Been making some cane arrows

How to's, questions, and build alongs for those traditional archers who are interested in building their own custom arrows.
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jaydee2trad
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Joined: Mon Jun 01, 2020 12:28 pm

Been making some cane arrows

#1 Post by jaydee2trad »

Always wanted to and have done it a while back. Learned a lot, made a lot of mistakes but really enjoyed it. River cane is a renewable resource that is found in a lot of places. My first mistake was worrying about the nodes and trying to sand them down right off the bat. Now I don't do that at all until after dried and straightened pretty well. Straightening them is quite easy using a heat gun, you can watch various videos on it all. Then it is about arrow spine to which I made a tester for that. I had started off with about a hundred rough shafts to end up with a couple dozen decent ones that I turned into a dozen good ones for my 42 # draw weight. I have at this moment another 50 or so drying to be made into arrows for hunting season. I used a 2 fletch for the first ones as well as plastic nocks. I also filled the front of the shafts with more cane for the heavier points, mean to have over 200 grains there. what I found was that it was quite easy to do and fun. plus they seem to be pretty durable. JD

Carpdaddy
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Re: Been making some cane arrows

#2 Post by Carpdaddy »

Interesting; I just came in from the garage, been out there doing some of the same!
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jaydee2trad
Posts: 1173
Joined: Mon Jun 01, 2020 12:28 pm

Re: Been making some cane arrows

#3 Post by jaydee2trad »

Wow those look great. are you spine testing them too? They look better than my first ones but I learned a lot. Did you use a fletching jig? It's crazy not to make them, when they are pretty easy to make. I have plenty of wild turkey feathers for my hunting arrows. Being a half breed myself, just pretty awesome to be using them. JD

jaydee2trad
Posts: 1173
Joined: Mon Jun 01, 2020 12:28 pm

Re: Been making some cane arrows

#4 Post by jaydee2trad »

Forgot, I'm sitting in the hospital right now, the wife just got a knee replacement

Captainkirk
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Re: Been making some cane arrows

#5 Post by Captainkirk »

First off, welcome to the forum, JD!
Since I make my own cedars, I'd love to have a crack at doing some cane arrows. However, I don't know of any sources around here, and most of the areas where can grows are considered "wetlands" and therefore off limits. Still, I'd love to watch you build a set in a thread here, if you can post pictures.
Aim small, miss small!

Carpdaddy
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Re: Been making some cane arrows

#6 Post by Carpdaddy »

I no longer have a spine tester, been too many years using carbon, so I ordered these online. I ordered them in 45-40# spine, but they seemed very weak, so I tested them out. I was correct, couldn’t even shoot them in my 40# bow, flip left bad! Tried another to be sure, far too weak! Contacted the source, he is replacing them with heavier spine. Stay tuned.

jaydee2trad
Posts: 1173
Joined: Mon Jun 01, 2020 12:28 pm

Re: Been making some cane arrows

#7 Post by jaydee2trad »

Did you get the heavier spined shafts yet Carpdaddy?

Carpdaddy
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Re: Been making some cane arrows

#8 Post by Carpdaddy »

No, haven’t received new shafts yet, so I’m working on fletching. A friend and his sons took some geese last season and gave me the wings, I usually get their Turkey also. Thought I would give them a try.
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Carpdaddy
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Re: Been making some cane arrows

#9 Post by Carpdaddy »

Worked on a little yesterday and some more today...
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Carpdaddy
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Re: Been making some cane arrows

#10 Post by Carpdaddy »

Well it post pictures in opposite order but you get the idea...
Made a good mess....
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