Arrowsmithing & Bowyering
Every arrow here was built by yours truly from port orford cedar shafts — matched within 5gr per set for consistent flight. As such, my arrows were frequently used by traditional archers in competitive scenarios. The process starts with straightening and tapering the shafts, followed by hand-dipping and cresting to lay down the base colors and patterns. Natural turkey feathers are shaped, dyed, and glued in place by hand.
Each set has its own color scheme and personality. I also taught arrowsmithing and traditional archery classes to students of all ages, including historical reenactment groups like the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA).
Green fletched arrows in a handmade leather quiver
Purple and teal fletched arrows with barred feathers
Red, green, and gold fletched arrows with barred turkey feathers
Rainbow-colored fletched arrows with vibrant dyed feathers
Pink fletched arrows with barred feathers on fur hide
Red and black fletched arrows on a log
White and blue fletched arrows with barred feathers
Green and blue fletched arrows on a tree stump
Blue and black fletched arrows on the workbench
Rainbow fletched arrows — close-up of dyed feather detail
Orange and purple fletched arrows on a drying rack
Green and purple arrows in the fletching jig
Rainbow crested arrow held in hand at the workshop
Archery tag arrows with foam boxing glove tips
Hand-carved bow riser in progress at the workbench
A split shot trick I used to do with two of my hand-crafted whistle tip arrows (also called signal arrows)
