Main Discussion Area > Arrows

Arrow Bamboo, is it better?

(1/3) > >>

Eric Krewson:
I have started making a few cane arrows with good results so far. I would like a more consistent sizing end to end than my local cane and have read that Japanese arrow bamboo( Pseudosasa japonica ) may be better in this respect. There are several  nurseries that carry this bamboo and I was thinking about planting some for future arrows.

For those who have used this bamboo for arrows, is it superior to river cane?

Hillbilly:
IMO, no. Does it make good arrows? Yes. Maybe we just have good cane here, but I rate our local native stuff better than Japanese bamboo, and I like the Japanese bamboo a lot. The Japanese bamboo will have a bit of taper just like the best cane, which I see as an advantage, not a disadvantage. Same result as those high-dollar tapered shafts. I too dislike cane that has a large amount of taper from end to end, but I wouldn't want it without any taper at all.

mullet:
 Personally, I like it, it doesn't have as much of a flat spot as cane and I believe it's a little tougher. But being thicker also makes it a little bit heavier, which I like in hunting arrows.

Mechslasher:
i've made dozens out of each and i rank cane in this order of my favorite to least:

sasa bamboo
japanese arrow bamboo
tonkin
rivercane

all make excellent arrows, but rivercane has more of a sulcus than the others.  this makes getting a uniform spine a bit trickier.  if you're extremely picky during harvesting, you can find some good rivercane without much of a sulcus.  i prefer sasa to all other because it is the most durable and easiest to straighten.

billy:
Alright Mechslasher....enough with the technical jargon....what the hell is a sulcus?????   ;)

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page