How to Replace a Pressed in Cane Seat

 Here is a link to our latest video on Pressed in Cane Seats.  

More tips about removing hard to handle spline:

• Use vinegar in the groove to soften the spline
• Drill small holes into the spline to break it up
• A good spline chisel and razor knife.

Use a water soluble type glue - Hide Glue or Elmer's...using anything else will make it very difficult for the next person removing the spline - and that person could be you!

Grandma's heirloom chair

One of our customers recently visited her old homestead and found a chair that she as a child remembered sitting in.  She took it for refinishing and also wanted it to be caned as it had one of those cardboard seats on it.  So we drilled out holes so we could cane it and it turned out beautiful.  Probably if you were to visit grandma - you too would remember certain pieces of furniture or trinkets that she would love for you to have so you too can pass that memory down to your grandchildren.

Hand Caning using the NO KNOT Method

I have started using the no know method - especially on backs of chairs where you would see the tie.   The only downside to this I see is that the holes could get filled up making it more difficult during the binding...the upside is that you don't have to tie anything and it looks beautiful when you are done.  Here is a link to our no knot video No Knot Video

Cathryn Peters - The Wicker Woman

Cathryn Peters started caning in 1975 and since then she has become the go to person when it comes to caning plus many other interesting arts and crafts.  She developed the Wicker Woman site that has so much valuable information about all types of seat weaving, basketry and more.  Her blog is where you can state your question and get answers from accomplished caners.  For more information about Cathryn, how to instructions, and much much more - click here http://www.wickerwoman.com/blog

It's Canoe Time Again!

It's that time of year again when the canoes get pulled out and they may need new seats.  They take both hand cane and pressed cane.  I guess the idea is that cane is a porous material that can get wet as well as a comfortable seat that contours to your seat.  Hope you caners out there get the opportunity to repair one of these seats...and maybe even use one!

Ed's Easy Method for Rushing a Chair

Over the past 35 years Ed has developed lots of tips for rushing chairs.  We have a new video on our website that shows those tips.  Here's a link... http://peerlessrattan.com/index.php?dispatch=pages.view&page_id=122

What Size Cane Do I Use?

One of the most asked questions -  What size cane do I use in my chair?  We recently had an incident with a shop owner about this.  He couldn't wrap his head around the idea that the size of the actual hole and the distance apart from center to center determines the size of cane you use.  The back of the seat was done and the holes were not drilled the same and farther apart so when it came to the seat - he wanted the same size which would have meant cramming the cane into the smaller hole.  He thought that because it was a large seat - it required larger cane.  WRONG!  Just because you get a chair with a certain size cane in it doesn't mean that is what you put back in it.  Somebody else made the determination which was not the correct size.  Be sure you point this out to your customers to avoid any problem especially when they have a back with larger drilled holes. Most people trust what you say because after all you are the professional, and have done many chairs.  In my case - I would say probably thousands - really...it's hard to think I'm that old!  You can check out our size chart on our website http://peerlessrattan.com/strand-cane.html