How to Repair Cedar Arrows

In the past, arrow shafts were made of cedar. These arrows broke fairly easily, and modern arrows have replaced the wood with hollow carbon shafts. If you still enjoy using traditional arrows, however, you will eventually have to deal with broken arrow shafts. A cedar shaft can be repaired with a bit of care, allowing you to continue using it. This will reduce the number of replacement arrows that you have to buy, and give you the satisfaction of repairing your own equipment.

Things You'll Need

  • 2x4 board
  • Hand saw
  • Drill
  • Wood glue
  • Paper towel
  • Masking tape
  • Arrow clamp
  • Sandpaper
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Instructions

  1. Preparing a Repair Block

    • 1

      Cut a three-inch block of two-by-four board with a hand saw.

    • 2

      Drill a hole into the end of the block, extending as deep as the bit will go. The diameter of this hole should be slightly larger than the diameter of your arrow shaft.

    • 3

      Saw a slit in the flat top of the block at an angle that matches the arrow shaft's break. This slit should extend from the top of the block to slightly below the drilled hole.

    Repairing the Arrow

    • 4

      Insert one broken end of the arrow shaft into the block's hole.

    • 5

      Line up the broken end, looking through the slit, so that it is just past the slit.

    • 6

      Saw the arrow shaft through the slit, removing the damaged portion.

    • 7

      Repeat this process with the other end of the arrow. This will give you two cuts that have identical angles, while removing the least possible amount of the shaft's length.

    • 8

      Apply wood glue to both ends of the cut and put the arrow back together, wiping off any excess glue with a paper towel. Tightly tape the arrow with masking tape.

    • 9

      Clamp the repaired arrow in an arrow clamp while the glue dries.

    • 10

      Remove the tape from the dried arrow. If needed, gently sand any excess glue off with 150-grit sandpaper.