------------------------------------Geneva-on-the-Lake, Ohio---------------------------------
Chair Caning
Woven Ash Splint -- Rush Seats
Wicker and Minor Repairs
since 1978
Caning
Handwoven cane seats are distinguished by a series of continuous holes around
the seat frame. Cane is woven through these holes to form a seat.
Cane is the bark of rattan which is cut into strips by a machine. It comes in a
number of widths. The size of the holes in the seat frame and the distance
between them determines the size of the cane to be used.
Cane has a natural glossy finish and does not require the use of a preservative.
Handwoven cane is priced at a per hole rate.
Machine woven cane is very similar in appearance to handwoven. It,
too, comes in different sizes and is set into a groove which runs around
the seat frame. If you remove the old seat yourself, be careful not to chip
the wood of the chair seat. Many types of glue will soften with an
application of warm vinegar poured into the groove after the old spline
is removed. Machine woven cane also comes in various meshes (from
fine to jumbo). It also does not require the use of a preservative.
Machine woven cane is priced at a per inch rate measuring groove to
groove.
Woven Ash Splint
Splint is obtained from native ash and hickory and from rattan palm.
Ash splints are cut to
a uniform width while hickory splints are often slightly varied. The outer bark of the rattan
palm is stripped into various widths and sold as cane. The core is split into round and flat
strips of various widths and thicknesses called reed.
Chairs on which splint is used must have side rails. These chairs may
have seats of binding cane, reed, or rush. Splint is most suitable for chairs
simple in design with few turnings. It is often used when the side rails are
higher than the
front. If the front rail is more than 3" wider than the back
rail, however, then rush or binding cane is more suitable. Both splint and
flat reed are used for indoor furniture while flat oval reed and binding cane
are used for outdoor. Flat reed comes in widths from 3/16" to 1" while flat
oval reed is normally 3/16" to 5/8". Ash splint however is available only in
1/2" and 1" widths. The style and use of the chair, along with personal
preference, determines the type and size of material.
Many patterns can be woven with any of these
materials and often it is preferred that the new seat is
woven in the same pattern as the original. In some
cases, this can be quite challenging and very rewarding.
Any of the above materials with a glossy finish can be
left unfinished as they have a natural protective finish.
You can preserve the other materials indefinitely by applying a mixture of equal parts of
crude oil (or linseed oil or 10 or 20W motor oil) and turpentine annually. A heavy coat of
this should be applied to the top, bottom and sides before the seat has completely dried.
Better yet, wet down the seat and apply the finish. This allows the finish to soak into the
pores before the seat can shrink. Allow the oil/turpentine to dry for 10 to 12 hours before
finishing with a thin coat of shellac or varnish as a sealer. Wood or umber stain can also be
used and sealed with thin coats of shellac. Thick applications of paint or varnish will tend to
crack the reed as it will tend to become more brittle when it hardens.
Pricing is based not only on the size of the seat but the type of material and the intricacy of
the pattern are all taken into consideration.
Rush Seats
Genuine rush is a leaf of a plant of the cattail family. One to three leaves
are normally twisted into a strand which is then used to weave a seat.
Most true rush has been replaced with a fibre made of twisted paper. It
is made to resemble genuine rush and comes in sizes from 3/32" to 7/32".
Yellow and white are also available in some sizes. Genuine rush is
recommended only for the true antique while fibre is used for the
practical seat.
Fibre rush should be protected on the top and bottom with 2 or 3 coats of
shellac. If an aged look is desired, an umber preparation can be applied
and rubbed off as desired.
Genuine rush should be finished with several coats of shellac before it is thoroughly dried
out. The seat may be preserved indefinitely if this is done once a year. Though new rush is
green, it will turn brown in 6 months.
Price is based on the size of the chair and the material used.
Me!
I took my first caning class at the urging of my sister, Beth, in 1978 from the county
extension agency. From there, I picked up splint weaving, rush and now wicker repair
more or less on the fly. So I have been doing this, as a hobby, more or less, for over 20
years. As time goes on, I seem to enjoy it more and more. It's always a new project or a new
challenge. Every piece is different, with its own character, its own story. And the truth is,
I'm good at it! It's that sense of satisfaction you have from a job 'well done'.
Up until this year, I have diligently abstained from doing more than two shows a year. The
local antique shop, Geneva Antiques, hosts a spring and fall Antique Show which has been
an excellent way for me to advertise by doing an ongoing demonstration throughout the
show.
This year, however, Danny suggested I could expand my territory somewhat by
participating in the 1997 Ashtabula County Covered Bridge Festival. This was a 2-day
affair and by the time it was over, I thought I had talked to every person in the world.
According to the paper, the festival had an attendance of 50-55,000 people! As exhausted as
I was afterwards, I could believe it! This was really a lot of fun and I had a lot of feedback
from the people who stopped by to watch me cane for a while. I truly intend to return next
year as a demonstrator. In the meantime, I'll be looking forward to working on everyone's
grandmother's rocking chair and getting it back into use!
- From the Ashtabula Star Beacon, April 9, 1994 --- By Linda Chandler, Staff Writer
- GENEVA -- Two experts in the field of antique restoration will answer questions for
patrons of the first annual antique show, sponsored by MCL Promotions, on April 17, 1994.
Joel Laughlin, known as the Furniture Doctor, will be demonstrating his work, as well as
Jane Elek who has mastered the crafts of caning and wicker repair.
- *****
- Jane Elek is among the rare craftsmen who know the vanishing art of chair caning, as well
as how to do rush, splint and wicker repair in antique chairs. She learned how to do caning
16 years ago and has been busy ever since.
- "It all started because I had a chair that was my grandmother's, but the seat was broken
out," Elek explained. "After she passed away, I wanted to put a caned seat back in it . . . I
got started by taking a course in chair caning through the Extension Agency."
- Elek discovered that she enjoyed weaving the intricate patterns so she started reading
books to learn how to do ash splint and rush seats, as well as caning. She explains that ash
splint is a flat strip approximately a half-inch wide, which can be woven in many patterns,
such as basket weave or herringbone. Rush seats were originally made from cattail leaves,
but a twisted paper material has been developed to look like the original product, but
outlast it.
- After completing that first chair, Elek learned from family members that her grandmother
had done caning, too, so nimble fingers and patience must run in her family.
- "I look for jobs that are challenging so I'm not doing the same thing all the time," Elek said.
Wicker repairs generally prove to be the greatest challenge because each one is different.
She often has to remove dry-rotted materials and invent her own repair methods as she
goes. It's a challenge to retain the authenticity of the original design and yet ensure the
piece has enough structural integrity to last another century as she makes the repairs.
- Elek manages to get most orders completed in two to three weeks, working from her home
at 4955 Austin Road, Geneva-on-the-Lake. This busy woman and her husband, Danny,
have four children. She has worked for 17 years as a printer for Greenways Printing in
Madison. A native of Leroy and a graduate of Madison High School, Elek said she keeps a
steady stream of new pieces in her workshop just by word-of-mouth referrals from
previous customers.
*****
Contact me at (440) 466-6585 evenings (6 to 10:00) or weekends
or email anytime for estimates or questions!
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