Apache Style Phragmites Arrows

[Diligence]

Gotcha!  ...figured it must have been glue, but who knows, maybe it was holy water or fragrance of "good arrow mojo"..lol.

D

[JackCrafty]

....maybe it was holy water or fragrance of "good arrow mojo"....

 

[DanaM]

Cool build along, I admire your patience and skill in doing it the hard way

[JackCrafty]

Thanks Dana. 


Here's a peek at the bow.
It is Apache style, made of hickory (the Apaches favored mulberry), and painted with black acrylic and natural red ochre paint.
It is 1-1/2" wide at the handle, about 5/8" wide at the tips, and about 44-1/2" long.
Full draw @ 20", weight of 45lb, and 3-1/2" brace height.
Sinew string.


Pictures of belly:





The rest of the bow:








The short brace height is murder on my wrist.  I need to make a rawhide bracer.
My shirt sleeve protects a little bit....but it starts to smart after a dozen shots.




Here is the result of the bareshaft shooting.
The best arrows are deflecting at about .22" on a 20" span.
Total length of arrows is about 29".

I'm not pulling to full draw yet.....I'm breaking-in the bow slowly.
The shots are being made at 18" and 19" draw.
The arrowm appear a bit stiff, but once I start pulling to full draw and with the arrowheads are installed, they should shoot fine.

[cowboy]

Dang Pat, you've been busy. Bow's, arrows, build alongs. That a beautiful bow and I see you even had time to make a new target .

[DanaM]

Oh yea ifin cowboy don't want an arra I will take his

[david w.]

WOW!  Those are beautiful.  I have been wanting to try phragmites for a while now.

[JackCrafty]

Paul, thanks, and yeah....that's my latest target.  I had to put the Christmas tree back into the other box. 

Dana, ifin ya really want one we can work something out at Pappy's.

David, glad to see someone else is a glutton for punishment.  That phrag takes a little getting used to...and make sure you don't step on it!

[Stoker]

Very good build along. Excellent work learned lots thanks Leroy

[JackCrafty]

Thanks Stoker.

[JackCrafty]

I have a book with some photos of real Apache arrows.  Here are some pics of those pics....









UPDATE:
The arrowhead (below right) looks like a Lott type arrowhead (a rare type found in West Texas - Eastern New Mexico).
See reply #31 for more info.






I made a reproduction of an Apache arrow a while ago.
Here is how the fletching compares to my new Apache-style arrows.






The reproduction arrow had a bone tip, so I removed it and installed a newly made stone tip.
I wanted it to resemble the stone tip shown in the last photo (of the Apache arrows)...the arrow closest to the quiver.

UPDATE:
This arrowhead is a Scallorn type, which is not correct for an Apache arrow.
The shape of the notch and tip of the foreshaft is wrong as well.
I was going to delete the next series of photos....but will leave these pictures here anyway for grins.














I made a few more arrowheads of the types found in Apache territory and here are the results.

Desert Sierra

Desert Side Notched

Cottonwood Triangle





I was thinking of adding stone arrowheads to my new set but time is short.  I might add a few to the ones that I won't be shooting (because they are not the right spine or whatever) and just sharpen the foreshafts on my "shooters" and not even mess with arrowheads. 

That's it for now.  I'll post more pics of the completed set...arrows, bow, and quiver soon (I hope).

[Diligence]

Those are just super!  Good job.....wow, you knappers really make nice stuff.

D

[cbeazley1]

I just want to thank you guys for this build! My wife is White Mountain Apache and no elders teach or seem to know anymore, how to make these to this kind of level. I am taking notes and will pass this on to as many tribal members and youth as possible. This will live on and come full circle, thanks! Any help with educational items is appreciated; we are both wildlife biologists for White Mountain and San Carlos Apache Tribes and often assist with youth practicums and other educational events. Your help is appreciated, thanks.

[JackCrafty]

Thanks D. 


Cbeazley1, you're very welcome. 

Apache style archery is one of my favorites and the art of making and shooting this style is a whole different ball game than other Native American styles:  the arrows are very light in weight, they travel a great distance, and they are easily made in large quantities (with little waste of material - except for the reed).  The arrowheads are always VERY sharp and ,even though they are small, they have been shown to shatter ribs and other bones.

I will add more to this build-along as I make progress on this set.  Let me know if you have any other questions or perhaps some insight on the significance of the colors and shapes that decorate the beautiful historical examples.

[cbeazley1]

I showed your site to one of the past Tribal Cultural Directors and sometimes they are hesitant to see this information covered, but once he saw the quality of your work and the potential to pass this knowledge that is being lost, on, he was very supportive. I think he is going to become a regular reader of the site, thanks again.