The fletchings are 8" long and are glued and then wrapped with red silk thread at 1/4" spacing.  Cowhorn nock inserts.  I'm shooting the arrows from a wooden bow without a shelf.  When I shot these arrows the first time, the silk thread ripped and unraveled.  So I started "gluing" the thread in place by painting it with clear shellac after the fletching was wrapped.  Now when I shoot them I still get a tear or two but they don't unravel.

So here's my question.  Is this tearing of the silk thread to be expected?   Is there some secret to installing the thread?

[WillS]

Are you sure it's a Livery arrow?  3/8" is too small a diameter, and 8" fletchings are too big for Liverys.  An 8" fletching is massive for any 3/8" shaft actually - even the huge 4oz military arrow only has a 7.5" fletching, with 3/8" diameter Standard arrows being around 6".

As for the thread, there are quite a few ways of preventing it ripping, but the way I do it is coat the binding in a good waterproof glue, then apply about 3-5 coats of clear varnish over the top.  Superglue works well also, if you dab a bit along the bindings then use your finger to wipe it all over, making sure you coat all the threads.  Then apply the coats of varnish over that.  Hopefully that keeps it at bay for a bit, but eventually you will find they start to look a bit ragged. 

[Buck67]

Thanks Will.  I sort of mixed and matched the requirements between the Livery Arrow and the War Arrow.  I went with an 8" fletching because the requirements said "at least 7-3/8" and I like doing big fletchings.  I went with a 3/8" poplar shaft because I was able to get a 45# to 65# splined arrow.  I don't know very many men that shoot a true 100+ pound war bow so I went with an arrow that was a lot lighter.  I'll try the extra coatings on the thread.  Thanks for the help.

[Yeomanbowman]

If you want a more period method the Mary Rose arrows had a bees wax/tallow mix in layers.  The top layer had verdigris in it which gives it the green colour.  For repeated shooting, which the naval arrows were not likely to endure too much in a battle, a little tree resin added to the mix hardens it up.

[Buck67]

Do you have any idea what the mix was with the tallow and beeswax?

[Yeomanbowman]

It's in Weapons of Warre but really you should vary the mix according to your climate.  More wax for heat, move tallow for cold.  Lamb fat is nice and hard.