Rose canes?

[SMeeres3030]

Hi guys I've been harvesting rose shoots all week and finding some bigger ones. 3/8" plus at base ? How big is too big? And how small is the knock end when it's too small?

[Pat B]

My shoot(sourwood) and cane arrows are about 3/8" or slightly less at the point end and 5/16" at the nock end. They are 30" long and I shoot bows 45# to 60#. Cut your rose canes long(36") and once they are dried and straightened you can choose where in the cane to get your arrow shaft by spine testing.  Rose canes have a pithy center so you have to be careful not to take the diameter down too close to the pith.

[SMeeres3030]

Should I peel them before they dry or should I let them dry my then scrape them and straighten after they dry or before?

[Pat B]

Let them dry with the bark on or they will check. You can even heat straighten, at least initially with the bark still on.

[jayman448]

ive made a few with peeling but i would agree that there is only benefit to leaving the skin on

[GlisGlis]

Never done with rose but for wild rose I cut longer than needed, debark all but the last inch (or 2) at tips and straighten by hand them every 5 days while green.
After you srtraighten them 3 or four times they'll stay straight until dry