The shaft sizes described are 1/2" tapering back to 3/8" and parallel shafts 7/16" in diameter. I figure my arrows should be spined around 60-70# for my bow, but that sort of diameter seems like to would work better for a much heavier bow.

What wood do you use for shafting and how big is the diameter?

Next question is on fletching. Bartlett describes gray lag goose fletching. Using Canada goose is illegal (I'm told it violates the 1918 (or so) Migratory Bird Act). Do you use commercially available white (or gray?) turkey feathers? or something else?

What type of thread to you use for sewing/tying on the fletching?

And lastly, on arrow length. Should I make my arrows suitable for my bow and draw length, or should I go with common length of 30 1/2" ?

Thanks,
Ron

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They have a US and a UK location.
http://www.ostrichesonline.com/cgi-bin/store/shop?cmd=feather-index

http://www.ostrichesonline.co.uk/cgi-bin/store/shop

J

[ 06-28-2004: Message edited by: Fire Stryker ]

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FYI: European geese were gray'er in colour traditionally than current domestic white geese.

For thread wrapping, I have used both heavy silk and linen. Linen particularly for my heavy arrows. I first do the horn sliver inserts and finish the nock, fletch and thread wrap, then seal/anchor the threads. One method is the documented greenish wax on the threads in one of CtB's documents. I personally then coat mine with some boiled linseed oil. Yes it makes the arrows heavier, but I found that for presentations, so many people handle the arrows that it protects them better. Plus they don't stick into targets as badly.

There is no question that tapering or barrelling a shaft will help stabilize the flight of a (particularly heavier) arrow. However, without proof of surviving arrow shafts (besides the unfinished shafts from the Mary Rose), I think it reasonable to extrapolate the following:

If a king ordered the sourcing of 50,000 shafts in such bulk order and limited time span, how many of those shafts do you think would have been barrelled? (From a military/bulk order perspective, I suspect that they were very plain, no taper and quickly put together.)

Example: By some estimates, 72,000 arrows were loosed in the first 90 seconds of the battle of Agincourt in 1415 by the English turning day into night. (And they didn't run out either!) This is quantity by the lowest bidder. Not quality...

I do believe that specialty shafts either used for competition or hunting by an experienced individual, could certainly have been tapered or barrelled. But only by an individual for an elite application.

From a historical perspective, one of the unaswered questions is how they rated or measured bows and stiffness. And how the (few) makers marks with other marks identified such stiffness. One hypothesis that I like is the concept of 3 stiffnesses that some trained master bowyer could use to quickly identify and sort bow poundages. Normal, heavy and ludicrous! And sort arrow shafts that way. But on the battlefield, I could only see archers being issued arrows out of a barrel with whatever rating was available.

Getting back to shafting size, I think you need to use a shaft in the 11/32 (inch) diameter for a straight shaft. I too have a 45-50 pound yew selfbow, and this matches well in spine with a non-tapered lodgepole pine shaft.

I have a 104 pound english yew selfbow that I've matched with 1/2 inch straight ASH shafts. My current set of LH shafts that we use for museum presentations are straight shafted, goose fletched and wrapped with horn inserts (flat/sliver type). I tested the shafts on a commercial spine tester and found that, by sheer chance and luck, it matched the bow to within 5 pounds of preferred weight. Add a 600 grain swallowtail point to the end, and it actually flies correctly. It's not a fast arrow, but it's balanced.

Pending on what shaft material you use (cedar I consider non-period as I haven't seen reference to it, poplar is light, pine is common especially in northern europe, ash for heavy use) will depend on spine stiffness. I think the shafting size you listed is way too heavy for a 55lb bow and will be too stiff as well. I would recommend something like 3/8 and taper down. If you want to get into more precise details, you can measure your finished shafts to see what spine/stiffness you achieved and compare that do your bow poundage, draw length, and arrow point weight (heavy points require a stiffer shaft).

Some ideas to consider anyway...

FvH

Thanks for the detailed information. I've gathered Canada goose feathers (actually I paid my kids 10 cents a feather to gather them). Canada geese molt in early to mid June here (Detroit). I've just been afraid to use them since I found out about the Migratory Bird Act.

As for the arrow size, yes, normally I use 11/32; or 23/64 tapered to 5/16. I'll probably make my first batch out of pine shafts. I haven't seen poplar shafts and I regular supplier no longer carries ash.

I don't think it would take longer to make tapered arrows than straight ones. Either way, you're using a plane and a jig, the only difference is the angle of the shaft in the jig.

Ron

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I swiped this from another forum--not sure where it came from, but thanks to "Hellequin":

Traditional Fletching Glue

Heated glues made of rosin and pine pitch, mixed with verdigris were used for many things in the middle ages where a reasonably weatherproof glue was needed - the verdigris was added because insects were attracted to the pitch, and the verdigris was an insecticide).

This can be used as a quick drying (but flexible) glue before binding on the fletches.

If you take a close look at some of the surviving depictions of archers dating from the 100 Years War (etc), it often shows a greenish area on the arrows around the fletching - this is another characteristic of the verdigris
glue - it was painted on the entire head of the shaft, between and at the ends
of the fletching, and over the thread. This protected the thread, gave extra
security to the fletches, and provided longevity to the arrow.

Rosin

You can get natural pure rosin at most musical instrument shops - it is used to treat the bows of instruments like violins. It comes in either a solid block or a pouch of powder, and it is either light or dark. You can usually get the block and powder it yourself; it’s a little cheaper this way

The rosin is quite natural (refined by removing the turpene from pine sap, and adding back the remainder to raw sap, allowing some turpene to remain in the sap to aid in penetration and flexibility, and an extra hardening action and adhesive value).
Crumble/ powder the rosin and gently heat it. You can use a small brass brazier style pot over a candle to heat the mixture – just keep the brass pot some distance from the flame to avoid burning.

Just don't heat the mixture too much; you don't want to drive the turpene off the sap. Just heat it enough to melt and integrate the crushed rosin, enough to bring it to a brushing consistency. It cures fairly fast and makes fletching quick and relatively easy.

DIY Rosin
Alternatively, if you’re more of a purist, you will need to find a tree that you can tap for resin. Strip away bark in a descending spiral around the trunk, and make a fairly shallow cut, only about half way into the sapwood. The pitch will begin to flow very soon and will ooze or run (depending how cold it is!) to the bottom of the cut where it is easily collected in a suitable container. A small metal pot/ cup with a wire handle you can nail to the tree and leave there is quite handy for this purpose.

Heat the collected pitch to a moderate to high temperature in a pot you’re not too fond of, until it no longer smells like turpentine (careful, remember those pots of burning pitch hurled from catapults? This pitch is flammable and the vapours can be dangerous so make sure you’re adequately ventilated).
Pour it into a marked measuring cup, and place the cup in a basin of boiling water. After a few minutes you will begin to see the layers separate; wait until these have completely separated.
Pour off the lightest (top layer) of gloop into a container. The remaining dark substance is pitch and sediment.
This pitch, like the raw sap, is not a good adhesive on it's own; it sticks, but stays tacky. You will need to blend it in with some of the unprocessed sap – this will let it harden, and become tougher and more permanent glue.

Verdigris

You’ve seen what happens to granny’s copper foibles after exposure to wet weather; little spots and tinges of green start blossoming. Verdigris!

The most traditional way to make this would be obtain a glass or ceramic jar, and drop in a few thin pieces of copper – cut up sheets if you have it, otherwise a butchered kettle or old pot are just as good.

Then, get some mates and head off to the pub, drink lots of real ale – but do not go to the loo! The content of your bursting bladder is the magic ingredient. The harsh, early morning urine –the strongest of the day- is pretty much perfect as a catalyst.

If you can’t stomach the thought of a pot of piss fermenting quietly in the corner, you can use strong vinegar, mixed with very salty water. Without the water, you get a very washed out, pale green that grows very slowly… without the salt and water, all you get is nasty looking copper.

Either way, it will take a couple of weeks or so to grow a viable amount of verdigris; placing the jar in direct sunlight will speed things up a bit. Don’t forget to top it up in the morning to compensate for evaporation.

If you want to add some vibrancy to the colour of the end product, try mixing in a little lemon juice.

Once the fluids have evaporated completely and you’re left with the crystals, crush them into a fine powder and mix with a little water into a paste, which you can add to the rosin.

Its not an exact science, the best way to get it “right” is to experiment. I know I am.

Hellequin

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For regulations specific to your locality, you should consult with your State's natural resource agency.

You might be able to acquire a permit for specific types of feathers or you might be able to acquire them legally during sanctioned hunting seasons.

However, unless you have documentation for the feathers, do not use them. The fines can be stiff. Same thing for buying feathers internationally. Just ask the curator for the Smithsonian who is under investigation for ownership of feathers from the Amazon region.

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Ron

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quote:

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Originally posted by Ron Jachim:
... regular supplier no longer carries ash.

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I just discovered that www.raptorarchery.com carries ash and white birch!

Another period glue is (horse) hide glue.
You can also use egg white for certain applications too.

quote:

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Originally posted by Tim Merritt:
Friedrich--what's "CoB"?

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Oops... Unfortunately, its a typo for an anacronym.
It should have been CtB (Charles the Bold - 15thC Burgundy).