Cane, Tools and Gouging or Shooting Block
First lets deal with some of the tools that you will need, one of the most important items are the gouges, they are called in the joinery trade as an, in-canal or scribing chisels.
Two of them will be needed, one needs to be around 1" across, (No bigger, for concert reeds), and another about 5/8" across (No Bigger for flat reeds), see picture top left, you should be able to purchase these from any good hard wear store or woodworking suppliers.
Picture bottom right shows additional tools you will need, I would like to point out that you don't have to buy a digital micrometer, as there are cheaper dial or even plastic models that will suffice.
You will also need a very fine toothed saw to cut your cane to length, if you use a rough toothed saw, the cane can be splintered, a craft knife and some all purpose glue.
The next item you are going to need is a called the gouging or shooting block, to make the gouging block, select a piece of sycamore or similar hardwood, 2" square X 6" long, take your gouge, cut a grove of approx 3/16" deep X the width of the gouge into and along the entire centre of the block, which leaves you a curved surface where your cane sits whilst gouging it, see picture top right, the block also has a stop fitted to one end, this prevents the slip of cane from sliding forward.
To fit the stop, cut a socket 1/2" from one end, a 1/4" deep X 1/2" wide across the block, so that the stop fits into the socket and just below the groove you previously made, so that the slip cannot slide underneath it.
Make the stop out of the same timber as the block and secure into socket with the aid of a screw. see picture top right.
Now cut a slot into and along one side of your block, 5mm wide X 4mm deep for concert reeds and another in the other side of the block, 4mm wide X 3mm deep for flat reeds these will be used later for making your staples, Then drill a hole through the side of the block to take the mandrel, this block will do for gouging both types of reed, see pictures, bottom right / left.
Then there is the cane itself, of which there are a few different types, the most used/ popular is called (Arundo Donax or Spanish cane), and another called Canna Auttia, which has a softer texture than the former, I prefer Californian and Florida cane, but the slips need to be slightly thicker because of its softer nature.
For concert reeds, the tubes need to be 25.00mm and for flat reeds 20.00mm, to grade the cane push your thumb nail into the inner fibres, it should resemble that of a piece of high quality balsa wood, see bottom picture.
If you cannot do this, the cane is too green and not yet soft enough to begin making your reeds, and needs more time to season off.
You can help the seasoning process along by, placing the tubes of cane into a wire basket, making sure to remove any partitions found at the nodes on the inside of the cane, that could hold in any water, stand the tubes up-right so that any liquid that might get inside, can drain out, under a porch and out of any direct sunlight and the worst of the weather for a month or so, then bring them in to dry out thoroughly.