Manchu arrows

This is one of those commissions where the technical difficulties got the better of us initially. This set of arrows was originally going to be in an oriental poplar, waisted just in front of the fletching from 3/8" to 1/2", with the typical wide nock which was typical of the Manchu target arrow.

After beginning work on the shafts, we started to find issues with the wood we had been supplied for these, which proved to be too brittle to accept the straightening process required. We needed a quick rethink and as the client wanted a set of arrows he could practice with, we went with the non-traditional bamboo, which was available in the size required (36" from the base of the nock to the back of the point) and in the required spine rating for a powerful, fast bow (from memory this was around 95lbs!). These arrows were then self-nocked, with bamboo reinforcement, crowned and crested in traditional colours. A heavy brass bullet point was fitted, flush to the bamboo, and 9.5" Manchu shaped feathers were added as you can see.

Now our client has arrows to practice with, we're working on fulfilling the original order, this time probably in Birch, with traditional tanged Manchu target arrowheads forged by Hector Cole, from dimensions supplied by Peter Dekker, who is an acknowledged expert on Manchu and asiatic archery.