arrow bamboo

[rover brewer]

does anyone know about arrow bamboo, that is the name of the boo. I know a seller of bamboo and said he had some to die about a year ago and I could cut as much as I wanted, claimed it was used for arrows before Tonkin cane . The boo is 5yrs old growth . being dead for a year make it useless for arrows.

[Salvador 06]

Its called psudosassa japonica, and if you can get some go for it.  It may not be good if its been dead that long, but if it isn't cracked I would try it. 

Your best bet is to convince the seller to let you cut some of the live one.

[Fred Arnold]

My favorite!!!    And then I've come to the conclusion that the hill cane sent to me by PatB has got to be the next best thing. I'll rate that hill cane a step above the china bamboo and tonkin cane.

[mullet]

Arrow boo is excellent! Mine died, also. Try breaking what he will let you have. If it snaps in half don't waste your time.

[Salvador 06]

I planted some about 18 months ago and its thriving.  Its such a beautiful plant that I don't have the heart to cut any.  Give me a couple of years and once it becomes a pest my feelings will change.

[rover brewer]

thanks to all, I'll give it a try,I too am a fan of hill cane and river cane but what this guy said about the arrow boo that really interested me was he claimed there is no nodes or hardly noticed like hill cane.Eddie did you trim the flowers on yours this guy said the boo that  he trimmed the flowers on died, he does have some clumps that are doing good but said it maybe another year before he has any to sell.

[Salvador 06]

I do believe that when the bamboo flowers it dies anyway.  Its not the trimming, its the end of its life cycle.  But usually new rhizomes have sprung up to replace the dead ones.

[artcher1]

Here's one I just made from arrow boo.............and then tested . Foreshaft is poplar..........Art

[rover brewer]

thanks artcher1 looks like a nice arrow I will get back with the guy and cut some and see if they are still good may put in a order and grow some myself.

[CherokeeKC]

artcher can you post another pic showing the fit up of the foreshaft to arrow?  Also can you describe how you form the foreshaft to fit?

[artcher1]

Not much to see really Cherokee. Pretty much a flawless transition between the boo and foreshaft.

As you can see from the shot into the tree (I've showed this several time in the past), super strong to boot!

Normally with thin wall boo such as this you would use a pin and shoulder method. That's fine, but not as strong as I would like. So I come up with a taper and pin method that I like much better. I drill out the boo using a tapered spade bit (modified from a 1/2" or 5/8" wood bit), and then using a drill I shape the foreshaft to fit with a file. Glued in with super glue....................Art

[mullet]

thanks to all, I'll give it a try,I too am a fan of hill cane and river cane but what this guy said about the arrow boo that really interested me was he claimed there is no nodes or hardly noticed like hill cane.Eddie did you trim the flowers on yours this guy said the boo that  he trimmed the flowers on died, he does have some clumps that are doing good but said it maybe another year before he has any to sell.

I didn't trim the flowers, the Round Up I sprayed it with did the job, though .

[Matt G.]

Beautiful arrow Art! I haven't tried a fore shaft yet. I get the taper part but not sure about the pin.

[mikekeswick]

There is Japanese arrow bamboo and Chinese arrow bamboo.
I've planted some psuedosasa japonica.....just got to stop the deer eating it all before it gets going....
I found a large clump of it growing in Cornwall when I was down there on holiday, I have about 45 shafts drying now 

[artcher1]

Thanks Matt!

Arrow or Japanese boo has rather thin walls so a regular tapered foreshaft that one would use, say for cane or thick walled boo, just isn't strong enough IMO.  But couple that taper with a pin, which is the dowel section that fits up in the shaft, makes for a strong joint.

Chuck up a 3/8" dowel in the drill and round down about an 1 1/2" to fit the hollow portion of the shaft. Then taper out to the full thickness of the dowel to fit the pre-tapered shaft. Glue with thin super glue. That's important. Thin glue will be absorbed more easily by the boo and foreshaft making for a stronger bond.

Oh, and don't forget to test 'em when you're finished;D!     Art