How to Make Straight Arrows
Making your own arrows can be a rewarding experience and can save you a lot of money. The problem with making your own arrows is that it is difficult to get them perfectly straight and spherical if you have no previous knowledge of the process involved. The procedure is simple and with a small amount of equipment, almost anyone can make their own arrows.
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Things You'll Need
- Birch saplings
- Rasp
- Knife
- 1 board, 3 feet long
- Heavy-duty clamps
- Feathers
- Arrowhead
Instructions
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1
Cut a few sapling birch trees to about 3-feet in length. The amount of saplings you need depends on how many arrows you want to make. One 3-foot sapling will produce one arrow.
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2
Remove the bark from the wood using a knife. Lay the wood out to dry for up to three days. This drying process will also act as the straightening process. Secure the arrow to the board, using four heavy-duty clamps. Make sure the arrow is lying perfectly straight because it will dry in the position in which it is lying.
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3
File the sapling until it is perfectly spherical. Make sure it is the same diameter all over. The shaft should not taper.
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4
Cut nocks into the arrow with a handsaw. A nock is a small incision at the end of an arrow that accommodates the string so that the arrow rests on the string comfortably. Make the first incision about 3/8-inches deep. File out the incision the width of the string.
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5
Flectch the arrow by adding a feather to the end so that the arrow flies straighter. Split the feather down the center with a knife and use super glue to attach it to the end of the arrow. Attach three or four feathers to the end of each arrow.
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6
Attach the arrowhead by filing the tip of the arrow shaft so that the arrowhead can be pressed onto it. Apply generous amounts of epoxy to the tip of the shaft to ensure the arrowhead is held firmly in place.
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Tips & Warnings
You can purchase an arrowhead at a hunting store.
References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/liquidlibrary/Getty Images
