How to make arrows in minecraft. How to make perfectly straight arrows for a bow

Whether you're working with the same materials that humanity's ancestors used 10,000 years ago, or you've just visited the hardware store to pick up everything you need, the design of the arrow itself remains the same. This article will introduce you to two different ways to make arrows: one using natural materials and one using modern conveniences!

Steps

Making an arrow from natural materials

    Find a stick. The arrow shaft must be made of a stick or branch. It is necessary that it be light, but elastic, and as straight as possible. For a large bow, find a stick slightly thicker than a pencil and about the length from your wrist to your shoulder.

    • It's better to lean toward a longer stick than a shorter one. You can always break off a stick if it turns out to be long, but there is no way to lengthen a short stick.
  1. Find a pointed pebble. Ideally, the pebble should have one sharp tip and one blunt tip that fits well on the stick. Good pebbles will be cone or blade shaped and slightly wider than the thickness of the stick. If necessary, sharpen the stone on another regular or sharpening stone.

    • An alternative is to use sharp bone fragments if they are available. If you are located in an area with volcanic activity, you can look for natural obsidian (volcanic glass) in areas of old cooled lava.
    • If you're particularly passionate about it (or just lucky), you might even find real a stone arrowhead, which was specially sharpened for this purpose by ancient people. Arrowheads are often accidentally found where the ground has been disturbed, such as in freshly plowed fields, construction sites, or near river beds.
  2. Prepare glue, twine and feathers. If you want to compromise on historical accuracy, you can simply use store-bought glue (hot glue works best) and regular string or twine. On the other hand, for the historical arrow-making technique, a simple glue can be made from flour and water, and the string can be made from certain types of tree bark. If possible, get 2 large bird feathers of the same size.

    • Feathers are not critical, but improve the accuracy of the arrow by stabilizing its flight.
  3. Glue a pointed pebble to the end of the stick. This can be done by cutting a small slot at the end of the arrow that can accommodate about ¼ of the length of the pebble. Glue the pebble, and then cover the shaft near the pebble with glue. Wrap the twine around the groove in the base of the stone, making sure it is tight around the shaft and stone. Tie the twine securely and then coat it with glue to increase its strength.

    Let the glue dry. Carefully place the arrow so that the tip is not resting on anything and let it dry. Leave the arrow in the sun to speed up the drying process, turning it gently every hour or so to ensure the glue dries evenly.

    Make a small groove at the back end of the arrow. When you shoot, the bowstring will fit into this groove, helping the arrow to be stable. The groove should not be too deep, usually 3-6 mm (depending on the thickness of the bowstring) is enough.

    Attach the feathers. Cut the feathers down the center. Apply glue to the shaft and glue half of the feather so that it bends slightly. Distribute all 4 halves of the feather evenly around the circumference of the back end of the arrow, they should all bend in the same direction. The spiral attachment of the feathers will cause the arrow to spin during flight (like a well-launched ball or rifle bullet), making it fly straighter and more accurately.

    • Traditionally, a thin cotton thread is used to attach the feathers, breaking through them in the opposite direction to their growth so that gaps appear where they are attached to the shaft. If you wish, you can recreate this mounting option. If you decide to do this, wind the thread around the feathers so that it presses them tightly against the arrow shaft, and then glue the thread to secure it.
  4. Leave the arrow to dry again. Let the glue dry for about 2 hours. The exact time will depend on the type of adhesive and boom design. Again, ensure that the arrow is positioned in such a way that neither the tip nor the back part with the feathers rests on anything while the glue dries, otherwise they may dry in a different position than required.

    Test the arrow. When you are sure that the glue is completely dry, carefully try to bend the tip and feathers to test their strength. If they hold securely and do not wobble at all, then the arrow is ready to shoot! Insert an arrow into your bow, pull back the string, take aim and release the arrow! Never shoot at people or animals, even a stone-tipped arrow can seriously injure someone, and they were originally used for hunting.

    Making an arrow from purchased materials

    1. Buy or craft shaft(s). There is now a wide variety of materials from which an arrow shaft can be made. Some hunters use wooden arrows, which are not much different in functionality from ancient arrows, while others prefer to use high-tech carbon fiber. Buy affordable shaft materials or consider making your own; some sporting and hunting stores even sell special arrow saws that can help you professionally shape an arrow shaft from a wide range of materials.

      • If you want to make your own shaft, make sure it is the correct length for your bow. If you plan to make your shaft out of wood, you may need to have access to a lathe to get the shaft perfectly rounded.
    2. Blunt the end of the shaft. The end should be completely flat so that it fits well on the tip. If you purchased a pre-made shaft, you won't need to do any extra work, but if you're making arrows from wood, you'll definitely want to check that the tip is completely flat. Press the end of the shaft against an abrasive surface (sandpaper, etc.) and rotate the shaft on an axis to blunt the end.

      Attach/insert the tip to the shaft. Make sure that the machined end of the shaft is free of sawdust, dirt, etc. Then attach the tip. This process will vary depending on the type of shaft used for the arrow.

      • For a metal or carbon shaft, you may need to first glue or screw on a special metal insert before attaching the tip. Check with your dealer or manufacturer for specific instructions if they are not included with the tip or insert.
      • A wooden shaft may need to be tapered to secure the tip. Glue the tip to the shaft with special arrow glue, wiping off any excess.
    3. Add a notch. The “nock” is a small groove on the back of the arrow where the bowstring fits. If you are making an arrow with a wooden shaft, you can cut a groove on the back of the arrow yourself. You can also purchase specially made slotted nozzles that fit or fit into the arrow shaft. They are usually made of brightly colored plastic so that the arrows can be easily found after shooting. Some expensive attachments even have a small LED light to make them visible in the dark, making hunting or target shooting much easier.

      • Make sure the notched attachment is the correct size and fits securely on the shaft before you glue or screw it on. To you absolutely You don't want an ill-fitting attachment that will slip off when aiming your bow.
    4. Feather the arrow. Arrow fletching is the process of attaching small stabilizers or “vanes” to the back end of the arrow to make it fly more straight. You can feather the arrow with feathers or other lightweight material. However, it may be easier to purchase modern plastic stabilizers that are inexpensive and effective. To attach the stabilizers to the nock side of the shaft, apply narrow beads of arrow glue.

    5. Do the finishing touches. Let the glue dry, this may take several hours, depending on whether the tip, nozzle with a notch, and stabilizers were glued with glue or not. Once the arrow is dry, or if you have made a complete arrow, you can finish it however you like. You can mark it with paint or a permanent marker to make it easier to find or just to make it stand out. If you are using a wooden shaft, you may want to varnish it to protect the wood from the elements and give it a nicer appearance. Once your arrow is how you wanted it, you can add it to your quiver!

      • As always, never shoot people or animals (unless you are on a legal hunt). Modern commercial arrowheads are deadly because of their sharpness, and an accident can cause serious injury or even death.

Now you need to learn how to make arrows. After all, without arrows you cannot fight. Because it’s simply trivial that you won’t have anything to shoot with. I think this is already clear. After all, it's just common sense.

It is also worth noting that these arrows can be used to shoot from a dispenser. How to make arrows in Minecraft? In fact, there is nothing complicated here. To do this you have two ways:

  • Knock them out of the mob;
  • Craft them yourself.

The first option is the easiest because you don’t need to create anything. But, you will have to work hard in battle. Arrows tend to drop when killing skeletons. It is worth noting that using this method, you will not be able to get a huge number of arrows. Because to do this you will have to kill entire squads of skeletons.

Making Arrows in Minecraft


In order to make an arrow, you need:

  • Flint;
  • Feathers;
  • Sticks.

How and where to find it?

Flint

This resource can be obtained from gravel. But the chance of such a successful outcome is not so high. Namely - 10 percent. It is also important to take into account that for this you need to dig with a shovel.
But here you can cheat. Place a lot of gravel underneath you and start digging down. This will increase your chance of flint dropping.

Advice
Enchant your shovel for good luck. In this case, your chances of flint falling out will increase greatly. After all, you need to make a lot of arrows for your bow? This means you need a lot of resources.



Sticks

Pick up an ax and start chopping down trees. You will need to make boards from pieces of felled trees.

Feathers

Surely you know that feathers can be obtained from chickens. To do this they need to be killed. Don't you feel sorry for the bird? If you need a lot of arrows, then you will have to create a whole farm.



One more tip

You can enchant a bow, and then you won't have to stock up on arrows. Because you will have an infinite number of them.

The bow is a beautiful weapon, known to man since ancient times and still popular not only among romantic teenagers, but also among athletes, as well as hunters. is amazing. You can purchase this accessory in a store, or you can make it yourself, if you wish. And today we will tell you how to make a classic, compound and hunting bow with your own hands with arrows at home.

This type of weapon works by transmitting a pushing force to the bowstring through the straightening shoulders, which causes the arrow to fly out at a certain speed.

This speed depends on the tension force. Popular models in this category are, and.

The video below will tell you how to make a classic bow for shooting with your own hands at home:

What you will need

  • You need to prepare:
  • Plane.
  • Hacksaw-saw.
  • Insulating tape.
  • Jigsaw (for compound bow).
  • Drill (for compound bow)
  • Glue.
  • Sandpaper.
  • Varnish, finishing paint.
  • Material for the bowstring (fishing line, synthetic rope or silk thread).
  • The material for the bow is a PVC pipe or wood (yew is best, you can also take ash, juniper, cedar, willow, walnut, rowan, larch, elm).

DIY classic bow

Technologies

Option one

The easiest way to make a one-piece bow is to take a PVC pipe 4 centimeters thick. The length is measured based on the distance between the ends of the fingers in an extended state and the middle of the thigh. Notches are made at the ends of the pipe where the bowstring is attached.

The product is not very durable - it will only last a few times.

Option two

This is a composite model that will require some tinkering. But the structure will be more durable and reliable.

  1. Here you first need to cut out the central part (base) from wood, to which the shoulders will be attached. The width of the base in the center is 5 centimeters, and at the edges - one and a half centimeters. The block for the workpiece has dimensions of 40 by 4 by 6 centimeters. Material – oak or birch. You can glue a blank from several layers of maple, beech or other wood.
  2. We make the arms from the same PVC pipe and reinforce them with pieces of smaller diameter pipe inserted inside. We make notches at the edges, where we attach a bowstring woven from silk thread.

You can also make shoulders from ready-made spring slats taken from a sofa or bed. The length of these elements usually ranges from 70 to 120 centimeters. The optimal thickness is 12 centimeters. Cut out the parts obliquely (preferably two at once). Notches are made on the edges for the bowstring with a depth of 7 to 8 millimeters. The arms are connected to the base with M6 bolts (for which holes must be drilled).

It's even easier to make shoulders from skis - they fit perfectly. It is best to take narrow skis, but wide skis will have to be sharpened. Both plastic and wooden products are suitable. In this case, the total length of the bow should be from 120 to 140 centimeters.

Compound Bow

These models differ from the classic ones in that due to the presence of eccentric blocks, less effort is required when shooting.

And accuracy and accuracy, as well as firing range, increase. Block models such as and others are popular among athletes and hunters.

The video below will tell you how to make a classic bow for shooting with your own hands at home:

This video will tell you about making compound bows with your own hands at home:

  • A very simple option requires:
  • Two powerful springs (you can buy them at the car market).
  • Eight furniture corners and two corners of 4 centimeters each.
  • Two furniture hinges.
  • Four metal brackets in the shape of the letter “P” (attach the wheels).
  • There are 30-35 regular self-tapping screws and 4 extended ones.
  • Synthetic ropes (strings).
  • Wooden blocks 46 centimeters long (2 pieces for the shoulders), 40 centimeters long, 4 centimeters wide and 2 centimeters thick (2 pieces for the base) 16 centimeters long and the same length and width with grooves along the edges (2 pieces for attaching springs) .
  • Hacksaws.
  • Jigsaw.
  • File.
  • Screwdrivers.
  • Sandpaper.

DIY compound bow (drawings)

Technology

We make the base by attaching two small, sixteen-meter bars along the edges of a forty-centimeter bar. We use corners for fastening. We strengthen the structure with long self-tapping screws. Bring the surface smooth with sandpaper. We attach wheels to the shoulders using U-shaped brackets (for which we make slits at the ends of the arms). The axles will be the studs.

We attach furniture hinges (curtains) along the edges of the base. We paint all the parts (spray paint is best, it dries quickly). Then we attach the shoulders to the hinges (in the middle), and screw the corners to their front part from the end. We will hook the springs onto them, the other end of which will hook onto the recesses in the base bars. All that remains is to tighten the bowstring.

Below we will tell you how to make a hunting bow with your own hands at home.

Hunter bow

Modern bows for hunting can be simple (solid) and composite, recurve and block, having different lengths and power. The cost of some ready-made branded models is quite high, so we’ll tell you how to make a hunting bow yourself. Moreover, in “field” conditions.

A simple hiking option

The video below will tell you how to make a classic bow for shooting with your own hands at home:

  • Durable wood (cedar, spruce, bird cherry, pear, apple, elm, pine, birch, larch).
  • The knife is sharp and comfortable.
  • Animal fat.

Technology

  1. We choose a suitable flexible branch in the forest.
  2. We try it on for size, placing one end to the thigh, the other to the end of the outstretched arm.
  3. We clean the bark and cut out the desired shape.
  4. In the middle we make the thickness 5 centimeters, at the edges - 1.5 centimeters.
  5. For the bowstring, the grooves are 1.25 centimeters from the ends.
  6. Rub the finished product with animal fat.

DIY hunting bow

Composite model

The video below will tell you how to make a classic bow for shooting with your own hands at home:

  • The wood for the base (otherwise known as kibiti) is single-layered, dense, and not flexible. It's best to take it close to the root of the tree.
  • For the shoulders (aka, horns), we take bird cherry growing near the water.
  • For the bowstring - a cord, a leather strip three millimeters wide, or twisted nettle stems.
  • For gluing parts, use glue made from crushed fish heads.
  • Birch bark, a plate made of spruce “Kremlin”.
  • Animal fat.

Technology

We clean the workpieces from the bark and dry them well in a dark place. After rough processing, a second drying is carried out. When all the parts are cut out, they are dried in the sun. If you want to shoot from the knee, then one horn (shoulder) is made shorter. If this is not expected, we make them the same. The edges of the bow can be up to 1.5 meters. The dimensions of the base are the same as in the composite model described above.

The parts are glued together with fish glue and secured with animal tendons for strength. The base is impregnated with fat (or cedar resin). Inside the onion we paste a plate of spruce “kremlin”, on top - from warm birch bark, boiled and softened (we place the fibers lengthwise). All that remains is to attach the bowstring.

As for arrows for a hunting bow, they are made with a diameter of 6 millimeters, from wood without cracks. Bird's flight feathers are inserted into the back part.

Light wood is suitable for small game, hard wood for large game.

If you want to hunt birds, just sharpen the tip of the arrow. If you have your eye on something larger, make a tip. Metal, bone, silicon.

This video will tell you how to make a bow for hunting underwater with your own hands:

This article is dedicated to everyone’s favorite Minecraft, namely to the creation of new original things. It describes how to create a bow and, of course, arrows for it. After all, these items in your inventory will not only allow you to hunt animals and get food, but will also help you fight from a distance.

How to make arrows

So, first you need to get materials from which further creation will be made. Their number depends on how many arrows you want to craft for yourself. In order to get four arrows at the end, we need 1 chicken feather, 1 regular stick and 1 flint. We combine all these materials together and get the item we need.

To create fire arrows you need to pass them through flowing lava, but to do this you must first find its source.

We’ll show you a little trick and teach you how to get fire arrows. To get a fire arrow, it must fly through lava. Well, of course, to do this we first have to find the location of the lava.

How to make a bow in Minecraft

To create a bow we need three sticks and the same number of ropes. From this amount of material at the output we will get 1 combat unit, but it will be reusable. The extracted materials must be placed in the specified order on the workbench. For more effective combat at a distance, a regular bow will not be enough. After all, it needs to be aimed correctly, and the chance of a hit is quite low. With a diamond bow, you can forget about aiming. It is available in some mods.

How to make a diamond bow. Recipe

The principle of creating a bow from diamonds is not much different from making a regular bow. The only difference is in the material base: instead of 3 sticks, you need to get 3 diamonds. Next, everything is the same as with the usual one: we put everything in the same order on the already familiar workbench.

How and where to get materials for arrows

Particularly lucky people may have the chance to pick up a bow, arrows and other useful things from killed skeletons. But this happens quite rarely, so you will have to get the materials yourself. Sticks can be obtained from felled forests, feathers can be obtained from killed chickens, and silicon can be found in gravel deposits, which need to be loosened a little with a shovel.

How and where to get materials for an ordinary onion

The bowstring is made from threads that can be taken from the spider. Usually you can take from 0 to 2 units of the required material from him. We already know well how to get sticks from the instructions for getting elements for arrows.

A diamond bow requires a more complex material base, so a separate article is devoted to this issue.


Wood and its preparation
For a simple onion, almost any tree growing in central Russia is suitable. Recommended:
Juniper
Hazel
Birch
Ash
Oak
Elm

Blank: cut down the proposed workpiece in winter, in frost (approx. 10-15 degrees).

The workpiece should not have large knots (growths, mechanical and thermal damage.

Length of the workpiece = onion length + 30 cm (15 cm on each side for cracks during drying, the occurrence of which is not excluded).

DO NOT REMOVE the bark from the resulting “log”!

Cover the ends of the workpiece with oil paint. The wood should dry evenly to avoid the appearance of internal defects in the material. If this is not done, the bow will not last long.

Dry the processed workpiece in a vertical position at room temperature. The air should not be too dry, otherwise the tree will dry out and the work will be in vain. Drying time 2-5 months, depending on conditions.

Advice: look for a preparation before winter if you don’t want to climb through snowdrifts for several hours.
Primary processing

The resulting workpiece is a log (Fig. 1).


Our task is to get a board from this log (Fig. 2).

How to achieve this? There are several options, each of which is quite historical.

Processing with an ax

Using a saw

By splitting using wedges (from harder wood).


The thickness of the board is equal to the width of the bow being made in the handle (for a Slavic bow about 3 cm).

After receiving the board we need, we need to mark it.

Visually check it for cross-layers and other defects. Based on the inspection results, make adjustments to the thickness of the bow at the location of the material defect (increase it).

Figure 3 shows the marking diagram.

Please note that we did not remove the bark from the workpiece. Don't damage the outside of your future bow!


The excess part is separated from the bow using an ax (rough work), and then a knife and plane (finish work). With this treatment you get the side profile of the bow.

After separating the onion, begin forming its frontal profile (Fig. 4).


The ratio of the width of the handle to the width of the end of the shoulder is approximately 3/2. Be extremely careful during these stages of work. It depends on the precision and accuracy of your work whether the arms of the bow will work equally evenly or one will be more elastic than the other. At these stages, the bow cannot be bent - this can lead to splitting of the workpiece and its damage.

The cross section of your bow will depend on the thickness of the log you have prepared. It can vary from lentil-shaped to almost rectangular.

Fig.5 (sections of bows)

Steaming onions (final stage)

At this stage, the bend of the bow is formed. Some manufacturers resort to soaking the workpiece in various infusions and solutions. Wood treated with water vapor has all the properties we need.

Why, exactly, steam onions?

Here are a few reasons to be aware of the production process:

If the wood dries out during the drying process (therefore, it is not recommended to bend the onion before steaming).

In the case where your initial blank was not straight (which is not uncommon, and what you should not be afraid of. The front profile of your weapon does not have to be straight at all. This will not affect the shooting efficiency in any way, except that it will be inconvenient for another person to use your weapon. The main thing is - convenient for you!)

If you are making a relatively short weapon (Slavic version 1 - 1.3 m).
If you intend to make a bow with a reverse arch.
In the case when you are making a “light” (for example, a gaming) bow.
In order to give an aesthetic appearance.

At the beginning of the stage, your workpiece represents the following


For example, you need to get a bend like this:
To do this, you need to steam the onion limbs (the steamed element becomes plastic and easily accepts the bend that you set. Steam the onion limb until you can easily bend it for captivity).

The following parts are steamed (shown in white).


It is best to steam at the same time, so that the onion shoulders dry simultaneously and evenly.

After steaming the shoulders, the bow is forced into a special slipway prepared in advance specifically for this bow.


The wooden blocks between which the “hot” bow is trapped are shown in black. The number, shape and location of the clamping bars depends on the bow shape you want.

In such a slipway, the onions dry for up to 1 week. After this, it is removed from the stocks, the ends of the bow are shaped for subsequent putting on of the bowstring (a place is prepared for the horn/bone tips or a “step” is simply cut out for the loop of the bowstring).

Please note that we did not remove the bark from the “back” of the onion! When steaming and capping in a slipway, part of the bark will peel off from the back of the onion. Separate it with your fingernail or a wooden knife. ATTENTION! Do not damage the fibers on the back of the bow! If part of the bark remains, do not be upset, carefully sand it with sandpaper until smooth and your bow will acquire a decent appearance.

The onion is almost ready. For the longevity of the onion, it must be protected from drying out or moisture. If you adhere to the historical-reconstructive direction in your work, then I recommend soaking the onion with hot wax or melted fat (do not overdo it! The impregnation should be no more than 3 mm deep, otherwise the onion will lose its elasticity), otherwise you can use varnish or modern paints or mastics.

Put the string on shortly before shooting and remove immediately after.

Sew a case for the bow to prevent damage to it during transportation and storage.

Store onions in an upright position at room temperature and moderate humidity.

Shoot your bow at least once a month to keep it from getting out of the habit of shooting.

Treat your bow with care, and it will respond to you with faithful and long service!

How to make an arrow blank at home

The existing examples of creativity from military history clubs are made on an intuitive level and do not meet the requirements for historical bows and equipment (arrows, tips, etc.), both in terms of the materials used and in terms of the results of shooting from them . This state of affairs seems unacceptable to us. With all our respect for iron and the people who seriously deal with it, we cannot understand such a disdainful attitude towards historically accurate equipment suitable for practical shooting.

The lack of information on historical small arms (throwing) weapons leads to the fact that archery competitions at various tournaments turn into a comedy worthy of prime time on leading TV channels. Armed with hybrids of slingshots and fishing rods or products made from car springs that fit the same cars and pull, masters of accurate shooting try to hit a half-meter target from a mind-boggling distance of 20-25 steps (15-18 meters). As a rule, they fail to do this. At least from the first shot. The assumption that with such weapons English archers could send thousands of Frenchmen to the next world in the battles of Crecy, Poitiers and Agincourt causes mocking giggles even from an inexperienced person. Of course, practice is necessary to achieve acceptable shooting. However, practice alone is not enough. We need reliable information about the methods of correct and accurate shooting from a historical bow, as well as the technologies for making bows and equipment. Therefore, we are preparing a series of materials devoted to the manufacture of historical throwing weapons, arrows and other equipment in the hope that this will partly alleviate the lack of information on this topic and inspire our colleagues, as well as simply interested readers, to make their own bows, arrows, etc. as well as searches, research and exchange of information on this topic. The first of the articles brought to your attention is devoted to the manufacture of arrows.

The majority of people perceive arrows as a stick with feathers and a tip. This is not entirely true. The “stick” has a very definite length and shape, the appearance and size of the plumage can be very diverse, and arrowheads have so many varieties that it is difficult to list. In this article we will try to tell you in a popular form how to first make at home, without going into tricky technical details, that very “stick” that will not only fly competently, but also hit the target, obeying your skill. So, let's proceed to the first stage of making our arrow: searching for material for the shaft (from now on it will be called a “stick”). To begin with, forget from your mind that you can go into the forest and cut young shoots of hazel or other shrubs. Everything is much more complicated. The minimum we can offer you is to take a walk through the building materials stores and find a product called glazing bead (wooden slats of rectangular cross-section), but at most, get ready for a little warm-up in the form of purchasing and further processing the board. Now about the secret, about the type of wood that we will use. There is a very wide choice in types of wood for making arrows. Each variety has its own pros and cons when choosing. The main varieties that are used for arrows: oak, ash, beech, elm, birch, pine and the list goes on. Some varieties have good strength, but are rigid and heavy, others are brittle, light and ductile. Well, perhaps one of the most important factors on this list is the availability and price of these types of wood. In our case, we will take pine, as it is the most common in our area (Moscow), as well as the cheapest. This type of tree satisfies our needs. Pine is a fairly light and durable tree. Its abundance on sale and in a “free” state (at construction sites, dachas and in forests) allows for a fairly picky choice. The criteria for choosing a board or bead for our workpiece are as follows:

It must be sustained. Not dry, like poorly dried fish, but seasoned. If the tree has simply been dried, it is more sensitive to moisture (with further use, it may “lead”).

Thickness (should be at least 2 cm for the board and 1.5 cm for the glazing bead; by the way, it doesn’t make sense to take it thicker, since in this case “the reserve will pull in the pocket” in terms of processing).

Texture (the material for the workpiece should not have knots, the fibers should run parallel along the length of the workpiece).


So let's assume that you find such material. Amazing. Then we move on to the next stage of our process - the selection of tools. In our work we will need four items: a saw, a plane, a rasp or hog file, a file and sandpaper with a grit of 60-80 (Euro marking). If you have a glazing bead as the starting material, then you won’t need a plane; if you have a board, then get ready for a little warm-up. It will have to be hidden. We'll explain how and where to use these tools later in the process. Let's start with a lyrical digression. No two people are the same. Therefore, our blanks in the future will have a strictly individual length. Let's explain. This is due to different arm lengths. How to determine your arrow stock length. Elementary. For this you will need a meter ruler. The method is simple. Stand up straight and hold the ruler at zero with your right hand. Next, hold the ruler between the index finger and thumb of your right hand at the 1 cm mark. Why this will be said below. Next, move your left arm to the side at a 90-degree angle to your body and clench your hand into a fist. Turn your head towards your left hand and at the same time place the ruler on the fist of your left hand. Now, if you know or have seen how a bow string is pulled, pull your hand with a ruler to your chin. Lock this position. Next, look under the index finger of your left hand and you will be able to see your desired length of the future workpiece. Add another 2 cm to the result (we need our 1 cm to make a cut for the bowstring in the future). The author of this article has a tension length of 76 cm, taking into account our 3 cm. For example, we will assume that yours is the same length as mine. Now we can proceed directly to making a wooden base for our future arrow.

Step 1. Take a board or glazing bead and measure our 76 cm. Saw it off. If you have a board, then use a plane to sharpen it to a thickness of 1-1.5 cm. Next, mark the board widthwise into parts according to the dimensions obtained as a result of turning so that you get parts of a square section (the same glazing bead). Saw it. If everything is done correctly, then you should get a smooth source material as if you bought it in a store. By the way, there is nothing terrible, if it turns out a little crooked, it can be fixed.


Step 2. Take what you got and use a rasp or hog file to give the workpiece a hexagonal shape. The main thing is to do everything carefully.

Step 3. Repeat everything as in step 2 with the only difference that you need to make an octagon from a hexagon, applying maximum attention and accuracy. Next, take a small piece of sandpaper and wrap it around what can now be called a blank for the arrow and holding it in your hand, using reciprocating movements, give it a round cross-section. Once you have an arrow shaft that is round and smooth to the touch, you can consider the work finished.


There is one thing left, and perhaps the most important thing to consider your work ready for further production of the arrow, this is measuring the thickness. The thickness should be 8-9 mm along the entire length. In general, it depends on a lot of factors and is one of the most important parameters of the arrow. In the future, we will talk about how to choose the right arrows depending on the bow you are using. In the following articles we will tell you how to select and install the fletching on an arrow, how to make a tip and how to select it for an arrow, as well as how to make a simple machine for quickly making arrow blanks.

Making arrow fletching

We think that everyone more or less understands what feathers on an arrow are needed for - to stabilize the flight, i.e. so that during the flight the arrow flies exactly at the target, and not to the side, while also tumbling. Here we will talk in detail about how the feathering on the arrow is made and installed...

Feathers from a variety of birds can be used to feather an arrow. Goose, turkey, turkey feathers, grouse, capercaillie, etc. It is important that the feather be strong enough, long (approx. 10 cm) and have a width of at least 3 cm. In European bows, the flight feathers of the left and right wings were used for arrows (in the East, tail feathers were also used). There is no fundamental difference between the feathers of the right and left wings. However, it is important that one arrow has feathers from one wing (i.e. only from the right or only from the left wing). Goose feathers satisfy all our requirements (long, stiff and wide enough). In general, the choice of feathers for an arrow largely depends on what is easier to get in a particular region.


Based on our experience, we can say that we would not recommend using crow feathers, since they are very fragile (after several shots they will become frayed and the pile will break off, as a result of which the flight of the arrow will become difficult to predict), although it is worth noting that there are a lot of these feathers and they can be used for game arrows, since the lifespan of “toys” is short. So, let's assume that you have goose or any other suitable feathers, then we proceed directly to the process of making plumage.

You will need: a sharp knife, glue ("Super Moment", PVA, etc.), thread and a needle.

In our case, the plumage will consist of three feathers, standing at an angle of 120 degrees to each other. The lead feather (one of three) should be parallel to the layers of wood on the shaft, so that the cut under the bowstring (perpendicular to the leading feather) is subsequently positioned perpendicular to the layers (this is done so that the loads arising during the shot are distributed throughout the shaft, and did not fall on a separate layer of wood).


There are other plumage options (one-, two-, four-feather).

Look at the feather. He has a core. On one side of the feather there is a pronounced groove in the center of the shaft. Place the pen in front of you with the groove facing up. Next, using a knife, carefully cut the feather along this groove.


You should have two parts. We will use a wider one. For the arrow we will need three feathers.. If you are done, then continue further. With all three parts of the plumage, we do the following: we cut the shaft of the feather so that about 1 cm remains before the beginning of the pile (generally called differently). Next, we move to the end of the feather and find the place where the thickness of the shaft becomes less than 0.5-1 mm, and We also trim it there (we make sure that all our feathers are the same length). Then we cut off approximately 0.5 cm from the end of the feather with scissors. pile (leaving the rod intact) - then there will be a rewind of the feathers.


Done. Now we move on to installing the feathers on the shaft of our arrow. Take the feathers and place them on the shaft so that the thin ends of the feathers do not reach the end of the shaft by about 1 cm. We install the feathers so that we get 120 degree angles between the feathers. The next step is winding. To do this, holding the feathers with one hand, take the thread with the other hand and pass it under one of the feathers so that after you do this, the length of the missing end is approximately 10 cm. Now, without cutting the thread, turn to turn, wind the rods feathers (the missing end of the thread will be useful to you in order to tie a knot later, so winding is done over this “tail”). It’s not scary if the angles between the feathers (120 degrees) get lost during winding; they can be easily corrected, say, in the middle of the rewinding process. After rewinding, we move on to the process of “sewing” the plumage to the shaft. To do this, take a thread about 40 cm long and not very thick.

Let's insert the thread into the needle, but do not tie a knot, but sew "in one thread." Next, tie one end of the thread to any feather at the base, where the rewind ends. We begin to sew the feathers along the entire length in increments of about 1 cm, but so as not to disturb the texture of the feather if possible (do not break the fibers). Keep in mind that the term "feathering" refers to the process of attaching the feathers by passing a needle and thread through the feather's nap at the shaft.


When the process is completed, we use the remnants of the thread to secure the feathers at the far (thin) end of the feather in a “pile” (i.e., without trying to put the turn to the turn). Using the type of our first rewind, we secure the feather at the back (when the feathers are sewn on, you can straighten them, because during the sewing process they will bend into a spiral, but do not try to give the feathers a perfectly straight shape, this is useless and unnecessary). Now everything that happened (feathers, windings) needs to be lightly glued with glue to the shaft (try not to get glue on the pile itself, otherwise it will simply break when shooting in these places). Done. Then the last phase is shaping the plumage.


Keep in mind that large dimensions of the tail (length, width) allow the arrow to be better stabilized in flight, but they dampen its flight speed more, correspondingly reducing the firing range. A feather that is too wide will fray more on the bow and can injure the shooter's hand.

Due to its structure, the pile of the flight feather bends along the edge. So, find the place where this bend begins - this will be the maximum height of your pen. Based on this, shape your plumage. There are many varieties of plumage forms, but within the scope of this article

there is no opportunity to consider them in detail. We recommend starting with a simple conical shape of the feather, expanding in the direction from the tip to the heel of the arrow, like rocket stabilizers. You did everything right and you like it. This is great, but if not, don’t be discouraged, everything will come with experience. Now make a cut in the “heel” of the arrow (this is the name of the place where the arrow is inserted into the bowstring), first lightly with a metal file, and then with a rectangular file. The cut should go perpendicular to the leading feather (see above). The depth of the cut should be within 8-10mm. and width 2.5-3 mm. We recommend rounding the bottom of the cut (grinding off corners and burrs) in order to reduce the risk of the arrow splitting.

How to make a cut in the heel of an arrow

I recommend making a cut of the following shape (see figure). This design snaps onto the bowstring, preventing the arrow from slipping. The narrowest point of the cut (shown by the arrow) should be slightly smaller than the diameter of the bowstring. Do not make the cut too narrow, otherwise, when the arrow jumps off the string, additional loads will appear on the heel of the arrow, which will affect its flight path. At the same time, a cut that is too wide will quickly spread and lose its holding properties.

You can make a cut of the specified shape as follows:

Drill a hole with a diameter equal to the diameter of the bowstring at a distance of 1 - 2 cm from the heel of the arrow.
Using a thin hacksaw, make a cut from the heel to the hole.
Using a file, give the cut the required shape.