Got some cane, now what?

[okie64]

Went hunting today and didnt get a deer but did harvest some cane while I was out there. This was my first time to cut any cane but it was right there on the trail on my walk back to the truck so I figured why not. Should I just bundle it up and let it sit for a few months or do I need to do some periodic straightening? Im not sure if I cut the right size, most of it is around 3/8" to 7/16" wide at the base. Any info will be appreciated.

[PrimitiveTim]

I'd cut all the branches off and cut them roughly to the size you want them.  Then let 'em dry.  You can try to periodically straighten them as they dry but it's really not that hard to use head once they're cured.  After the branches come off bundle 'em up and wait.

[Danzn Bar]

Okie
Tim beat me to it.
To answer the subject line.........................Strip the leaves,cut them about 3 ft long with the big end 3/8" in dia..  Tie them together,  keep them indoors, in two weeds they can be taken apart, straighten  tied together until the nexed straighting sesson.  after about 3 months, straight'n "arrow straight" with heat, sand nodes, cut to 32", add about 3" of  wooden plugs to ea. end, cut nocks, add fletching, add point and have lots of fun shooting. 
DBar   

[okie64]

Thanks for the helpful responses fellows. This cane stuff is all new to me and it has me a little excited. I'll probably cut some more next time I'm back at that huntin spot, there are boatloads of it out there. So will 3/8" shafts generally spine out to somewhere in the 50# range or so?

[Danzn Bar]

Next time you go to that hunting spot you need to take one of those primitive arrows that came from that patch and bring home the meat for the freezer
DBar

[Pat B]

Be sure you are collecting 2 year old or older culms(canes).As these dry any that wrinkle lengthwise are immature and will make floppy arrows.

[NeolithicMan]

I really want to try some of this kind of cane. a house I drive by on the way to work has a big patch outside their house that seems to be going a bit wild. Any ideas on how to ask for some without seeming like a landscaping stalker? If I'm going to ask some one for something like this I will bring a bow or some items to offer. these folks seem to be older so not sure what my best approach is.

[PrimitiveTim]

I really want to try some of this kind of cane. a house I drive by on the way to work has a big patch outside their house that seems to be going a bit wild. Any ideas on how to ask for some without seeming like a landscaping stalker? If I'm going to ask some one for something like this I will bring a bow or some items to offer. these folks seem to be older so not sure what my best approach is.

  I just started taking some then an old lady caught me doing it so I explained what I was doing and she told me to take all I wanted cause they couldn't control it.  Haha, this is not the best way to do it.  That's how I got my permission though.

[stickbender]

     Like Pat said.  It looks like from the picture, that you have some green culms, (the long leaf like sheaths which wrap around the shaft itself.)  which means that it is immature .  Like he said if it starts to wrinkle length ways, it is too young.  Look for shoots that have dry, light greyish brown culms, which is what the older shoots have.  As for length, cut them long, and then when dry, and ready to use, cut them to length.  You can spine them, and cut them.  As for filling in the ends, if they have decent thickness, you really don't need to fill them, unless they have really thin walls.  You can cut the notch for the arrow head, insert your arrow head, and glue it with whatever method, and wrap about an inch from the arrow head, and glue that also, and make a smooth transition from the head to the shaft with the glue, pitch, etc. Same for the notch, cut it, about 3/4 of an inch, or a very little less,above a node, if you don't have a node where you have cut it, just cut the notch, and wrap just below the notch, and glue it also.  Wrap at least a half to 3/4/ of an inch below the cut. And mark the stiff side before cutting the knock notch.  You want the stiff side against the bow.  If you want to get some of that boo in the peoples yard, stop and ask them.  The worse they can say is no.  Of course they can adlib a bit with it also.  But just stop, and explain that you saw the boo in their, yard, and you have been looking for some, and tell them why, and ask if they mind if you cut some, or if you could dig up some root stock, for transplanting.  Just ask.  Doesn't hurt to ask.

     I doubt that they would be interested in Primitive archery, but you might make an N.A. style arrow, and give to them, or even a Japanese style arrow, or just your own style arrow, and show them what you do with the bamboo.   Don't be proud, go up and knock on the door.  Introduce your self, tell them you have an unruly step red headed step child, and you would like to have a couple dozen of those bamboo stalks, to adjust the child's way of thinking, sort of a tune up, so to speak.   Seriously, just ask.

                                                      Wayne

[okie64]

Ok so i'll keep an eye on them to see if they start wrinkling. I remember seeing one or two that were a different color(kind of a purplish color on the stalk) I just assumed that it was probably dead. Next time I'm back out there I'll look for more of those.

[H Rhodes]

I agree with Stickbender and PatB.  I don't use the inserts either and have had no issues with splitting whether I cut them near a node or not.  I do wrap below the point and the string nock with thread and glue.   Around here, the immature cane is pretty noticeable.  It does have more leaf sheaves stuck to the main shaft and will be more floppy and usually a little greener.  I pre-straighten mine while they are still green.  Cut them to 36" and bundle them up tight.  Finish heat straightening after a couple months.  The cane i use looks a lot like what you have there. 
   You asked about how much the spine weight might be.  I don't measure the spine weight with my cane arrows like I do with wood shafting.  I use the fat end for the point,  and measure it with a 3/8 open end wrench.  What I like to do is to go ahead and cut my string nock and and put a blunt tip on it made from a cartridge casing (i can take it off later and fit the arrow with field point, trade point etc.)  Shoot the arrow some bareshaft.  I can get a feel for which way the arrow needs to be oriented for fletching after that.  Cane arrows do shoot better from one side or the other.  After bareshafting I will mark the side of the nock that goes next to the bow and then fletch it.  They are so naturally "weight forward" that they will fly straight out of a greater range of bow weights than other arrows.   Cane makes a tough arrow.