I think it was David Daye who came up with the dunking in water test for determining the hardness of cane.But after watching the Heart of the instrument DVD and in particular the importance of springiness of the cane that BK makes a point of ,I was trying to devise a test to determine springiness.
Do you think the method I have photographed below would be of any value as a test when making slips?
RORY
Perfect… this solves so many issues!
Heads: You make me a reed
Tails: I make you a reed
I do - but why not take a standardized slip (measurements; weight),
fix it and clamp a weight onto it? Wasn´t this idea by Dave Daye, too?
BTW, I can´t help thinking that your elephant
might have inspired you a little 
Immoderators: Please remove my reply.
Seems harmless enough.
Rory, I enjoyed that.
I am not certain, however, that it can be an efficient and consistant means of judging “true” springiness in a slip of cane… to many variables to consider.
I can tell just by looking at it that , " that one " would never do , but I have been watching the elephant for far too long and my judgement may be off .
You might all think its funny but…but..but when I fiqure out how to finish this sentence you’ll see.
By the way if you try this at home please wear some goggles as I have already gotten a black eye .
RORY
then you need to put that down and use a tea bag on it for 20 min . lol .
what kind of coin is it? How many inches between the numbers? how high is the cane from the work surface? it’s a nice idea but it wants some calibration…
the " mile high club " ,lol . 
I think you need a bar that the coin needs to make it over. Include cushions for it to land on to avoid injury.
I’m w/D’arcy on this one!
As we all know BK is a great reedmaker and he always stresses the importance of getting a feel for the cane,well thats alright if you have been making reeds as long as he has .But when your starting out you dont know what that feel is.
My thinking was that for the beginner ,like myself ,if you could quantify what that feel was it would make thing abit easier.
What is in the photo is just the basis of the idea ,I’m sure if it was developed futher it could be of some use.
As far as I can gather one of the secrets of successful reedmaking is consistensy, so an aid to consistant cane slip springiness would help and once you get good results with a particular springiness its easy to repeat it, but also you get to recognize the “feel” of a good slip.
Many expert reedmakers point out that measurements is not the way to go.
RORY
I think you are on the right track , just keep watching the elephant ,
Making reeds by “feel” is certainly easier to do when you have made a lot reeds and your muscle memory is acute, but there still needs to be some measuring done. Granted, the measurements do not need to be highly precise, but they have to be in the ball park where pitch (for example) is concerned.
I went along way with using precise measurements and did fine with it , but also really learned a great deal by watching eugene lamb taking some time to " flex " the reed in his hands to make sure that it had the right amount ?? , for the reedmaking process .
Mabey it was because he was looking for something that was as important as the quality of the cane , hardness , ect .
measurements are a great way to start! on your 1st-100th attempt you shouldn’t be trying to re-invent the wheel or reed Liam Flynn’s chanter! like joe said, feel comes after a long time doing this. start noticing what the cane feels like as a beginner, but don’t obsess. eventually, you’ll start to make connections and observations as you progress.
tim britton’s “my method” ed.IV is a great book in the regards that it has very accurate step by step instructions. if you follow the instructions, you will have a reed that works (yes, even if you use a bridle). some discount his approach, but those same blokes probably can’t make a reed and/or have read the most updated ver. of his book.
from there you can branch out to explore many diff. methods. as Smith says, eventually hard fast numbers are not something you put an intellectual death grip on.
For the record, using measurements is great for those who prefer to do so, nothing wrong with it, stand a good chance of being pretty consistent with successfully making working reeds, reduces excess stress and tends to dissipate the vapors while warding off the falling damps… and all that. 
(… been reading way too much Patrick O’Brien lately.)
I.d like to know why sometimes measurements dont work consistently. A reedmaker said here awhile ago that when he makes ten reeds ,one is a dud, eight are good reeds and one is exceptional. So what makes the exceptional reed ?They are made to the same measurements ,same staple by the same person so why are they different.
I have made working reeds that play in tune and do everything they are suppose to do,but the lack sparkle,they dont feel as good they could .
I want to make sparkely reeds.
RORY
I think it is an issue related to the inconsistency of the materials used, mostly, the cane and the variable flaws to be found within its grain… no two pieces will be of the same consistency.
Another factor is the human error syndrome. As I see it, it is nearly impossible for one individual to make two or more reeds (one after the other) that are exactly the same in quality.