Forum Replies Created
-
AuthorPosts
-
in reply to: Hornbeam/Ironwood/Musclewood #144480
The taxonomy of that wood is somewhat confused I think. The tree you show is correctly called Hop Hornbeam and grows in the understory of mature forests. It is a very hard wood that is used for making things like bowls and mallet heads.
The tree that has a reputation for making good bow wood is the American Hornbeam. The wood of the American Hornbeam is used to make ax handles and such because of its strength and elasticity…
If you look up either hornbeams, the information will be jumbled together. As I understand it, there are over 100 species of trees identified as “ironwood”. Another name for what you have pictured is musclewood. The American Hornbeam has a rounder shape and a more shaggy bark.
Paul Comstock would say that there is no doubt that you can make a bow from that wood. So if you want to do it, have fun! And post some pictures of your progress…
in reply to: Broadhead sharpening ????? #144254You’ve opened quite a can of worms there. Firstly, congrats on your hunt!
Some folks claim that a shaving sharp broadhead is the best at causing hemorrhage and the deepest penetrating. Others claim that a rough file edge is best as it tears the tissue up more.
You can read through the Ashby stuff on this website to learn more I am sure.
In my own experience, I don’t see much difference between the two with a well placed shot (or a not so well placed shot, either). I find it hard to keep the super sharp edges keen in my back quiver. I usually start out the season with my broadheads all shaving sharp, courtesy of my shop grinding wheel. By the end of the season they’ve been roughed up by the file.
I do like narrow,single bevel, cheap as possible, heads.
in reply to: Left Wing or Right Wing Helical? #144157Not many of the good folks that wrote this thread are still active on this forum to respond, so I’ll drop a word or two…
There are reasons to nock your arrow with the cock feather out, and there are reasons to nock your arrow with the cock feather in. But none of them have to do with the wing the feather came from.
Depending on the spine of the arrow and the archers shooting style, better arrow clearance can be had by shooting with the cock feather in. To continue the theme of this tread, for the most part it doesn’t really matter.
My quiver has arrows fletched with either wing. The only real hard and fast rule is to use only one wing on an arrow. That, and matching the wing to the bevel of the broadhead as mentioned earlier. With my limited skills, I see no difference in accuracy between the wings.
in reply to: Happy Solstice #143984You have a “sphere of influence”? Dang you are lucky! My wife says I get confused about such things. I wonder what she means?
Anyway, I sure do like this shortest of days. Somehow it always makes a good hunting day for me. It’s gonna be cold and cloudy here today. Just right.
Thanks for the reminder!
in reply to: Side Plate & Fletching Flight Problems #143881How much have you cut off the arrows in your efforts to stiffen them up?
How much arrow sticks out in front of the bow?
Have you played with the brace height? What is it?
Sometimes we blame our equipment when we should look to ourselves instead. A fault with the hands can cause as much trouble as a tuning issue. Twisting the grip, or a pluck of the string can cause the arrow to look weak.
Generally, a weak arrow will get around the bow without leaving marks. It’s the stiff arrows that clack and bang on the strike plate. Since your arrow is flying weak, and you are getting damage, maybe its a “combination” problem.
That said, even shooting a perfect setup well will leave marks on the strike plate.
in reply to: Longbow vs Recurve #143742… And that’s why Byron Ferguson named his book “Become the Arrow.”
in reply to: Persistence #143725That reminds me of a story my grandpa told me from “back in the day”. When he was a young man he took a long shot at a running buck. He took up the blood trail and found the deer with a similar wound just above the hoof.
Dang Dave, I thought this was gonna be a story of your persistence! I guess you are still in the process of being persistent…
in reply to: 2019-20 season updates #143304Good luck!
I’ve been out a few times and things have gotten quiet. Even the squirrels are gone scarce. It’s getting to be that time of year when it seems like the woods are abandoned. There are a few leaves and clumps of fern that are the worse for wear though…
I did find a fresh rub line on a hill that runs along a clear-cut that is 6 or 7 years old. There’s a good spot to sit and wonder, so when my boy comes home from college in a couple weeks, I’m gonna point it out to him so he can worry that place a little.
in reply to: 2019-20 season updates #143221Good luck with the ice storm. We had a bunch of rain yesterday.
And good luck with one of those does…
in reply to: Seemed like a good idea at the time. #143117If it blows up in your face, you may regret it…
According to the internet machine, a 1 liter drink bottle will burst at 185 psi. That seems like a high number to me. I wouldn’t risk my eyeballs on that number.
in reply to: Handmade arrow spine size #142867Learn to feel the spine yourself. When an arrow fly’s well for you give it a bend between your hands. Do that many times with many different arrows. Eventually you will get a feel for what works. It doesn’t take too long to develop a feel for it.
Dry cane is probably different from green cane. You would have to dry it, straighten it, flatten the nodes, and remove the waxy surface so you can finish them.
There are no shortcuts.
in reply to: Don Thomas Health Issues #142843Thanks for the update and link. Guess I didn’t see the first one.
That’s quite a train track across his noggin! And it sounds like the local deer population won’t get a break after all…
in reply to: 2019-20 season updates #142661I just had a week of GREAT bowhunting. I got close to half a dozen nice bucks and twice that many does. Always just one mistake away from shooting. On the last day, I was finally able to drop the string. The doe whirled at the shot and the arrow brushed past the front of her chest.
I did my part, she did her part, and the best part is I didn’t have to get messy or sweaty in the end.
in reply to: Bear shaft tuning #142660This stinking forum just ate my cool post again. Not sure what’s happening but I’ll write a response and try to post it, and the software will then tell me I need to be logged in. I was logged in and writing the response…
Anyway, I wrote a really witty retort to you Dave about switching to wood arrows cause they penetrate beyond their means but don’t tear the target up. Oh well, its lost to the ether.
I guess I have to get in the habit of copying all my posts before trying to submit them (angry eyes emoji)…
in reply to: Trad Bow Dec/Jan 2019 #142637I just got the latest issue in the mail on Friday and while I just scratched the surface, it too looks like it will have some fine words from the Co-Editor.
I have a stack of unread TB magazines sitting on my reading table having accumulated over the duration of my AT hiking trip. If and when the weather gets cold, I will keep them company…
-
AuthorPosts
