Bamboo arrow making

Todd Mathis · February 05, 2017, 10:51:00 AM

Just wondering if there are many people interested in making their own bamboo arrows out there. I find it to be a great hobby myself, and I love shooting them. But it seems to still be a rarity in the U.S. Curious about that question. Anyone making them/shooting them/hunting with them?
I have shot them with all kinds of heads, but making a light bamboo arrow seems to be the real challenge for me.

Longtoke · February 05, 2017, 10:56:00 AM

I would love to learn, I am thinking of planting some bamboo this spring so I will have some shafts since there does not seem to be many places to buy them?

I have managed to get 1 good arrow out of a pile of bamboo garden stakes I have. It seems like a bomb proof shaft material. I would be excited to get my hands on some more bamboo.

Todd Mathis · February 05, 2017, 11:04:00 AM

I got into a bit of trouble posting a url on trad gang recently. I order mine out of china, they are great! I'm really working hard to get 3 Rivers (a trad gang sponsor so I hope that's ok to say) to start stocking them. They Chinese supplier who I use is honest, he just has problems accurately spining some of his arrows, and you have to buy a large bundle. This isn't a big problem, you just have to tune those that don't group. I have a free website that teaches all about it, but I don't think I'm allowed to put a url to it on trad gang. I guess you could send me an offline email perhaps and I could send it to you that way? Don't want to get myself crosswise again since I'm a new member. Todd.

Pat B · February 05, 2017, 01:23:00 PM

I have hill cane growing along the stream that runs through my property and have been building arrows with it for many years. Hill cane is one of the three native bamboos(Hill, switch and river cane) and it only grows in the Southern Appalachian Mountains where as the other two grow throughout the Southeast US.
There are different types of cane, some physically heavier that others. Japanese arrow bamboo, an Asiatic import is one that comes to mind for lighter physically weight with the same bamboo toughness.
Longtoke, be aware that most bamboos, native or exotic can be extremely invasive. Before you plant any variety of bamboo be sure you pick a place where it can run wild because it will. Also, there probably aren't too many that can stand the Colorado climate so check out the hardiness of whatever species you choose.

Sam McMichael · February 05, 2017, 01:34:00 PM

My only problem comes in straightening the shafts. I have never been able to develop the knack for it.

Pat B · February 05, 2017, 02:30:00 PM

That's the most difficult part of the cane shaft processing, Sam. You have to do a little heating and bending then set it aside to cool before working on the next section. If you don't you negate what you just did. Once cool the bends stay straight.
I start by working the nodes first then move to the internodes. This is done in anywhere from 2 to 3 sessions or 10 or more, depending on the severity of the bends. It is definitely a labor of love but once you have made and shoot well made cane arrows you'll wonder why you hadn't before.

JEFF B · February 05, 2017, 02:43:00 PM

yes i make my own when i do some trading for rivercane. they are so cool to shoot and when ya take game with them its even more cool and yes the straightening is the hardest part but well worth the effort.

ChuckC · February 05, 2017, 04:58:00 PM

I saw cane or bamboo arrows made by Jaap Kopedrayer (?) at the Kzoo expo last weekend. He had some there that were well over $100 a dozen for shafts with nocks in place, but they were incredible ! I was hoping to purchase just one to look at but it just didn't happen. He has a bamboo products business in south GA somewhere. Pretty sure he has a website.
ChuckC

frank bullitt · February 06, 2017, 09:34:00 AM

Bamboo, river cane, love em!

I hunted squirrels with a cane arrow that has a brass shell casing blunt. It took a lot of hard hits and still shooting well!
And, 7 fox squirrels fell to this feathered shaft!

Todd Mathis · February 08, 2017, 11:12:00 AM

I buy mine out of china, and in a group of 100, I only have to straighten about 10%. The rest are fine. I'm trying to get 3 rivers to offer these shafts on their website so they will be easier to find. The guy in china is honest, just hard to understand, and the spines aren't always as advertised.