How did Native Americans and/or other ancient peoples make wooden arrows?

Question

I mean how did they make them straight and keep them consistent in diameter, etc.?

Answer 1

Well this will be simplified, but we just found straight wood to start with, ash or maple saplings or the straighter tree branches, use a very sharp edged stone to hone the point and cut a rather deep x shape to the back to insert the harder wing feathers to make it fly more or less straight.

Answer 2

They used sharp stones. How did they keep them straight? Talent and hard work.

Answer 3

a tool known as "Shaft Straightener" also called a spokeshave.  typically a stone tool with a concave cutting edge.  See http://homepage.mac.com/laddie/f_using-s... for an image of one in use - http://indiespageopoints.freeservers.com... for another image

To JIM (next answer down) - that may apply sometimes - and it is also how you choose a shaft to start - something as straight as you can get - but even with those there is often a need to do more.  Besides,  I know people that still make shafts...

Answer 4

I don't agree with the previous answers.  They simply found shafts that were straight to begin with and usually used reeds.  Bows were also carefully selected wood and were usually something like ash or chokecherry.

Answer 5

Heating over a fire to straighten.   Eyeball for width, same as in any art form.

Answer 6

Arrow shaft straighteners and heat.  http://www.primitiveways.com/arrow_strai...