Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Arrows => Topic started by: shootinbud on February 02, 2008, 12:33:59 am

Title: red cedar as arrows
Post by: shootinbud on February 02, 2008, 12:33:59 am

ive got some straight grained cedar boards but they are 2 short for bow building  had any  one made arrows from red cedar?

Title: Re: red cedar as arrows
Post by: 1/2primitive on February 03, 2008, 07:26:23 pm

I haven't, but I think I've heard of Indian arrows made of Red Cedar. If it's relatively hard, it should be all right.
     Sean

Title: Re: red cedar as arrows
Post by: Pat B on February 04, 2008, 01:30:24 am

I have a roughly hand planed ERC arrow someone sent me years ago. I just remembered it....I just went and looked. It's not ERC it is Coastal Fir from Don Berg(OldBow). Has a similar look and feel of ERC.   I'd say give it a try. No reason it wouldn't.     Pat

Title: Re: red cedar as arrows
Post by: jamie on February 04, 2008, 10:56:32 am

they work . their brittle though so a sideways glance off a branch or target will make them explode into many pieces

Title: Re: red cedar as arrows
Post by: Justin Snyder on February 04, 2008, 01:59:58 pm

Quote from: jamie on February 04, 2008, 10:56:32 am

they work . their brittle though so a sideways glance off a branch or target will make them explode into many pieces

Not the same as the Dukes of Hazard exploding arrows though.   8) Justin

Title: Re: red cedar as arrows
Post by: Minuteman on February 08, 2008, 09:54:17 am

Western red makes good but relatively frail arrows. Eastern red cedar , well I've never seen erc with straight enough grain to make arrows from. Its softer than the western though.

Title: Re: red cedar as arrows
Post by: mike-dy on February 25, 2008, 10:42:36 am

Hi Guys,
         My first post here, I have made arrows from Western red Cedar, makes a real light shaft with 125 grain points my finished arrows @ 28" weigh between 350 to 360gns, my preference is old growth oregon , but I am trying some Quangdong that i Harvested over Xmas, so far its looking promising but its a very hard timber to work.

Looking forward to reading and learning more on here.
Cheers,
      Mike
Melbourne Australia

Title: Re: red cedar as arrows
Post by: mullet on February 25, 2008, 07:33:12 pm

  Welcome Mike. Whats Quangdong?

Title: Re: red cedar as arrows
Post by: mike-dy on February 29, 2008, 07:22:11 am

Quangdong is a slow growing native timber from relatively low rainfall areas in Australia, not quite desert fringe regions. It is a fine grained, hard white timber, that is relatively light strong and stays straight. One of the trees I harvested was 35 years old and only 100mm in diameter, relatively hard to find with any decent length or knot free in the area mine came from.
 We have some great native timbers here in Oz and I plan on using what I can in my gear.
Cheers,
      Mike