How do you "cure" Bamboo ?

[NCHillbilly]

I've used bamboo fishing poles from early childhood until middle age. Most of the ones I used were made by a company in Mississippi, B&M maybe,they used to supply bait and tackle stores all around. It seems to me that B&M also had their name on Bream Busters. The poles were varnished with a distinctive spiral scorch line the length of the pole. The poles two drawbacks they were heavy and a trouble to transport in a cat or truck. The feel of a real bamboo pole is great,if you could fix up a few you probably would enjoy them very much. When I was growing up a neighbor fished with 18-20 footers for bream,he wore them out! A flyrod gives you more casting distance but a real bamboo with a hand size bream on the line will surely bring a grin to your face.

My late father-in-law always had a few really long cane poles in his boat. He would flat wear the crappie out with them in the spring.

 

[GLS]

In making split cane rods from Tonkin cane, culms (cane lengths) are purposely split with a froe down one length to prevent or minimize random splits. The cane is then air dried, then the culm is split into two lengths. With a propane torch, the outer enamel is flamed to darken the cane. The slightly burn portion is scraped off with metal scrapers to removed the enamel. The cane is then split into the needed sizes. The outer nodes are filed as close the outer wall as possible without cutting through the power fibers. The nodes can be flattened even with the outer surface by carefully heating for a few seconds without allowing to flame with an alcohol lamp and then flattening in smooth jawed vise while still pliable. While still hot after flattening the outer surface the strip is straightened at the node by clamping it sideways in the vise. Lots of pressure is exerted and usually 5 seconds of pressure is all that is needed. Once the strips are roughed out in shape to be further planed to the taper desired, the strips are baked in a diy oven, typically one like I've made for the purpose out of insulation board with the inside heated with a heat gun to temperature of 330 degrees F. for about an hour. This further tempers and dries the cane. The power fibers in bamboo occupy about a quarter inch or less on the outer side of the cane. The inside is pith with very little power contribution if any. For bow backing, once the appropriate cane is selected, the most important thing to do would be to split the cane along one length to control further splitting or checking while it air dries. Once the culm is split, the internal node structure is easily removed with a hammer. Going beyond air drying for backing a bow is probably overkill, but bear in mind that the power fibers occupy a smaller space than the wall thickness of cane. If I were to use cane to back a bow, I'd probably torch the outside and scrape the enamel and reduce the thickness from the inside of the cane to where the power fibers are. Look at a cross section of the cane and one can see how the power fibers bunch up near the outer wall. It'd be a lot easier to buy the cane from a source that has already done the above. Gil

 

[Hillbilly stalker]

Timber bamboo/Moso. That stuff is great for backing bows, too.

NCH do you know Vincent Minor, "Bows of Wood". He used to be in the Mt Holly Nc area before he jumped ship. I took a class from him and he made some outstanding bamboo backed stick bows. He told me that he imported his bamboo from Japan because it was of better quality somehow than what we had here. He learned alot of his ways from Dean Torges I believe.

 

[flconch53]

NCH do you know Vincent Minor, "Bows of Wood". He used to be in the Mt Holly Nc area before he jumped ship. I took a class from him and he made some outstanding bamboo backed stick bows. He told me that he imported his bamboo from Japan because it was of better quality somehow than what we had here. He learned alot of his ways from Dean Torges I believe.

Vinson lives in Savanah now. I will see him over christmas. I will see if he wants his contact info published.

 

[NCHillbilly]

NCH do you know Vincent Minor, "Bows of Wood". He used to be in the Mt Holly Nc area before he jumped ship. I took a class from him and he made some outstanding bamboo backed stick bows. He told me that he imported his bamboo from Japan because it was of better quality somehow than what we had here. He learned alot of his ways from Dean Torges I believe.

Yeah, I know Vinson pretty well, as well as his brother and sister. James Parker was his main mentor.

 

[Hillbilly stalker]

Vinson lives in Savanah now. I will see him over christmas. I will see if he wants his contact info published.

He makes a fine Bow, I think I heard he got into horse bows.

 

[flconch53]

He makes a fine Bow, I think I heard he got into horse bows.

I believe he still makes all kind of bows. I saw a snake skin one recently

 

[GLS]

The best bamboo in the world comes from a small area in China, Tonkin. It is prized for strength and elasticity. This is from what the best split cane rods are made. It is also used to make high rise scaffolding in Asia. Gil

 

[j_seph]

Several good videos on You tube,,,,

Sure wish I had some and could grow it here,,,,

It only takes 2 baby shoots dug up and planted and you will have a lifetime supply, trust me and do not ask how I know it only takes 2

 

[Hillbilly stalker]

Multiplies like a bunch of Democrats

 

[bowhunter59]

You don't want no bamboo growing on your property. My Dad planted a couple of shoots of a type that has a number of real small joints on the bottom to raise him some fishing poles. He was frugal to the point of being cheap. Could never get one straight enough for a good pole. He is gone now and my brother and I have been fighting and losing the battle to eradicate over an acre of bamboo from that initial few joints. I was told one time that the only way to get rid of it was to sell the farm and get another somewhere else!

 

[flconch53]

You don't want no bamboo growing on your property. My Dad planted a couple of shoots of a type that has a number of real small joints on the bottom to raise him some fishing poles. He was frugal to the point of being cheap. Could never get one straight enough for a good pole. He is gone now and my brother and I have been fighting and losing the battle to eradicate over an acre of bamboo from that initial few joints. I was told one time that the only way to get rid of it was to sell the farm and get another somewhere else!

I have been burning a small stand every few months for the last year. They burn underground like apeat bog

 

[flconch53]

I believe he still makes all kind of bows. I saw a snake skin one recently

Vinson's contact info is www.theknightminers.etsy.com