Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Arrows => Topic started by: Dante_F on March 24, 2019, 06:37:34 pm
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when making bamboo arrows what species do you use, ive heard of people using river cane, Japanese arrow bamboo, and probably others, what do you recommend?
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any cane. their all basically the same (or so I've heard) and their's really nothing that makes one better than the other (for shooting at least)
go for an cane near you, or go to home depot and do this http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,28697.0.html
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I totally disagree with you deerhunter21.
The different species are not all the same. They have unique qualities like diameter, wall thickness, node spacing, etc. that affect how they perform. I have used 3 native species and hill cane is my favorite but it's hard to find. Tonkin bamboo makes a great arrow shaft. You can buy it in bulk.
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I agree with Clint.
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I learn something new everyday here! ;D ;D
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I agree with OO also but whatever bamboo they use for garden stakes makes good arrows. When you buy a bundle at least half of them will remain garden stakes.
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im wanting to plant some to grow so i do have a wide array of options so what do you recommend? not looking to buy the shafts but the seeds and grow em )P( I kinda just want an infinite supply >:D
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You are better off to buy them. There are two types of bamboo, spreading and clumping. Spreading will take over your back yard and your neighbours, Clumping goes from a two foot circle to a ten foot circle in 5 years. At least mine did. They are both very hard to get rid of. Eventually you will spend all the time you wanted to make arrows in trying to control the bamboo. Also in a couple of years they will be producing way more shoots than you will need unless you like just flinging arrows into the sea. Buy 25-100 garden stakes or premade shafts and you will be time ahead.
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Where do you live? Most bamboo can't take real cold temps. And, like DC said you better know which type bamboo you are planting, clumping or spreading. If it's spreading type you better have lots of room and understanding neighbors. (A)
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i live in sw washington and am going to plant them in large pots so spreading wont be to much of a prob and it doesn't get too cold here.
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Do some investigating as to how much a pot will stunt the growth. I planted Fargisia scabrida in the ground 5 years ago. It's just the last year that I got some nice shafts out of it. If it was in a pot it would still be small. Think big pot. Possibly old bathtub or an old hot tub. Or new ones If you're made of money ;D I grew bonsai for 15 years so I've dealt with pots. One thing I learned is that potted plants need water every day or so and you can't rely on friends and neighbours to do it if you go away. If you do you'll come home to dead plants.
Signed
Mr. Doom and Gloom ;D ;D
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ok so i just finished researching how a much a pot stunts grown but couldn't really find anything and unfortunately im not made of money :P i guess ill just plant some in a pot and use the time to practice on other arrow shaft-y type stuff.
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WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIT..... i just read that japaanese arrow bamboo does well in pots ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D is also cold tolerant and even shade tolerant ;D ;D ;D ;D
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I reserve the right to be wrong but doing well and growing to full size may be two different things. Give it a shot. If you are putting it in a pot you're not risking your backyard.
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im hoping that doing well means grow to good size
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Japanese arrow bamboo is pretty light(physically). A good clumping type that makes great arrows is Bambusa multiplex. It has round culms(canes) with thick walls and small center holes, 12"+ inner-nodes, nodes that are less pronounced without a sulcus(indentation above the node). Generally an arrow will only have 2 nodes.
There are places in Oregon to buy bamboos. Google it to find out.
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I use Japanese arrow bamboo or Tonkin. There is a big difference in raw Tonkin and the stuff everybody is buying on Ebay. Raw Tonkin is very tough and just about indestructable. The processed, dark brown Tonkin that is very straight and has the nodes and rind sanded off is also carmelized. These have been heated and break a lot easier then the raw Tonkin. The tomato stakes are the raw Tonkin.
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Lots of garbage out there.
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You might want to discuss it with a "bamboo expert" at a garden center. It would be a shame to wait 5 years and still not have a big plant. They might even have some in pots so you can get an idea of what to buy. The Fargesia I got was in a ten gallon pot. It was full of bamboo about an eighth of an inch in diameter and about four feet tall. Nice round straight stuff. I planted it in the ground and in 3 years the clump had expanded to about four feet across and maybe eight feet tall. Now after five years it's about six feet across and twelve feet tall. The canes are almost 1/2" at the base. If you look closely at the second picture you can make out the original clump in the middle.
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i googled tonkin bamboo and there were lots of websites selling a bunch of cane bundles are these any good? also how long would it take for bambusa multiplex to grow to arrow size outside of a pot.
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I've never bought any myself but I took an arrow making course and we used shafts from Tiger. Very nice shafts but most of them were spined(marked) 10# lighter than they actually were. Better than the opposite as I can scrape them down.
I don't know how long it would take to grow that species. You were thinking from seed weren't you?
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probably but i may be able to find some from pots
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A friend of mine in SC busted up a clump and planted a hedge of Bambusa. In a few years he had more than he wanted. The clump he busted up was 50 years old and he left the culms full size when he planted them. If you cut it back before transplanting it takes longer.
Be sure to check the hardiness of the bamboo you plant so you are sure it will survive in your area(hardiness zone).
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i googled tonkin bamboo and there were lots of websites selling a bunch of cane bundles are these any good? also how long would it take for bambusa multiplex to grow to arrow size outside of a pot.
I buy bundles of 500, 8- 10mmx 4', from a place down here called the Bamboo Warehouse. I bring a bundle with me when I go to the Classic.
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theres probably lots of bamboo places in oregon, ill see if i can get some good material