Nebee here. Well, I dont no if I want to tell you what I did or not.I hope someone has done this before.I got my dz. of ceder shafts I ordered but I did not think about ordering a tapering tool, so I used my oldtimer trapper knife to whittle the shafts down to size and retaper them.Broadheads and fieldtips look straight but I have'nt shot them yet.

You're a better whittler than I!  Try rolling the shafts on a flat surface and see if the tips and nocks are centered (or if they wobble).

Stand them on the point end and spin them to find out if they really are straight. Hap

Get yourself a taper tool. You can always redo the tips. Next dzn. you can get it right from the start. You will never have consistency useing the knife.

Am I the only one that ever done this before? Come on, are forefathers Ben pearson, Fred bear and Howard Hill had to of used a old knife to taper there shafts or was there tapering tools around back then? Well, I'll have to dig out my spin tester and see how far off I'am.

I just order a Taper tool from 3 rivers.Thanks Larry. when I get my taper tool I will pop the tips off and redo them.I did'nt touch the nock end.

As long as you can get them good and straight that way, it's fine.  That being said, it's tough to do, but so are lots of other things that people manage to do everyday.  I like my Bearspaw taper tool and use it a lot, but I imagine that with some paitience and practice there is no reason why a pocket knife wouldn't be fine.

Sweeny, thats the one I ordered. The BearPaw.

QuoteOriginally posted by MATHEWS2005:
Am I the only one that ever done this before? Come on, are forefathers Ben pearson, Fred bear and Howard Hill had to of used a old knife to taper there shafts or was there tapering tools around back then? Well, I'll have to dig out my spin tester and see how far off I'am.

Guess it didn't work out so well...

6 out of the dz. are straight LOL!!!!! Could of been worst.I've flecthed 100s of arrows, but never wood shafts.I just wanted the true fill of trad. shooting.When I opened the package and looked at the shafts I thought they made a misake and sent me parts of a pool-Q. Man, they are sure alot larger dia. then my easton acc arrows I shoot with my @!%$*%#@$ bow.

Using a taper tool would make your work faster and more accurate without much of a doubt for most folks but that being said...

If you consider primitive arrows with stone points (bone, scale, etc.)and self nocks Im sure they were far from perfect but they were lethal none the less.

Don't fret it what you think people did for 10,000 years before tapering tool came around.So on till you can get one go ahead and shoot.
 I've been putting trade and flint heads by eye for 20 years.The bucks can't tell the differents.

100% guarantee Randy.., one day you;ll look back & laugh. You're in a great spot partner. Both here at TG & in your life switching to trad. Woods rule. Have a look in the archives at some of the arrow art these guys produce. Good luck, b

i have done it with a knife,and sand paper.

I don't own a tapering tool, I use a belt sander with a jig that I made with set angles at 5deg. and 11deg. Mine have always come out perfect.

If it makes you feel any better.....the first one I ever did......I stuck it in the old crank handle style pencil sharpener that's screwed to the wall in our garage.    

SEMO HUNTER,thanks I needed that!!!LOL And thanks to the rest of you guys for not makeing fell so foolish.

I'm a newb myself and practiced using a hand file and sandpaper to taper the point and nock on a wood dowel.  It took a long time to do it that way, but I was surprised at how well it worked.  I've since gotten one of those pencil-sharpener looking taper tools for $4 or $5 from 3Rivers that works a whole lot faster.