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Author Topic: Is this river cane?  (Read 4446 times)

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Offline DuBois

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Is this river cane?
« on: February 01, 2016, 11:53:32 pm »
Happened upon this stand of what I hope is usable cane for arrows. I hacked a bit of it after asking permission. Also, if it is good to use, how to I treat it at this point? Just tie it in bundles?
Thanks, Marco
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Offline sleek

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Re: Is this river cane?
« Reply #1 on: February 02, 2016, 12:12:11 am »
Im gonna call that a reed and not cane or boo. Perhaps phragmities? A better pic of the nodes and stalk would help. Id wager that will make arrows though. May need foreshafts.
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Offline Dakota Kid

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Re: Is this river cane?
« Reply #2 on: February 02, 2016, 03:09:08 am »
The walls of that reed are way thicker than any phragmite I've ever seen. Plus phragmites have a tuft at the top, kinda like a cornstalk. I don't know what it is and have never encountered it before, but it sure does look like arrows to me.
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Offline bowandarrow473

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Re: Is this river cane?
« Reply #3 on: February 02, 2016, 07:42:57 am »
The sheaths on the stalk and the overall look of it lead me to believe that it is a type of reed and is not river cane.

The easiest way to tell rivercane apart from other bamboos is the almost fan like collection of leaves at the top of a new stalk. It looks like a turkey fan kinda, and it's difficult to describe, but it's tell tale of rivercane as no other bamboo I know of posses such a configuration of leaves on a young stalk.
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Offline Knoll

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Re: Is this river cane?
« Reply #4 on: February 02, 2016, 09:22:53 am »
Don't know either. But maybe bundle it up and set aside until thoroughly dry. Then see whatcha got.
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Offline Pat B

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Re: Is this river cane?
« Reply #5 on: February 02, 2016, 09:25:21 am »
No its not river cane.
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Offline sleek

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Re: Is this river cane?
« Reply #6 on: February 02, 2016, 09:48:14 am »
Id be surprised to find it wont make arrows though. Cut severeal of different diameters and let em dry, bundled up. Do a spine test and snap one to see how it feels and handles it.  Probably gonna have to use a foreshaft to hold the head on.
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Tread softly and carry a bent stick.

Dont seek your happiness through the approval of others

Offline GlisGlis

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Re: Is this river cane?
« Reply #7 on: February 02, 2016, 11:58:51 am »
I'd need other pictures but it looks alot like arundo donax to me.
I've made arrows out of them. Not all are good quality.some are
better if you find second year stems. they tend to loose green and show a gold colour.
they are stronger and dry far better
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Offline threefingers

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Re: Is this river cane?
« Reply #8 on: February 10, 2016, 03:12:40 pm »
The stuff growing kinda looks like it.Where are u located?I have a real good source for what we call river cane.I have made a lot of arrows out of it.This stuff is really stout and can be straightened really good as well.This guy brings me (at a cost of course,guess there ain't nothin free)green pieces 36 inches long.I lay them between 2 pieces of 1/2 x 1/2 angle,clamp them tight,and set over space heater til dry.Takes a while maybe couple hrs but the end result is great.Very little of that heat and straightening game.I'll size it,make my cuts,around 25 inches and take some oak dowel from lowes turn down one end on a bench grinder and glue into cane shaft,same for nock.When dry,sand,adjust length and build arrow.Just make sure to cross grain nock and point end to reduce splitting.So if that is cane it will make a really good arrow.
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Offline DuBois

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Re: Is this river cane?
« Reply #9 on: February 27, 2016, 07:26:48 pm »
Hey Three,
This was in SE Kansas.
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Offline threefingers

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Re: Is this river cane?
« Reply #10 on: March 04, 2016, 10:32:47 am »
That kinda looks like what we have here in the Texas gulf coast area.
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