Fletching primitive arrows (a better way)

[fishfingers6]

do you collect your own river cane, or do you purchase it?

[cajc010]

@primitivepathways, i live in mass. And i want to make my own arrow heads but i cant find any flint! Can you do a video on how to find the right stone? And one on on how you make your arrows? Thanks

[TheRobinAsshole]

can you buy sinew?

[kjackson525]

The video is great can you do one about gathering shafts

[jonneyj]

Do you use full sized arrows and trim them?? im looking to try a flu flu size but like 15 cm length on carbons

[wrathlos]

LOL! "Tonight were gonna fudge and just use this elmers wood glue."

[wrathlos]

obsidians damn sharp!

[anticolorguy]

where can i get feathers?

i live in a big city si i can find any and pigeons are too small

[NatureManGuy]

hey man i just saw you on i, caveman i gotta say those people really made me mad lol "IM not a cave woman!!" lol

[SheikhJunt]

Can this technique work with RuneScape?

[NatureManGuy]

@SheikhJunt hahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!

[bullseyebowandarrow]

do you add your own knocks on your reed arrows?

[primitivepathways]

@bullseyebowandarrow  No, I just cut the nocks in the reed and then wrap right in front with sinew. I've never had one break....

[bullseyebowandarrow]

@primitivepathways nice ive just always seen people with self inserted knocks

[NatureManGuy]

i like your article on the knapped arrow heads

[NatureManGuy]

dont you right for primitive archer?

[primitivepathways]

@NatureManGuy Yup, I sure do!!

[1998620Miki]

do you use this arrows in hunting videos pls reply

[primitivepathways]

@1998620Miki Absolutely. I use all my river cane arrows for hunting and I have killed numerous animals with them.

[1998620Miki]

@primitivepathways nice tutorial and tnx for reply :D

[cliftut]

The spiral bind holding the length of the feathers down is neat. Seems very useful if a person doesn't have glue.

[MrMadman1139]

I fletch my own arrows, and they seem to work very well. But my quills seem to be much stiffer than the ones on the feathers your using. Got any tips as to why that is, or how I can make them less stiff if there's a specific method you use? Great video by the way.

[primitivepathways]

@MrMadman1139 I sand my quill down so it is somewhat thin...that may be why they are a bit more flexible than yours. Also, the feathers I use are from young turkeys so the feathers aren't as thin as an adult turkey. Wild turkey feathers tend to be a bit stiffer and more rugged, so that may be another factor.

[TheRogueShadow1]

You are a good teacher. Thank-you for sharing this fine detail.

-Bows-

[MrHappyFucks]

Very nice arrows, Greetings from Mexico!

[ilovedora1234]

would you sell some sinew

[ilovedora1234]

would you sell some arrows

[ChadHClifford]

Thanks for the video. I have not tried these cane arrows --not found locally for me. I do not usually tie vanes this way but you inspired me to give it another go in my next batch.

[noesomhelst]

instead of cutting the feathers with siccors, use a hot pice of metal and melt them down.. that will melt them together

[REDSOXNYG]

1:48 " what im gonna do is hold this thing between my legs" hahaha!

[billykey123]

what are the bowsthat are totaly mafe from wood called

[primitivepathways]

@billykey123 They are called self bows. Or Primitive bows. 

[MistaMojoe69]

u have hairy thys just sayin

[umidontno040394]

what exactly is the name of the plant you get the shaft from? idk what to use.

and you should just make a video of making a full arrow.

[primitivepathways]

@umidontno040394 I use river cane for my arrows. I also use a plant called Giant Reed (arundo donax). It is an introduced exotic from Europe and it makes excellent arrows. But just about any straight shoot will make good arrows. Dogwood, privet, syringa, oceanspray, sourwood, viburnum, chokecherry, wild rose, chokecherry, among many others will make good arrows.

[CombattRogue]

Those Scissors look really good and primitive how you make one of those :P

[RockingOrange11]

@nevikffud you can also use decorator tape if you dont have feathers

[RockingOrange11]

@nevikffud in may you can find the most

[RockingOrange11]

can you use something else than sinew??

nice vid

[zeidamaster]

@RockingOrange11 You can use all type of thread or strings

[nevikffud]

what feathers ? i can never find feathers in my backyard even though its huge and has trees and whatever

[BlinkshotProductions]

I got chickens and i was wondering if i was able to use there feathers or should i use like duck feathers or something

[primitivepathways]

@BlinkshotProductions 

[primitivepathways]

YEs, chicken feathers will work well. 

[ohmr431]

These are suppossed to be primitive arrows. I did not know that sandpaper, sicors, and glue grows on trees. I use tree sap for my fletching.

[ohmr431]

These are suppossed to be primitive arrows. I did not know that sandpaper, sicors, and glue grows on trees.

[roddybaptiste54]

what kind of feathers do u use?

[MrVidManiacMilo]

Awesome work i think i will start playing with these things hmm where to get feathers ?? pillow lol too small where do you get yours?

[roddybaptiste54]

anyone no where to get sinew i want it really bad??????

[PrimitiveByNature]

@roddybaptiste54 from Bambi. lol Find a butcher that does deer/beef and ask very nicely

[MistaMojoe69]

wats sinu n wer can i get it

[primitivepathways]

@MistaMojoe69 Sinew is tendons from the legs of deer, cows, horses, elk, moose, buffalo, antelope, etc.

[razor005]

@primitivepathways So since you hunt with arrows. When you kill your hunt you save the leg tendons for making even more arrows?

[crazystreetskater1]

ok i love primitive things especially like indian things i like flint napping and making arrows but an never get the fletchings on.any tips?

[prince13x]

How do i straighten wood

[primitivepathways]

@prince13x You must carefully heat the wood up without scorching it. Rub oil or fat on the wood, then slowly wave the portion you want to bend in and out of the heat source (campfire, gas stove, etc). Don't let the wood just sit in the heat or it will burn....you must heat the wood slowly. Once it's too hot to touch, use pot holders or gloves to protect your hands and bend the wood slightly past straight. Hold for several minutes until the wood begins to cool. If it isn't straight, redo it.

[Soviless99]

quill at the base of the fletching. now i will make sure I use the right spined shafts for my 40-50 lb bows and I have artificial sinew now not crappy sewing thread that I used before!

[Soviless99]

gosh, last year I made 6 arrows from pine dowels that were straight grained. I had a feeling they would break but i really wanted to make arrows since i can never have enough arrows. They broke anyhow and i have their remains in my closet to remind myself of the first time I made arrows. DO not use pine dowels. unless your bow is 20 pounds since their spine weight is so damn low. I used the same wrapping technique you did but a little more messy with the wood glue I used and I didnt wet/cut the

[rihardspeters]

how do you straighten them?

what wood should I use? I live in northern europe, Latvia.

[IamMohawk]

I am realy glad you did this video, I just got my first longbow selfbow my friend "flintkeeper" made me as a gift and now I will be watching and learning from your videos. I want to make my own arrows and use my arrowheads for a hunting video. Thanks for posting.

[jacksoncole79]

how do you test the sp[ine of your arrows?

[TatankaOhitika1]

Iv'e shot and made rivercane arrows for a few years and im glad I learned something new today , neat little trick . One method iv'e know is to apply the fletching on a real humid day so they stay flat regardless of moisture .

[allthingsrandom190]

mc badger you find make the glue by boiling tree sap with a little water and it makes a good glue

[archery3131]

I found this video interesting and informative. Thanks for posting.

[501poundmiget]

O.o resin doesnt break off... did you ever work with resin? it only gets removed extremely hot water...besides,its harder to remove if you carve a small space for the feather to be placed and glued.

[tashiro143]

hey where do you buy the woods? plz rep.

[primitivepathways]

I don't buy anything. I find shoots in the forest, cut them, dry them slowly, then straighten them and make them into arrows. That's why it's primitive...because nothing is store bought.

[TheMCBADGER]

@primitivepathways WHAT ABOUT THE GLUE AHHA DIDNT FIND THT UNDER A ROCK DIDJA

[primitivepathways]

nope. Actually I used wood glue for convenience, but you can make hide glue by boiling squirrel, deer, or fish skin. It works really well and is surprisingly strong...

[5tonyvvvv]

Does anyone know how bows were made with stone tools?

[wildernessjunkie]

Check out "The Traditional Bowyers Bible" Series. Stone tools have been used for thousands of years to make selfobows. Its an interesting process, though long and drawn out.

[5tonyvvvv]

@primitivepathways how were bows made with stone tools?

[RaidenTheAlmighty]

Where did you get the sand paper?

[501poundmiget]

and tashiro...you carve it. you take the straightest hardwood branch you can find (maple,birch,oak or balsam fir or willow work very well. depending on where you live you get some of these trees.)

try making the arrow arrow around 2 feet.

[501poundmiget]

i got a tip incase you're making these out in the woods, if you have a prefered camping spot with a pine or maple just take an axe and chop out a chunk from the tree and its gonna leek sap, it makes resin that u can boil and use as strong glue, once its dry it never comes off unless you boil it. good work :] i do the exact same thing actually. theyre better than store-bought arrows and its just so much more satisfying XD im actually trying to make good bows now, im not too bad but need tips.

[boredism07]

lol primitive is not supposed to be pretty. you have a good technique i tend to lean more towards the middle ages style arrows myself mainly because out of 20 skilled crafts one of those is blacksmithing. so i use mainly handforged steel heads. therefore needing a completely different arrow design.

by the way you should try the spiraling feather technique. only need one feather to get the job done twice as fast.

[j0ehellm0n]

i hunt birds for my feathers mostly blue jay feathers tho

[germanberserk]

what kind of wood should i use if i lie in florida ? and do you know any where i can learn primitive surive ?

[primitivepathways]

You can use any straight shoot or piece of bamboo. Just be selective and cut the straightest, most knot-free shoot you can find. Let it dry, straighten it, then put feathers on it and shoot it.

[timofey1000]

where do you get these feathers

[primitivepathways]

I get most of my feathers from turkey hunters who give them to me after they kill them. I also find feathers whenever I am walking in the woods, so I pick them up and use them.

[fly2000jtb]

Thanks for the answer so fast. I have hide glue and sinew. I am trying to get atlatl darts ready and your video has helped alot!! Keep the videos coming, Joseph T.

[fly2000jtb]

What feathers do you use? I have right wing turkey feathers, are there other feathers that would be better? I am trying to use bamboo that is growing in my back yard, the small ones I mean not the 25 foot ones hahahah. The small shoots look similar to your river cane. Have you ever used bamboo? Cool videos keep up the good work, Joseph T. (fly2000jtb)

[primitivepathways]

I use turkey feathers primarily, though I've also used goose and heron and all work well. I've never used bamboo for arrows, but I'm sure it would work well. Rivercane is a native bamboo, so anything similar should work well.

[IamMohawk]

great video nice job thanks for posting

[primitivepathways]

I primarily use rivercane for my hunting arrows, but also use Giant Reed (arundo donax). Both are excellent. I cut those materials any time of year, leave them loose on my floor and straighten them as they dry (about 6 -8 weeks). They will warp much less if done that way.

[profletcher69]

what kind of wood do you usally use and how do you harvest it