How to Make Nocks for Primitive Arrows

While contemporary hunters have almost unlimited choices of materials, even the most modernly constructed arrows are extremely intolerant of the slightest imperfections. Primitive arrows were not much more than a solid wooden shaft with slots for an arrowhead and a knocking point for the bowstring carved directly into opposite ends of the shaft. Though cutting a slot in the end of a stick may seem simple, making nocks in primitive arrows requires thought and precision.

Things You'll Need

  • Wooden arrow shaft
  • Cloth
  • Vise
  • Metric ruler
  • Fine-tip marking pen
  • Bowstring server
  • Chalk
  • Drill
  • Cutoff wheel
  • Fingernail file
  • Twine
  • Needle
  • Glue
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Wrap the arrow shaft in a soft cloth and clamp the arrow shaft into a vise. Position the arrow so that the shaft runs perpendicular to the jaws of the vise with the front tip of the shaft pointing downward.

    • 2

      Determine the width of the knocking point. Measure the midpoint of the diameter (width) of the shaft in millimeters with a metric ruler. As an example, if the arrow shaft is 6 mm thick, the center point of the shaft would be 3 mm from the edge of the shaft (6 ÷ 2 = 3). Mark a centerline at the 3 mm point along the center of the shaft with a fine-tip marking pen.

    • 3

      Coat the nocking point on a bowstring server with chalk. Lay the chalk coated server along the centerline mark on the shaft. Remove the server and trace the inside edges of the chalk line with the pen.

    • 4

      Determine the depth of the nock. Measure the width of the traced line on the end of the arrow shaft with the metric ruler and multiply the measurement by four. For example, a line 2 mm wide would equal a nock depth of 8 mm (2 x 4 = 8). Measure and trace a depth mark down along the side of the arrow shaft from the ends of the centerline on the butt of the arrow shaft.

    • 5

      Cut down into the end of the arrow shaft along the traced mark with a thin cutoff wheel attached to a drill. Don't cut outside the edges of the centerline or the knocking point won't fit properly on the server.

    • 6

      Gently inset the server into the nock; the server should fit snugly, but not so tight that you need to force the server into the slot. Make any minor adjustment to the width of the nock by filing the inside edges of the nock with a fingernail file.

    • 7

      Reinforce the base of the nock with twine to prevent the shaft from splitting. Tightly wrap the arrow shaft with a 1/2-inch long piece of twine. Begin at the base of the nocking point and wrap the twine in the direction of the tip of the arrow. Firmly wedge the ends of the twine under the wrappings of twine with the tip of a needle. Coat the twine with waterproof glue. Allow the glue to dry thoroughly.