Cane Sizing
Strand Cane measures 1.50 mm to 3.50 mm. Known as carriage fine, super fine, fine fine, fine, narrow medium, medium, common.
“Strand cane” is also further defined as regular chair cane that is NOT pre-woven chair cane. Pre-woven chair cane is also called cane webbing and is used for cane seats that have a groove around the frame.
| Name | Size |
| carriage fine | 1.50 mm |
| superfine | 2.00 mm |
| fine fine | 2.25 mm |
| fine | 2.50 mm |
| narrow medium | 2.75 mm |
| medium | 3 mm |
| common | 3.50 mm |
Basket weavers: Strand cane in Medium or Common size is usually used for lashing borders of average sized baskets.
Binder cane is much wider and thicker. It can be used as a weaver in basketweaving, or for lashing very large baskets.
LASHING TIP for Basket Weavers and Chair Caners
Weave Easier with this Chair Caning tip that also applies to lashing baskets. Click on link above.
Binder Cane measures 4.00 to 6.50 mm. Because it’s wider than Strand Cane, it’s thicker than Strand Cane.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Standard Strand Cane” has lengths that are usually 8 feet and up.
“Nantucket Strand Cane” is cane chosen during the manufacturing process that are more uniform in color than the Standard Strand Cane. It’s usually somewhat longer than Standard Strand Cane
“Standard Binder Cane” is cane lengths are 6 feet and up.
"Nantucket Binder Cane" is cane selected during manufacturing to be more uniform in color than the Standard Binder Cane. Lengths are usually 10 feet and up.
"Bleached Cane" is also called "Hamburg Cane". It’s used in Nantucket Baskets and for lashing rims. It is not recommended for chair seating.
Nantucket, Bleached and Hamburg cane have limited availability
.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nodules in Chair Cane - Here's a weaving and caning tip.
Whether you’re caning your first chair or your fiftieth chair, you’ll be able to weave easier with this chair caning tip that makes the weaving go a lot smoother.
Run your hand down a length of chair cane and you’ll see that there are “nodules” from the growth patterns of the “calamus rotang” vine.
If you pull the chair cane through the seat against the nodules, they’ll act like speed bumps, slowing your weaving, and potentially breaking the chair cane from the friction. This also applies to lashing a basket.
If you’re not sure which direction is which, just run a strand through your fingertips. If your fingertips hit the nodules pulling the cane to a stop, you’re going the wrong way. If the cane slides through your fingertips easily, you’ve got it! The chair cane will slide through the chair caning rows - or the rim of your basket- just as easily. If not, each nodule will “bump” against the other cross strands of chair cane.
