Making River Cane Arrows

[MikeW]

Is there some trick to finding River cane that isn't tapered real severe over a 30" length?

I've looked at a bunch of threads and web sites about making them and I really haven't seen that part mentioned, yet all the arrows I see look pretty uniform in diameter. I have access to a bunch of it around here and about the only thing I could think of was to take an arrow with me and try to get them as close to that as I could. I can only seem to find it about 3 nodes long then it's either really big or really small.

I want to try my hand at it but I'm scratching my head over this. I don't see the ones I've found so far working very well.

?????

Edit:
Mods I did it again, this same post is in the classifieds, please delete. We need a delete button here so we can take care of this ourselfs.

[Jeff U]

Take a 3/8 open end wrench when searching.  Slip it over the canes to find the right size.

3/8 is about right for the point end.

If the taper is too great, pick a little larger shaft to get the nock end right.  You'll just have to sand/scrape down the point end to size.

Sometimes I end up cutting a large diameter shoot that's very long, 5 or 6 feet, and end up cutting the arrow from the middle.  The middle of a long shoot can be more uniform in size.

[MikeW]

Sometimes I end up cutting a large diameter shoot that's very long, 5 or 6 feet, and end up cutting the arrow from the middle. The middle of a long shoot can be more uniform in size.

That's what I was going to look for next time I run into some. Nice tip on the 3/8" wrench too.
Thx

[pine nut]

Mike, I'm by no means an expert, but Last year I searched and found the right stuff.  Unfortunately it was after cutting a bunch of the wrong stuff.  I guess I'm saying keep looking, and trust you instincts that you haven't found the right ones.  There is a large creek bottom that I know in North GA and it is full of the wrong cane,(I think).  It is about 10 to 12 feet high.  The good stuff I found was about 6 to 7 feet high and the canes are thick walled and uniform.  From the sound of your description I do not think you've found the right stuff.  Keep looking and I bet when you find it you will recognize what I'm saying. when I found my patch it was on a different river! Hope this helps. Bill

[pine nut]

Another thing Mike is that the grooves  on the cane are not nearly so pronounced on the good stuff.  Keep your eyes open on the road for canes and check them out when you can.  I really don't know about Texas but there's a bunch in GA.  Bill

[MikeW]

It is about 10 to 12 feet high. The good stuff I found was about 6 to 7 feet high and the canes are thick walled and uniform. From the sound of your description I do not think you've found the right stuff. Keep looking and I bet when you find it you will recognize what I'm saying. when I found my patch it was on a different river! Hope this helps. Bill

That might be the problem then, the stuff I ran into the other day was 10'-12'..man the was a mile of it on both sides of the road. If nothing else I have a ton of tomato stakes now. I'll keep an eye out for the smaller stuff. There is a bunch of it around Dallas in different places and I work outside all over the place.

[BamBooBender]

The natural taper is one of the things I like about cane arrows. Do you mean that the nock end ends up too narrow?

The 3/8" wrench is a good idea. I usually look for cane/boo that is about the diameter of a regular wood arrow (11/32") in the middle of the shaft then the nock ends up around 5/16" or maybe just a little smaller. Always worked fine for me.

[MikeW]

 Do you mean that the nock end ends up too narrow?

Yes that or the broadhead end is too big.
I can't seem to find any that are around 11/32 or 3/8" for 30"

[BamBooBender]

I mostly use bamboo these days and cut my shafts at 30" ,haven't had much problem with them. They often aren't perfect in size either but, as Jeff U mentioned above, I just pick them with right size nock end and taper the point end as needed. Also I cut self nocks in them. If you're wanting to use commercial type nocks then I guess getting the size just right would be a little more important.

[nchunter]

The way I deal with the taper at the nock end is to use 5/16" or even 9/32" nocks.  (Next time you're at a Trad Shoot and a vendor's there selling nocks, by a dozen of every size.)

Also, to strengthen the thinner nock end of the cane I will drill out the first node closest to the nock end with a 5/32" drill bit.  Then I'll take one of those large bamboo shiskabob skewers (the 8" ones, not the 6" - you can buy a pack of a hundred for 99 cents at your local discount store), lube it up with wood glue, and insert it into the cane point-first all the way in (or as far as it will go until it hits the next nock).

Even though they're thin, I have NEVER had a cane arrow break on me, even when stump-shooting steel drums!  I can't say that about any other arrow material, including carbon...

[nchunter]

Oops! My last post should have read: insert the shiskabob into the cane until it hits the next NODE.

[MikeW]

Thx guys.
I'm mostly looking to make some fancy ones to hang on the wall(I'll make a few to shoot)I want to make them with horn nocks and some with exotic wood nocks. Snake skin cresting ect. I have some natural Turkey feathers and knapped heads all I need is some good cane now. I'll post some pics when I get them done.

[BamBooBender]

I have NEVER had a cane arrow break on me, even when stump-shooting steel drums! I can't say that about any other arrow material, including carbon...

Yep, same here. I've lost some and gave a bunch away, but never broke one.

[Jeff U]

If you are making them for display and want that light golden brown look, you will need to scrape them down some.  

I have left some to dry for a year or more and they still maintain a green tint.

Also you can use heat to brown them.  Either a torch or gas burner on the stove will work.  But, beware they are easy to burn and then you get a nice hue of black.

[the Ferret]

Jeff if you expose them to the sun they should lose that green color.

There are many species of cane and almost all will make decent arrows however some taper greatly and some hardly at all, while some have nodes every 3 inches and others a node every foot.

[MikeW]

Jeff if you expose them to the sun they should lose that green color.

There are many species of cane and almost all will make decent arrows however some taper greatly and some hardly at all, while some have nodes every 3 inches and others a node every foot.

Mine are already bleaching out and it's only been a few weeks. Sounds like I need to keep looking though till I find the good stuff.
Thx. again.