Canes and tubes of glass are produced using a similar method.
Glass is gathered onto the glassmakers iron and shaped into a cylindrical parison on the marver. A second iron is attached to the opposite end of the parison as the first iron. With the first glassmaker remaining stationary the second worker walks away pulling the glass with him such that a thin cane of glass is produced which is finally laid down in a rail and the glass allowed to cool.
With a tube or straw the same process is carried out except that the original gather of glass is blown slightly to create an air bubble in the cylindrical parison.
Complex or multi coloured canes, as used in paperweights, can be produced by setting small lengths of different coloured canes packed tightly together in an iron cup, in the desired pattern. These can then be picked up with a small gather of glass, heated, attached to the second iron and pulled in the manner previously described.
Apart from a small quantity of paperweights, canes and tubes were not frequently used in Stourbridge decorative glass the preference being to use threading or trailing strands of glass on the surface of the vessels. Stevens & Williams did produce two designs, Verre de Soie and Filigree that employed tubes and canes respectively.
