Recently I've been working up some bamboo/cane arrows       but I'm wondering if I can cut a self nock in a carbon arrow shaft?? I'm thinking of gluing a hardwood (oak)? dowel into the end of the arrow shaft then cut a self nock in it. Has anyone already done this? and how did it turn out for you?? The shafts I'm talking about are the wood grain gold tips

I would not cut a self nock in a carbon shaft,it would be better to fit a wooden plug or dowel in the carbon shaft and then make your self nock like you are thnking about.

As long as you didn't cut the shaft itself, I don't see any reason why you couldn't do it with a dowel if you were dead set on doing it.

I was thinking of gluing a dowel inside the end of the shaft then cutting my nock in the shaft and the dowel. Why do you suggest not cutting the shaft?

QuoteOriginally posted by NightHawk:
Why do you suggest not cutting the shaft?

Cause it'll blow up and a trip to the emergency room is a lot more expensive than a set of cool looking nocks.

Carbon shafts (depending on which ones) are really bad about splintering and shedding fibers.  If you cut down the shaft to make a nock, I can almost guarantee you the shaft will either split or shed carbon fiber into your fingers as you shoot.  Either one is gonna be unpleasant at best.

I turned some dowels down once and glued them into the point end of carbon's leaving about 1 1/2 inches sticking out so I could mount some knapped heads on them. They worked just fine, I am sure you could do the same on the nock end just leave a lip on the part you want sticking out of the arrow and epoxy them in and you should be able to make a self nock easy enough in the remaining dowel.