Bamboo Arrows ????

[sbschindler]

I'm thinking about trying some bamboo arrows, I've done some search's and it has peaked my interest for sure, From what I understand the Tonkin cane bamboo is what the arrows are made of and it appears these arrows are more durable than a cedar arrow, I also understand they can be or come sanded smooth and don't have the little ridges. My question is how do you like them, do they fly every bit as good as cedar and just over all how do they rate. And where is a good source of supply, and how much do they generally run

[Orion]

They might be sanded, but they'll still have ridges at the nodes.  If they were sanded totally smooth, it would weaken their structural integrity.  

Regardless, they will not be as straight as cedar, and you will likely have to straighten them using heat.

More work to turn into a good arrow.  Will likely have to drill out the front end and glue in a small piece of dowel before tapering the point end to receive a point.  Different procedure for trade and stone points, which I won't get into.  May need to do the same before tapering the nock ends, or make self nocks out of hardwood inserts. Probably won't be able to find them spine and weight matched as closely as cedar.

All that being said, they make a very durable arrow that flies quite well.  They're naturally tapered along the entire length of the arrow, which adds some FOC and contributes to good arrow flight. Tougher than POC in my opinion, but not indestructible.

I got some from a fella in the Kalispell area a few years ago. Can't remember his name  Went by the handle of Fletcher the ? on this site.  At the time, priced less than cedar and good quality.  I see they're also being offered on the auction site now. I know nothing of their quality.

[macbow]

I bought some of the bamboo shafts that are spined .
I like them a lot.
What is the weight of your bow?

[macbow]

 

   

 

These are some that I'm donating to our UBM banquet.
45 to 50 spine. I like these better than wood.

[halfseminole]

I heavily prefer them for my bows.  Heavier, tougher and fly better for me.

[Pat B]

Cane is tougher than about any wood dowelled arrows. They can be made as straight as any wood arrow and can be tapered to accept glue on points and nocks but that is not necessary. I make self nocks and haft stone or trade points right into the cane. Fore shafts are not necessary.
 The nocks can be sanded smooth like the ones Macbow posted but that isn't necessary either. I think those are Tonkin and probably processed in Japan or China. With raw Tonkin cane(tomato stakes)and native hill cane I harvest along our creek I'll heat the nodes and compress them by rolling them on a smooth surface and a block of wood.
  The cane shafts like Macbow has are probably pretty straight when he bought them. With raw cane you will have to straighten them. This can take quite a while. You have to heat and straighten one bend and set it aside to cool. If you try to work another bend while the other is still warm it may bend back again. I know some folks that will keep a cool, damp rag handy to cool the heated area faster but I haven't tried this.
 Cane arrows are time consuming to build but once you build them you will love them; how they shoot and how tough they are.

[iohkus]

Here's an idea I was playing around with: foot with an appropriate sized aluminum shaft, and glue in a brass insert. Quick-change points!  

[Tater]

I am in the process of building my first cane arrows, we have a nice stand of cane on our property, so I thought I would take advantage of it.

    Cane is different to straighten than wood there is a bit of a learning curve. So far I am very pleased with the way they are turning out, I am making wooden plugs for both ends so I can use mercury nocks and glue on broad heads.

[britt]

I would like to see them when you are finished Tater.

[macbow]

Pat is right mine came from China. I have worked cane and it is a lot of work.
But I like both types for target or hunting. They can be incredibly tough.
The ones from China look. More like carbon than cane and come pretty straight.

[halfseminole]

I prefer bone or horn nocks and tanged heads, which were designed for bamboo from the get-go.

[Chez12]

following

[Tater]

britt,
  Here are a couple pictures of my first shafts ready to fletch.
  I learned alot on these first three, especially about making the wooden inserts. I cut more cane last week so I will wait a bit for it to dry.

 

 

 

[hitman]

[Fastltz]

I think it was tenbrook archery that had a really good build along with pics for bamboo arrows...I want to try them some day when my to do list gets caught up.

[Pat B]

Here are a few of my hill cane arrows...
 

with self nocks...
 

the arrow on the right and left are hill cane...
 

[Jon Stewart]

There is a guy in Montana that sells really nice finished bamboo shafts (pm for info). I do as Pat B does plus I have also taken bamboo skewers and glued them into  the ends of the shaft  which allows me to nock and  point taper the bamboo shaft. I  use the skewers when I self nock and
glue on stone points.
I glue about 2 inches of the  skewer using time bond 2.

[Tater]

Jon,
   That's a great idea about the skewers.

    Lots of nice looking arrows there guys..!

   I am still in my learning curve with cane.

[Onehair]

I am playing with the Chinese and river cane. The thing that puzzles me is how well they shoot even when not straight. Some how they hit the mark and out of every bow I have.

[Pat B]

Arrows don't have to be straight to shoot straight. As long as the tip ad nock line up and the shaft is reasonably straight the arrows will fly well.
 I used to use bamboo skewers in the void at the point and nock but don't any more. Even with glue on points and nocks a simple taper, like with other shafting works well but I do use a sander type tapering and not a pencil sharpener type.
 Most cane shafts are weight forward just by their tapered shape. If you want to add more weight to the forward end you can drill out the void and cut the shank off of a 16d common nail to add the weight you desire.