River Cane

[Piddler]

Fellas a question on river cane. What size as in OD do people typically shoot for. Lets say want to spine at 45-50 or 50 55.
Piddler

[Pat B]

When I harvest hill cane I take a 3/8" open end wrench and use it to size the butt end of the cane. My 55# to 65# finished arrows are usually just under 3/8" at the point end and 5/16" at the nock end of a 30" arrow.

[Piddler]

Thanks Pat. That's what I was after.
Piddler

[Piddler]

Pat,
One more question, well I'll probably have more later, when do you sand down the nodes. Such as before or after drying or straightening. Any other advice is also appreciated.
On another note, not sure what species of cane this is. My daddy just called all the cane around here (east Ok) switch cane.
Piddler

[Pat B]

Where do you live, Piddler?  Probably switch cane or one of the exotics. Don't touch the nodes until the cane is straightened and tempered. Then you can sand the nodes. I don't sand the nodes. I do remove the thin corky ring around the node then heat and compress each node by rolling it between a smooth block of wood and a hard smooth surface.

[Piddler]

Will do Pat and thanks. Eastern Central Oklahoma. About 20 miles from Arkansas maybe a bit less as the crow flies.
Piddler

[gutpile]

Thad Beckum has two videos out on cane.. Full circle ...two hours and has enormous amounts of knowledge from brain tan to bow building to flintknapping to cane arrows, pitch, hide glue.... great video .. ruined me.. he recently came out with another on just cane arrows.. all the info you need is in these videos... cane being so light I foreshaft mine.. Thad shows how to foreshaft and even build a backwards arrow with no foreshaft... I think PA sells them both..I know 3 rivers do .. gut

[Piddler]

Thanks Gut. I'll look into it.
Piddler