Cane arrows steam or dry heat?

[wasanchez]

I have tried twice now to straighten cane arrow shafts using steam and an ever so gentle touch and twice now I have failed and broken the shaft at the node I'm trying to fix.  Does dry heat work better for straightening cane shafts?  Both shafts were dead standing but the second one looked and felt strong.  Any tips would be much appreciated.  I really want to figure this out because we have a good bit of cane growing on our place and I am a firm believer in using what you have.

Walt

[Pat B]

Walt, never use dead standing cane. Cane rots very quickly after its life cicle.
  Use dry heat to straighten cane. You can add oil to prevent scorching but it is not necessary if you are careful to not to scorch it. I use my home gas stove to straighten cane but you can use a heat gun or even a candle to heat the cane.

[wasanchez]

Thanks.  The first one was kinda brittle but the second was pretty stout.  Obviously not stout enough.  I have some shafts that i cut and bundled the other day, I just wanted something to shoot in the mean time.  I guess i'll just have to be... whats that word again... patient oh yeah thats it.  Thanks again.

Walt

[Bear Claw]

Walt,
I use a candle to heat the cane. It is a lot easier to heat up just the area you want to straighten. I heat the area to be straightened, make the needed correction then use a cool damp cloth to cool the area down so that it is not unintentionally rebent as I make corrections on other parts of the shaft. Without a doubt river cane is my favorite shaft material.


Aaron

[killir duck]

try heating the cane up then rubbing a wet rag over it then heating it a bit more and then straighten GENTLY

[wasanchez]

Another question I have is why is it important to use the smaller diameter end of the shaft for the nock end? I read that somewhere today and was not sure why. I would think its the other way around.

Walt

[Tom Leemans]

If I have electricity, I use a heat gun propped up on a bench. If not, I use a single campstove burner mounted on a propane bottle.

[BowEd]

Dry heat and tweeking it straght works best for me too.Now I've seen on video from rudder bows that you can straighten them too by rolling them back and forth on a wood stove with a pair of foot long one by fours.I usually get them straight enough with out using the wood stove but might try it sometime to see whether some of the small kinks by some of the nodes disappear.They shoot great regardless the kinks or not.Usually for me a one by four with 100 grit on it sanding length wise on a flat surface does a nice job of making them look straighter too after heat straightening them.Being careful of course.

[Pat B]

Walt, arrows can and have been made with the small end of the cane being the point. Today most use the large end for the point and small end for the nock because that direction of the natural taper of the cane makes it more spine tollerant and adds the physical weight forward giving overall better arrow flight. If the large end were the nock a lighter spined arrow would be needed to clear the bow through paradox and without a heavy point the heavier rear of the arrow would want to go past the lighter point end because of the mass momentum.

[wasanchez]

Thanks Pat for the info. And thanks to everyone else for the straightening tips.

Walt

[cracker]

Ditto what Pat said a good illustration of this would be to go outside and throw the shaft like a spear big end first and then little end first. Ron

[Patches]

for straightening cane I generally use a long bbq grill lighter.  I have used candles but most of teh time when I need to do work on cane I have a lighter laying around.  the only problem I have had is when there is a small hole from insects boring into the cane.  That is the only place I have ever had cane break while straighening it.  I am trying to be diligent and watch for the insect holes when I am getting my cane.