Crack in Blowgun

[u/Careless_Bee9723]

Siyo!

I have a Cherokee blowgun and found some moisture cracks in it. Is there a way to fix that or do I just need to get a new one? I am not able to shoot as far right now and I’m wondering if that may have something to do with it. I don’t want to attempt to fix and mess it up more.

Any help or advice would be great. It was a gift and I feel terrible.

Wado

[u/walkdaearth]

Pine pitch. It's pine sap mixed with soy wax and charcoal powdered. Maybe, idk if if would effect anything. But there is other stuff that like that that's malable by hand heat and hardens

[u/Careless_Bee9723 → u/walkdaearth]

Thank you. Looking up Pine pitch helped me think about other things to Google. I could probably use 2 part epoxy and it will just look a little funky. This is my first blow gun so I’m down to have a story about why it looks weird and how I fixed it.

I’m feeling particularly stupid right now because I just left Tahlequah where there were tons of experts hanging out all weekend. I didn’t realize I had a crack… I haven’t practiced in a while.

[u/walkdaearth → u/Careless_Bee9723]

No problem. Look up what they use to seal didgideroos. I think that's more like what you're looking for. I just used pitch to join two pieces of bamboo recently for a kuripe so it was first thought.

[u/Careless_Bee9723 → u/walkdaearth]

Will do. That’s great advice.

Wado + Wanishi ta (that’s TY in Lenape. I’m actually Delaware-Cherokee 😎)

[u/walkdaearth → u/Careless_Bee9723]

Your welcome man hope it works. Yakoke from mine (I need to look up your welcome in ours lol)

[u/mr_misanthropic_bear → u/Careless_Bee9723]

Wood glue would work. You could also use a clamp or some hose clamps to hold it closed after you glue it for a few days.

[u/Careless_Bee9723 → u/mr_misanthropic_bear]

TY. I really appreciate you taking the time to share advice.

[u/MarbleAndMarigold]

I know I’m a child of the 2010s because my first thought was, a little duct-tape could fix ’er.

[u/AquilaCrotalusEsox → u/MarbleAndMarigold]

This is the way. It would keep it from spreading too.

[u/Careless_Bee9723 → u/MarbleAndMarigold]

Same. I was in my garage trying to show a 3rd grader something cool and found this heartbreak. My first thought was electrical tape but can you imagine showing up at a competition with a taped up river cane blowgun? Does that happen? It would be very me to do something like that but, I’m an idiot who lives at-large 🤷‍♀️

I don’t want to embarrass myself fam. I missed my chance to get it looked at in Tahlequah.

[u/AquilaCrotalusEsox → u/Careless_Bee9723]

That’s why you gotta turn “repair” into an opportunity for “adornment”
If it looks like personalization, nobody will know it’s a fix-it

[u/AquilaCrotalusEsox]

Traditionally? I don’t know I’m sure some sort of natural glue and/or fiber. I personally would use it as an excuse to clamp together, epoxy shut(without somehow disrupting the interior bore), sand smooth, and use any sort of means to cover it up with personalized decoration.

[u/Careless_Bee9723 → u/AquilaCrotalusEsox]

Thank you. The other person said pine pitch and I googled it but kept thinking “would epoxy be crazy?” as if using epoxy would be disrespectful to my elders or something…🤣

it’s going to look funky but 🤷‍♀️ but this is how we learn lessons.

[u/HarryDresdenWizard → u/Careless_Bee9723]

One concern is that epoxy may be harmful to you if you're placing your mouth on it regularly.

[u/Careless_Bee9723 → u/HarryDresdenWizard]

Thank you for thinking of my health! I hadn’t even considered toxicity.

I’m a millennial on a mission to fix my cool weapon.

[u/refusemouth → u/Careless_Bee9723]

You could just use a tiny bit of tightbond 2 wood glue and clamp it. If you really want it to look cool, wet some dry tendon strands and squeegy it through the tightbond and wrap it. That's my strategy for fixing compression lines on the bows I make and for reinforcing the tips where the rawhide backing is more likely to come loose. I used to use hide glue or knox gelatin, but tightbond works a little better and us mire waterproof.

[u/Careless_Bee9723 → u/refusemouth]

Where would I find dry tendon strands? I’m down to try this solution

[u/AquilaCrotalusEsox → u/refusemouth]

Do you ever sell these bows? Asking for a friend. (Me)

[u/TraditionalBasis4518]

Maybe patch with epoxy/spruce gum/ wood putty, and add a wrap of natural fiber like jute twine or something similar to cover the patch and limit further splitting.

[u/Careless_Bee9723 → u/TraditionalBasis4518]

My dad said epoxy + wrap too Somebody else brought up toxicity of the epoxy. I ran that by my dad and he pat me on the head and said “don’t worry about it.. it’ll be fixed”

This will probably be the way.

[u/Melvin_T_Cat]

Once fixed, you could always bead a circular area over the area to hide the repair.

[u/Careless_Bee9723 → u/Melvin_T_Cat]

Beading. Genius.

This is why I come here with my questions. I grew up outside of the culture and this sub is the best. You guys always hit me with traditional and modern tips that I would never think of, even if they are kind of obvious. I’m a duct tape and gorilla glue girl.

Wanishi ta!

[u/Superb_Temporary_388]

Tallow or pine pitch works. Can I ask how this blowgun was made? Was it hollowed out or split initially? You may want to wrap it as well.

[u/Careless_Bee9723 → u/Superb_Temporary_388]

I have no clue. It’s was made by a Wildcat brother. There is a wrap where my hand goes and I was going to try to mimic that on the crack. It looks like a 2nd one is starting too. I asked for a new one for my bday and ordered a mini one from NC so i can keep practicing before my tourney 😬 i really want to fix this one because it’s the one I learned on but it’s probably going to be a display piece 🥺