straightening shafts?

[D. Tiller]

Any of you just heat a section of the shaft then straighten it then set it aside to cool before heating and straightening another section? I have gotten into a method where I heat and straighten one shaft and then more on to another hand have six going at once. Do you all do it similar like?

[DanaM]

Yuppers

[Hillbilly]

Yep, or heat one end, then the other alternating.

[Pat B]

With hardwood shoots I usually start with the most serious bends and straighten them. I do a few shafts at a time and set them aside til later. Then I come back and do the lesser bends and put them away again. Finally I temper them by starting at one end and rotate the shaft slowly over the flame while moving from one end to the other. When doing this be careful of possible steam coming out the far end. I take this time to scorch a camo pattern into the shaft. After tempering I wait a few days before making arrows in case the shaft is brittle from tempering.
   I'm still trying to get my groove with cane.        Pat   

[JackCrafty]

Heat straightening is a bit tricky....I'll let a shaft cool if I use a lot of heat on a particular bend...but I usually try to straighten one shaft at a time.  If I put a shaft down, it takes me a while to get back in the "zone"......I lose my place, if you know what I mean.

With shoots, I use two straightening tools: one that has a sharp radius bend and the other with a larger radius.  I start with the worst bends first....because that is where the shoot is most likely to fail.  If the shoot breaks at this stage, I've saved myself some time.

With cane, I straighten the bends between the nodes first (easy) and then attack the nodes (difficult)....and I use only my hands.  If the bend is too difficult to remove with my bare hands, it will probably break if I use a straightening tool.  I also allow more time for cooling.

[D. Tiller]

Thats about what I figured. Have not played with cane yet but hope to one day. futzin with some Salmon berry shoots now and I think they have the same potential as cane when dry. When new they are really flimsy but harden up like plastic or carbin when dry.

David T

[stringstretcher]

One of my biggest problems is the tempering.  I will get scorched arrows every time.  Right now I am using a propane torch, but going to try and come up with something better.   Been looking on the net to try and fine instruction to make one of the Korean type stoves.  Anyone know how to build one or info on them?

[Hillbilly]

One of my biggest problems is the tempering.  I will get scorched arrows every time.  Right now I am using a propane torch, but going to try and come up with something better.

It's really easy to scorch shafts with a torch, even turned down as low as they'll go, they still concentrate too much heat in one spot. A heat gun works great, or coleman campstove set low, alchohol burner, coal from the campfire, the list is endless.

[GregB]

Is there a risk of the cane losing some of its straightness during tempering just by putting heat on them again and they possibly want to go back to their original shape? Seems like I've seen some of this during straightening...

[Hickoryswitch]

My cane did walk all over when i heat tempered it.  I had them roughly straightened then put the heat to them to temper and they twisted at almost every node. So i heat treat first then straighten. Saves me time.

[cowboy]

Like Hillbilly on the straightening - alternate ends on one shaft till all innernodes are done, set aside and work on another, set aside and go back to the first one and straighten the nodes. Usually am working three at a time and I use a candle for heat with cooking oil on the shaft - works great for me.

[GregB]

Sounds like a good plan Hickoryswitch!

Hi Cowboy, are you getting any soot staining on your arrows using a candle? Does the cooking oil seem to make a big difference, first I've heard of using it on cane.

Also, is the tempering necessary in order to keep the cane straight? I've got I think 19 cane arrows now and they haven't been tempered other then whatever received by straightening.

[Hillbilly]

Greg, I never temper cane, and have had no problems with it warping or whatever. It does seem to help some with hardwood shoots.

[Pat B]

Greg, By heat straightening you are also tempering to an extent. I believe Chris Cade tempers his cane first before straightening it. The second half of his article in the Bowyers Journal he mentions it.
   I used to use oil with cane but I don't think it is necessary. You can see the natural oils coming out when you heat it.  If you temper after straightening lay the cane on a flat table top and roll it with your hands and that will help to re-straighten any areas that re-bend.  Pat

[JackCrafty]

Hmmmm....tempering cane...interesting idea.  Personally I try to use the least amount of heat that I possibly can on the cane (or reed).  There's also the possibility that too much hot air will build up inside the cane and make it "pop".

The only heat treating I do is on reed:  the natural wax on the outside gets really glossy when exposed briefly to heat.  I use a heat gun, by the way (unlike a fire, there's no smoke....and no irritated eyes ).

I too have noticed that cane and reed will "remember" it's natural shape when exposed to heat (after straightening).  Heck, shoots will do that too sometimes.

The only arrow wood I'll temper is hickory....and only on the sharpened wood tips.  I've tried tempering privet, but it just gets brittle.

Oh yeah, I never use grease, oil, or whatever.  I think that the grease will make paint less likely to stick to the shaft.  On cane and reed, I scrape off the natural wax in the area(s) where it will be painted.