capping and staining arrows

[jerv]

the theory is...The longer I spend making arrows and the more beautiful I make them. The less likely I am to give up looking for the ...ahem... rare ones I miss with. Also by using stains I won't get my arrows mixed up. I saw some red arrows in "primitive archer" and had a go with some teak stain which has resulted in a nice red coloured (pine) arrow.
I tried a coat of linseed oil on others (cedar) before varnish and it has resulted in a beautiful deep colour with a distinctive grain definately worth a go!
I'd like to cap the arrows too. I know how to do it in theory but wondered if anyone had any reccomendations for paint. I thought a matt exterior paint would do. I thought the cap would make finding random arrows easier and possibly help with shot identification.
Stovie (if you read this) I love the arrows you posted here and on paleoplanet. Did you chew the bluebells or use a pestle and mortar? Does the sap keep or am I going to have to wait for 6 months?!

 

[stovie]

Have to be honest. The sap was fresh and bruised using two stones, and scraped the juice with a stripped quill.

The whole was finished using linen thread....Not sure if it's possible to keep it. I somehow doubt it.....

Here's another, slightly different trim

 

[bent-stick]

Theres a couple with painted fletchments and nocks near the bottom of the page here:

arrow gallery

I did them with some very bright orange acrylic I got from the shop that sells paint for scenery painting in Drury Lane. I almost fell over when they told me the price.

I tried to get hold of fishing float paint but my local fishing shop doesn't sell it any more. Presumably people arn't makiing their own floats nowadays.

Any acrylics work well and I've switched to them from modelling enamels. Much cleaner and easy to adjust the consistency. And I got 10 tubes of mixed tubes from w h smith for about a fiver.

I've tried all sports of finishes. Red Mahoganly and dark oak spirit stains from coloron work well.

Button polish (shellac) is good but the feathers won't stick to it and if you put it on after fletching it gets under the feathers and melts the glue that is there.

 

[jerv]

Love your arrows bent stick and stovie. How do you get the stripes in the fletchings?and what's the purpose of barrelled shafts I've read david petersen talking about using them.
I tried to spray paint the dip. It was working well untill I applied the fletching cement!. However I wan't too sure about the asthetics of it. I'm trying some flame cresting at the moment which is great fun! I won't post an image of the horrid white dip but pending the outcome of the flame crest I may share. Self nocks still make me nervous. I made two one worked well the other has split a little. I think I'll do one experiment at a time.

 

[pothunter]

Hi Guys

Had good results with International boat paints and varnish its all formulated to work together, had no adverse effects with fletching cement just matted the area to be glued slightly.

Saw some nice poplar shafts on Saturday made up as flight arrows.

Best regards, Pothunter.

 

[jerv]

The first flame crested arrows I have attempted. I've gone for a primitive rustic (NOT SHODDY, RUSTIC!) look reflecting the asthetics of primitive peoples the world over...honest
the lightning strikes I believe can be found on many native american arrows and i've used some tectiforms (cave doodles) for the other marks

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