Update

Pictures of various sort will be coming soon. 

I have been busy!

Yesterday I sat down and constructed six field arrows from some old cedar shafting I had stored away. I dyed the shafts charcoal grey, attached field points of 125 grains and white plastic nocks (I do not see the point in doing self-nocks for simple target arrows). I bound on two black flight feathers and on white cock feather. I have to tell you, the binding of the flights combines *very* well with the plastic nocks. I was rather surprised by that, actually, though I am not certain why. I bound them primarily to keep the quills of the flights from cutting into the hand when shot...we do not use rests.

Subsequent shooting proved that the arrows flew beautifully....and since they were spined suitable to my Magyar composite bow, that is what I was shooting. I can tell you that arrows depart that bow with a fierceness I never experience with self-bows. 

My groups were pretty tight, though not as tight as I would like them, and essentially on target, though not necessarily where I wanted them on target. That sort of thing is knocking off the rust; since I began shooting regularly I have noted a remarkable improvement in a very short space of time.

Two shots in one series skimmed the back of the buck target and subsequently struck the wooden fence backstop. Both of the heads on those shattered. On the target itself the arrows would typically penetrate six inches...definitely killing depth, and that with field points, which are not optimized for killing. 

I have got to admit, I prefer the composite bows to the longbows. Sorry, my colleagues, but spending so much time East of East and in Far Harad (where the stars are strange) appears to have influenced me greatly. 

These bows are smaller, fiercer for a given draw weight, fast and smooth to shoot.....although they do have powerful  hand shock and serious follow through pull. They are better for hunting in brush or tight places, easily handled from horseback (not that I am a horse archer...I just wish I were!), and in these modern cases, fairly weather impervious...as much as a bow can be.

I do believe I am going to focus on shooting these bows. Suitable, I think, especially for us Ranger women. 

I have two pair of nice brown cotton leggings. Of course they include a bit of spandex for stretch, but they resemble hosen...especially when worn with my high boots and either a tunic...or a swordswoman's shirt. Or a jerkin-blouse combo. They also make for nice inner layer wear in cold weather. ;) Not as nice as silk, but they'll do in a pinch.

So anyway, photos of various shooting positions, kit, and clothing, will soon be appearing here and elsewhere. Probably some more scenery shots of Rhovannion too. Just for flavor.

There's the stone age quiver to document. There are some other quiver and cases to document as well. Scabbards and whatnot too.

So much to do. :) Keeps a Ranger busy.

Nai i-Valar Tiralyë!

Eledhwen

Fletcher?

Much to my surprise, a fellow I know ordered a dozen arrows from me. Self-nock, bound feather flights, field points, spined for 45-50#s at a draw length of 28".

Blue and white flights. Silk thread binding. Glue. Paint; these are the specialized items. I am using Port Orford cedar shafting for these so they will also require inserts of bone, horn, or hardwood in the nock.

I have never made arrows for sale before. I am no business woman. A cursory look around the web at prices for handmade arrows range from 50 dollars a dozen through 17 dollars per arrow. The former tend to come from overseas and are found on Ebay. The latter seem to be more 'local' in the sense of people from North America. I have no idea what to charge. For the moment, costs of all items carefully tallied, time carefully noted, and some kind of percentage for overhead. The biggest thing is figuring out what to charge for time. I want to be reasonable while still making sufficient to make it worth my time, not to mention perhaps going ahead with it for others..of whom I have a few waiting to see how this turns out.

The thing is, I am quite new, still, to building arrows. Yes, the ones I have made thus far fly quite fine, but I do not yet know if I am consistent. My sense of honor and justice says that I need to stand by what I make...it they do not perform well then a refund is in order. Perhaps I could them rework the shafts so they would work...and use them myself. Or something.

The best I can do at this point is to give it my best, in all ways, with great care and attention to every detail. Either I will be up to it, or not. We shall see.

It would be nice to be able to do something like this, feel a bit more useful by being able to produce something of worth for sale or trade. I can at least make arrows in the apartment...that's a big thing.

Needless to say, I have been working on making bows too...and I even have a couple of folk who want one of them. I am even less confident about that than about the arrows! Slow and steady is the way here.

Range-wise, I am using a Magyar bow for the moment. smaller, better in brush, powerful enough to hunt with, and lighter, it is not a longbow by any means. But it works...and as Eledhwen I have been East of East and to Far Harad where the stars are strange. I have had to use a variety of things other than those with which I was raised. Some of these things have suited me better than those I was raised with..so goes the life of a person.

Along with the Stone Age quiver I am making a bow quiver for my Magyar bow. Leatherwork is something I have a great deal more confidence in doing. I will note that I am referring to the actual construction, not decoration...stamping and tooling are still very new things for me here.

Still, it is no bad thing for a Ranger to be a bowyer, fletcher, stringer, and leathercrafter. Fits rather well I should say.

Eledhwen

Right then. I will soon be cutting the pieces for a new quiver. It will be based on a stone age quiver carried by Ötzi the Iceman...with a few modifications to suit my own needs. The overall shape and structure will be essentially correct...certain details will change and decoration will be entirely my own.

More than likely I will use my elk hide...although I do have other leather to use if I so choose. I am after making it capable of holding up to two dozen arrows...at the least a dozen and a half. Ötzi had 14 arrows in his quiver.

Once I have it sorted out I will, of course, use it at the range..extensively. And during the hunt. A thorough field test.

Also in line; a new medicine bag, strike-a-light pouch, and archer's bag. As to the last, one of the mods I plan to put into the quiver is in the interior flap that covers the flights of the arrows....I will build a spare string pouch into it. 

I will take photos along the way, as well as photos when at the range, in and out of garb of various types. There are certain positions I want to photograph for the sake of reference, especially the prone position.

Shooting with my son was a lot of fun. There will be much more of it.

Eledhwen

Changes Coming

Some changes coming down the pike. For one thing, alongside the Ranger oriented material here I will also be posting about Primitive Tech projects and experiments...that means back to the bronze and stone ages, yes.

Currently I am working out plans for replicas of Ötzi's belt, quiver, and a-frame backpack. I want to see how they will function IRL. I already have a bow similar to his.

Also, medicine bags, Crane Bags, and what have you. Ranger-Primitive mix essentially. There is much overlap in any case, just as there is with Long Hunting.

Today I took Taliesin out to the Range for the first time since becoming members (his, not mine). We spent two solid hours just shooting archery, although we did pause long enough to have a free burger courtesy of the clubhouse and trap shooters.

The archery range is nothing fancy; four targets on sled frames so they can be moved about, one 3D deer target and a wood fence backstop. Total range length is about 40-45 yards...good hunting distances are possible here. Nothing fancy indeed, but it is enough for our purposes at the moment.

We shot standing, sitting, kneeling, and prone. Yes, it is possible to shoot accurately from the prone with a bow. It will work your abs and back, but it can be done. We began speaking of holding events similar to pistol combat courses using bows instead. Something we will have to think on more deeply.

I allowed a fellow archer to fire the arrows I made this past year. He was so impressed he ordered a dozen from me on the spot. O-o I have had no expectations of making arrows for money..after all, until today I didn't even know for certain if I were doing it right. Apparently I have done as they all flew beautifully.

The upshot is that I will make this dozen arrows for him, keeping careful tally of time worked, materials used and lost, and general work. Then I'll show them to him, and discuss a fair price. I have no idea what to charge for them. I will be making them with self nocks, field tips, feather fletching of blue and white, and probably a little cresting. I have no idea what such things might be fairly sold for.

I wonder if this starts me on the road of being a Fletcher. ;) Still working on building the hickory bows. Pictures of things coming soon to a blog near you..or well, this one anyway.

Eledhwen