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bamboo rod

3K views 8 replies 4 participants last post by  SDHflyfisher 
#1 ·
i got two bamboo rods that are in pretty bad shape at a rummage sale one i know i can fix one but the other i don't if i can

the major problem is that the parts of bamboo are coming apart like the glue lost its grip and i don't know what to do to fix that and the tips are broken and i need the put a furrele on the small end of the middle section and replace the guides
thats it the reel seat and the grip are in good condition
some help please
 
#2 ·
Hate to be a wet blanket, but...

I think the best use of THAT rod would be as firewood. Once the glue starts to let loose, unless you want to take the "sticks" completely apart and start from scratch, carefully sanding to remove all traces of glue and varnish WITHOUT disturbing the taper, and start from scratch.

And if pieces are shortened, they PROBABLY will screw up the action.

I would also use new ferrules, instead of screwing around with the old.

There were MANY brands of bamboo rods, and the vast majority were cheap rods that sold originally for under $5. They have an "action" (if you can call it that) like a piece of very limp spaghetti.

There are only a handfull of "desireable" brands of rods. I'm not a snob on this, it's just a fact of life. Yes, a Leonard or a Thomas rod would be worth salvage. But unless you have the time AND THE KNOWLEDGE of how to "glue sticks", and the patience to wrap and hold them while drying, then clean up the resultant mess without ruining the taper, you're in for disappointment.

"Restoration" does not necessarily mean making something like new; it also means preserving the original work and maintaining its condition "as is". Antiques are worth more that way.

Sorry, but that's the way it is!

BobK
 
#6 ·
It sounds like you have the perfect rods to practice restoration on.
Before you start hacking away, why not look for a good book or two, or a website, about bamboo rod building/repair? It would be easy to make a mistake that couldn't be corrected. It occurrs to me that such work is like fine carpentry, i.e., like building cabinets or musical instruments, not framing a house.
Beware - you may be sliding into an expensive new hobby. I've built a number of glass and graphite fly rods, and I can't seem to stop!
 
#7 ·
Many years on the porch

Sean, I have a rod in that same condition; inherited it after taking it down from the nails on the porch. The rod is so far gone that individual fibers in the pieces are loose. It will never be more than a wall ornament. Luckily, no other of my cane antiques is anything like this one.

If you're really intent on repairing this rod, you might want to touch base with someone like Russ Gooding at Golden Witch Technology in PA, for a q&a on whether it's worth it to bother.
Of course, you can do a web search on cane rod repair or buy any of the wonderful books available, also.

I'm PM'ing you with contact info, so as to avoid sponsorship static.
 
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