I read Rob's post in the "Arrows and Arrow Components" in the Classifieds section about some tonkin cane shafts he had for sale. Buy the time I saw the post you guys had scooped up all the extra shafts he had. Rob sent me the website and I ordered a case. I am glad I did! It takes a little work to get them straight but they are worth the effort! This is what I will be shooting this year.

.400 spine, 29 1/2", 90 grain copper weight behind a 160 grain snuffer (250 grains up front), goose cock feather, wild turkey hen feathers, Total arrow weight is 686, 686, 690 and 698 grains.

Please add pictures of your completed canes.

Very nice! I like to add a white rabbit fur tracer to natural dark feathers so I can see the arrow and the hit at dusk. Cane is great stuff.

Nice job Benjy. Looks like I better get to work on the cane I bought from Rob.
Al

A few weeks ago when I was down in Aiken, I spent the day with Benjy.  We played with those cane arrows and I was mighty impressed.  I've shot all kinds of arrows mainly now just carbons.  But these Tonkins are really cool.  Out of the four foot piece of cane you can usually get 2-3 different spine stiffness.  Plus with the pith hollow center, Bengy was adding sections of copper wire to fine tune the FOC weight and soften a too stiff shaft.

Bengy was kind enough to make me four arrows that flew great from my 50# Pronghorn.  They are absolutely beautiful when sanded down with the bamboo fibers showing.

What I found interesting was we (Benjy) made up a raw cane arrow with the rough irregular nodes.  It flew just as good as the the other shafts.  Well that did it for me.  I have a box of Tonkin on order and decided this years Bear Quest was to be an all Bamboo Bear    

Back to the pith hollow center, it will work perfectly to attach a Team Tippit post broadhead right down the pith  :eek:  

Benjy, Thanks for a great day...Doc

This years Bamboo Bear Hunting Outfit:

1) Bamboo backed selfbow
2) Benjy Tonkin arrows...bottom arrow with banana turkey feathers is unfinished tonkin shaft.


 

Options for the sharp end:

Team Tippit post broadhead

 

Or Team Woody knapped head  

 

Could I get the website for ordering the raw bamboo?

Thanks,
Keith

Great job, Benjy.  They look beautiful.

After calling the cane source Rob told me about, I went to a local dealer to look at the stock cane shafts before buying.  However, I was hesitated after thinking of how much time to put in for truing and for smothing the nodes.  Your arrow shafts look as straight/smooth as those I bought previously from the evilbay.  I think I am gonna give it a try.

I have few questions hope you can help me:

1. Did you spine test various section of the 4' cane to cut the right one?
2. Did the spine changed after straighten the cane by heat?
3. what tools did you use to smooth out the nodes?

Thanks in advance!

Ming

An adress would be nice, the shafts on Robs post were gone quickly.

Very nice!

Kudu and Huey, you can PM Rob to send you the link...

Have to know Rob's last name to Pm him.

Rob DiStefano.  Go to the start of the PowWow forum and you will find his name on many post starters.  Rob also has a lot of how to posts.

I sorted my cane into 3 sizes just by looking at them. I pulled out the big diameter and the small diameter. I put them aside and I have not done anything with them yet. I took the medium size and spine tested them and put them in groups. I then heated and straightened them. Then based on where the nodes were located and how well it straightened I would cut the 4' piece down to about 36". Then I used a file and rolled the shaft as I filed down the nodes. I would then heat straighten them again. Now I put the shaft back on my spine tester and moved the shaft until I hit the target spine and mark it in the center. Then I calculated the length I wanted the arrow to be and keeping the spine mark in the center,I cut my shafts to length, allowing 3/4" for the point taper. Then I sanded down in progression, 150, 180, 220, 320 sand paper and dipped them in supercoat.

That is it in a nutshell. They look alot better in person than the pictures show.

I will be glad to forward the website also. If you still need it send me a PM.

Benjy,

Thanks for the sharing.  Those shafts really come out nice.  Good luck on your hunting with the new toys.

Ming

Nice!  

Just finished and then a mixture of past attempts

they look awesome...nice work

Just returned from spending the weekend at Benjy's hunting turkeys, making cane arrows, and shooting his jug course.

Let me tell ya those canes fly nice and are easy to tune.

Ended up with two really good hunting arrows and a flu flu. Also have some other shafts that I will be working on over the next couple weeks.

What a great weekend is all I can say!

....I LIKE THE quiver !!!! Been working on some bamboo arrows too.

You guys did real good. They look great!