What bamboo shafts should I buy online?

[PAHunter]

What bamboo shafts should I buy online?  I’m looking to make bamboo arrows with hickory inserts for target and hunting.  I’m interested in spinning them well my 50-60# sefl bows.  I’ll likely have several questions throughout this process but the first is what bamboo to get.  I’ve gotten it from K-mart and home improvement stores before and the weights and spines are just too inconsistent to make a good matching set.  I’m considering buying online and see adds like the one below for Tiger.
•   100pcs of Superb hand spined Bamboo arrow shafts 33"/40-45# (28" spine tester) for making hunting & target arrows. Comes with shafts Only, no points and fletch.
•   Weight 25-30g /piece on average, 7-8 mm diameter, 3-5 bamboo nodes within that length.
•   Long enough for arrow makers to customize the final arrows

Some questions

• Are Tiger shafts the best to get?
• Can the Tiger shafts work well with hickory inserts?
• How do these recommended spine poundage’s translate to a self bow?  For example does 40-45# mean for a center cut professional bow but would be too stiff for an off center self bow in that range?
• Does anyone offer a range of spines, such as 12 arrows per spine?
• Any other advice is appreciated!

Thanks!
Rob

[Fred Arnold]

Some will tell you with bamboo and cane arrows that spine doesn't matter as much as keeping the physical weight the same. I try to match mine in spine and weight and have excellent results. Reed shafts are not as critical as hardwoods and you will find that the shoot shafts will fly accurately out of most of your close to same weight bows.

I've used the Tiger shafts and although I prefer some others over them, they are a good value and possibly the best value for your money.

Hand spined and weight matched bamboo/cane shafts can be very expensive. I do my own and if I had to figure my time and labor they would be too much for me to afford.

[PAHunter]

Thanks Fred, which shafts do you perfer over Tiger and why?

[Fred Arnold]

Rob, I prefer japanese bamboo from Jaap Kopedrayer (Yumi Bows). The times I purchased from him the bamboo was not spined or straightened and ran about $2 per shaft. Best bamboo I've found but a lot of work considering you can acquire the China cane already spined , straightened, and sealed for about the same money.
Next best product I've had the pleasure of working with is hill cane that PatB was kind enough to send me. That is an awful nice product but I haven't been able to find a source for it on a regular basis. I know Pat trades some from time to time and should try to find something to trade him for more in the Spring.
The Tiger cane actually gets a best buy rating from me but I have a tendency to purchase American made products when available. 

[Buck67]

I don't know what kind of price that those prepared bamboo shafts cost.  However if you want to do your own sorting, straightening and cutting to length, then you might take a look at this  I bought 500 48" bamboo "tomato stakes" from AM Leonard and had them delivered to my door for $127.00.  That comes out to about $.25 cents apiece.  So far I have made about 30 arrows from the bundle and I had to discard about 10 others for being too thin or too crooked.  The bamboo from AM Leonard is mostly solid all the way through, there doesn't seem to be a hollow middle.

Your mileage may vary.

[PAHunter]

@Buck: thanks man that does sound like a great deal.  I'll check it out.  Though I'm kinda looking for very good quality bamboo that I can spine and weigh correctly for my bows.  Though wiht 500 I'm sure you can weed through them to make several good sets.

[Andoing]

HIKSTIK makes great shafts, I am very satisfied with mine.

[PAHunter]

What spine shaft do you recommend for a selfbow?  I'm guessing the ratings on them are for center cut professional bows.  thanks!

[PAHunter]

I found this general recommendation on bambooarrows site.  Sounds like a good rule of thumb to me!

English Longbow archers will know that they may generally shoot an arrow aprox 10# lower, so a 35-40# shaft at 28 inches will suit a 45-50lb longbow.

[PAHunter]

I bought 50 Tonkin bamboo arrow shafts off ebay for $90 including shipping.  They are noted at 40-45# and I'm guessing they will work for my 50-60# bows and 27 and 1/2 draw.  I'll weight match a set as best I can and work on hickory inserts.  Thanks for the advice guys!

[Pat B]

There is a place near where Eddie Parker(Mullet) lives in Fla that sell 500 ct bundles of Tonkin cane for cheaper than Leonard, I think. Contact Eddie and he'll give you the info. The stuff Leonard has sounds like Tonkin.

[mullet]

The place in Lakeland, Fl. is the Bamboo Supply. They sell Tonkin and if you tell them you want it for arrows they will look through the bundles and pick out the ones that are the best. I usually pick up 4' x 8 to 10mm. That way it gives you a lot of room to work different spins. These are bundles of 500 and the price fluctuates between $55-60.  The one problem I had with Tigers and, that's who David Knight was getting it from is the rind and Nodes are ground off. I've noticed that they break pretty easy with that having been done.

[PEARL DRUMS]

None better Jon. 

[PAHunter]

I made a prototype with the 50 Tonkin shafts from Asia.  I'm very happy with it.  The 40-45# shafts (estimated 55ish for selfbow) are too thin to do decent inserts so I got some 1/8'' dowel rods to insert a few inches into the front.  I'll use sinew on my actual hunting arrows but the artifical sinew and thread are fine for the practice arrows.  I'll probably order some 50-55# ones eventually for some stiffer ones as well.  I'll see how it flys tonight!

[mullet]

The hole inTonkin is so small I've never had to put an insert in the nock. I just wrap it real good.