when to spine rivercane shafts ?

[BowEd]

Great Pat!!!Good almost unknown info about that different type of cane.Sounds like that hill cane is the stuff to use.I'll get after some more dogwood here for you.Older shoots.Straightened and bundled.It'll probably turn out like your sourwood though.I tried that from a past Twin Oaks event and it actually spined and weighed almost the same as dogwwods here.Rather heavier shafts compared to practically all other wood arrow shaft species mostly used.Great stuff though.Tough!!!and I need that!!!!

[Pat B]

Ed, switch cane is almost as good as hill cane but more common than hill cane.

[BowEd]

I'm wondering if it's possible to grow that stuff in Iowa.I'll have to look into Iowas native cane if there is such a thing.Probably the wrong growing zone though and won't handle the harsher winters here.I would think the deciduous  hill cane would be stiffer with age then but probably too thick then too.
I've tried growing bamboo here before with no extended yearly success.

[BowEd]

Also what I'm wondering is at what weight they usually come in at on a 30" shaft ready to fletch @ 45 to 50 or 50 to 55 spine?I realize this can be variable though.They might have their limitations reducing thickness wise so length spineing would be the only option.With that being the case then it seems dogwoods and sourwoods are more versitial or less restricted then the cane to spine.Also usually harvesting dogwoods out of a certain patch will be same spine and mass weight or very close.Maybe it's that way with cane too.
Seems there is a give and take with these shafts.Dogwoods not harvested as 2 year old or more shafts and left to season properly time wise tend to not stay straight very well either while I think cane is better in that category?

[Pat B]

Ed, I cut my arrows at 30"  for my 56#@26". They would probably shoot from heavier bows plus if you cut them to 28" they should handle 65# easily and maybe more. My arrows are around 600gr=/-.  These cane arrows are about 3/8" at the point end and about 5/16" for the nock on a 30"arrow.
 I actually prefer sourwood over the hill cane and also like red osier but have only made a few dogwood arrows. We have silky dogwood here, also a red stemmed dogwood but I don't think they are as good as red osier. I'll cut some some this fall to try.
 Here in the NC mountains where hill cane grows is in the 6 to 7 hardiness zones. Even though the cane is deciduous  the rhizomes run right under the surface of the ground and our ground rarely freezes more than a few inches.

[BowEd]

Those numbers sound very good for hill cane for my liking.As dense as most dogwoods then around here.Although nowadays I shoot bows under 55#'s closer to 48 @ 28" but still at a 28" draw.I'm sure the natural taper will still be forgiving enough.The dogwoods here are either gray or red or flowering dogwoods.All seem to have identical characteristics.
I'll search for some more here but local farmers see it as a nuisance and mow it if possible.I gather it on steeper hillsides or other inaccessable areas where their bush hog mowers can't get to.I'm kinda picky about what I harvest.Means less time & work to get a good shaft.

[BowEd]

Had to go a mile or two farther but I got 2 bundles of 7 of 3' long dogwoods wrapped up.I'm wondering whether cane will season dry quicker then dogwoods.I imagine so.

[Pat B]

Cane may dry quicker than hardwood shoots but like with hardwood shoots proper seasoning for a year or two makes a big difference in the stability of the arrow.
 I think we've hijacked SC hunters thread. I hope the info is useful to him at least.

[BowEd]

Yes I imagine we have.He may have gotten more then he wanted.

[S.C. hunter]

Hi guys,
  I have a lot of useful info .  I appreciate all the input, learned a lot about cane.  I do still have one question though.   I am spinning some river cane to 45 pounds.  The bow pulls about 48lbs.   what should the total weight of the arrow be?

  thanks again
  Steve
         Friday morning !
 

[Aaron H]

10 grains per pound of draw weight is the general rule of thumb for hunting arrows.  This will give you good penetration if you do your part in getting the arrow where you want it.  So for your 48# bow, you are looking for somewhere in the area of 480 grains +/- 50 grains or so.

[S.C. hunter]

Thanks Aaron, I think I am ready.
    I hope all you guys have a great hunting season.
  Steve

[loon]

I spine, straighten,  and then spine again with cane or bamboo shafts.

Yep, though spineing unstraightened cane is often an adventure.

It's pretty easy with my spine tester

Sorry, do you have any pictures? I have one half built.. I think being able to spine shafts before straightening could save me a lot of trouble. do you notice too much of a difference in spine before/after straightening?