Question for the cane experts?

brock donald · May 04, 2013, 01:16:00 PM

For all you cane experts i have a few questions. I am getting into this pretty serious and have made several arrows now. Some shoot like darts some dont. I went and bought some bamboo steaks from a garden shop and really like that stuff in comparison to the rivercane i have been getting around here. The bamboo nodes seem to be more inline you might say making for a much straighter arrow. Is this common or do i not have very good river cane supply. Also the bamboo is thicker walled. I have been drilling out the bamboo and inserting the hidden insert into them. With the rivercane i use the standard brass insert. The nodes on the rivercane seem to be offset making it difficult for me to get strait with each other. Maybe i just havent mastered it yet too i dont know. Thanks for any thoughts im having a blast doing this stuff and cant wait to try it out.

2fletch · May 05, 2013, 09:41:00 AM

The stakes that you are getting from a garden shop are probably Tonkin cane. They have thicker walls and are the cadilac of canes. However, river cane and arrow bamboo work well also. I have a nice patch of Japanese Arrow Bamboo growing in the back yard which is my go to source. I also have a limited patch of Tonkin cane but it's been surrounded by the arrow bamboo and is in a fight for it's life. Either will work. I'd say that if you shoot a heavy bow then you probably ought to use Tonkin cane because it tends to be heavier and stiffer for the same diameter.

magnus · May 05, 2013, 10:23:00 AM

Might try and get your hands on some Hill cane. I like it better than the rest. It all is good stuff though.

brock donald · May 05, 2013, 12:15:00 PM

Been doing alot of research sounds like sasa bamboo is good too. Where is a good place to buy bamboo at. Any kind to get me started. Just bulk raw shafts would be fine with me. The stuff at depo is fine but ur lucky to get three or four shafts per bundle.

JAG · May 05, 2013, 12:47:00 PM

Google Bamboo Supply.net
Kinda pricry now, but quality stuff.
Johnny/JAG
Also check the how to section. Some good info here on tradgang.

JEFF B · May 05, 2013, 03:15:00 PM

i am no cane expert but i would stick with the river cane heat and bend until ya get the nodes good enough to shoot straight then go for it. its good fun using it i love river cane

Art B · May 05, 2013, 04:34:00 PM

I would try to do some trading for some of the good stuff. Hill cane was mentioned. One of the best for hunting arrows IMO. Switch cane makes great shooting arrows. River cane is my least favorite materials because of it's long furrows on the fletching end. Sasa is OK but makes a bigger diameter shaft then I like. There's the Japanese boo that makes fine arrows, but it's walls are thin. Then there's bambusa and many other boos that make decent arrow.

A lot depends on the weight of your bows. You're not going to get high spines w/reasonable dia. out of some of the native canes. For higher spines stick with bamboo............Art

magnus · May 05, 2013, 05:19:00 PM

There ya go. You asked for an expert and you got it!!!!

brock donald · May 05, 2013, 05:59:00 PM

Hill cane sounds good now ill have to do some looking. Dont have much to trade butif anyone has an abundance let me know. I will work something out

markliep · May 05, 2013, 06:26:00 PM

I like the tonkin bamboo shafts you get from oulay bamboo (check on fleabay) $90 shipping in for 50 finished & spined 33" shafts - they're very forgiving - tried the HD garden stakes & spent way too much time getting properly spined ones - never did get more than a few that were even close in weight so vertical stringing was a reality - I've put up a post or two with pics of the oulay shafts on the forum if you want to dig around - M.