To say that wild muliflora rose is invasive is a complete and total understatement. My yard is full of it. Good for arrows though. I walked out of my front door and cut these beauties.
This is new green growth but I just need 45# for a spine. There's some brown, old growth stock there too in the bushes...somewhere deep. Too deep. Those would give me a greater spine.
These thorns are sharp. I had glasses on and leather gloves for safety and I still got jabbed.
The end result will be a selfnocked wrapped with sinew, trade point tipped (sinew wrapped) hunting arrow.
I left the leaves on for awhile so the moisture will leave quicker.
I cut them to around 40" long. I use pruning shears to cut them to length and my Swiss Army knife to remove the thorns.
I do daily hand straightening. I use duct tape to bundle them up; start at the large end and wrap it tightly; fold over the end. I unbundle daily. There will come a time in a week or so week or so when the changes register. Then I get aggressive with straightening and keep at it until the shafts are dry.
I'll know when they are dry when I bend them and they snap back.
The shafts will get to the point where changes register. I'll keep at the straightening everyday until the shafts are ready.
The shafts are ready when they spring back after bending them as you sight down.
Next cut the shaft to size. Choose a shaft that is 11/32 at the nock end. That way you'll have fewer, if any, nock point tuning problems where the arrow porpoises up and down.
A scrap piece of wood with an 11/32 inch whole drilled into it will aid you in choosing the right shaft.
Test your spine with a spine tester. Then give the shaft a quarter turn and check again. Cut the nock at right angles to the point of greatest spine.
Scrape off the bark with your knife.
Sandpaper, jack knife and a small plane will help get you to the right spine which is close to 5 pounds over what your bow usually shoots well.
Hold your point template next to the arrow and mark to make sure the length of the shaft is to the back of the point.
I cut my point with a hacksaw.
You can shape it with a file and get an edge on it. A locking pliers will help hold it.
Fletch the arrow. I use a fletching jig. Wrap the below nock with wetted strands of sinew. Wrap through the fletching as well. Small strands may be tied together before wetting.
Coat with hide glue.
Cut a slot in the arrow for a point. I use a hack saw. and 2 blades taped together. I leave a one half inch of the point exposed to prevent the point from curling on impact.
Test fit the point. Place the shaft and inserted point on block of wood and spin it. Adjust accordingly so that it spins freely.
Mark and cut 2 slots on either end with a hack saw. Add some hide glue to the point. Fit point again. Wrap with wet sinew in crisscross pattern. Coat with hide glue.
Reduce the wood to get an even, slim profile. Watch to not enter the pith area.
Let dry and rub in some grease to waterproof. Also coat the sinew.
Finished broadhead and blunt with pocket to protect point in a quiver.
Copyright 2014 George C Tsoukalas
