Winter Work

It was chilly in the rod shop yesterday morning, but the heat of the flame warmed the bamboo in my hands, as the work lit it’s own flame in my heart. I began the most interesting and inspiring of my winter tasks with a little practice on a shortened piece of cane by flaming the culm, or more accurately the internodal piece of the culm, of Lo o bamboo.

Flaming is the method rodmakers use to turn the bamboo from it’s natural blonde color to various shades of brown. The method also heat treats the material, ridding it of excess moisture and increasing the strength and resiliency. I learned quickly that it takes the perfect touch, like everything about the craft of bamboo rod making.

Once flamed, I split the culm into six wide strips with a star splitter, then began hand splitting those strips into the 1/4-inch-wide strips that will be roughed into equilateral triangles and finally planed into the fine taper required to form a six-strip hexagon.

Before JA set up the beveler, he showed me how to square up the 1/4″ strips of bamboo with the plane and then we delved into the tricky part: straightening. The 28″ strips of Lo o proved to be nearly straight enough on their own after splitting, and I appreciated that, for straightening is one of those tasks that requires a certain feel. It involves moving the crooked section of the strip over the flame of an alcohol lamp, then gently applying hand pressure to the bend. JA said ” you can feel it move”, and I did, though my result was more crooked in the opposite direction. I’ll need to work on developing this skill carefully.

It took some time to get the beveler cutting correctly, though once it was finally adjusted, the strips came through as perfect triangles. The last act of the day was to run them through the binder before storing them until next time. I will split the four remaining strips into 1/4″ widths at home.

The 28″ strips, once I have at least 18 of them straightened and beveled, should allow me to make a 3-piece, single tip rod between 6 1/2 and 7 feet long. That will become a future project. After Thanksgiving, I will begin flaming and splitting the 40-inch internode that will form the 7′ 9″ 5 weight rod that will be known as the Angler’s Rest Special.

I am building my rod to a taper designed by my friend, Pennsylvania rodmaker Tom Whittle. One of Tom’s passions is the design and crafting of shorter fly rods that can do bigger work, that is, rods that perform like longer rods. It was Tom whom I called upon to make the Shenk Tribute Rod, a special seven-footer in homage to my late friend and mentor, fly fishing legend Ed Shenk. The Lo o bamboo will make the rod somewhat lighter, though Tom’s taper will ensure the performance will handle all the rivers of my heart; at least if I prove to be equal to the task.

This hands-on introduction to rod making makes me yearn for youth, and more time to learn and perfect the craft. I know it will be an achievement to build one serviceable bamboo flyrod. Perhaps I will be blessed to have the chance to make that second one, the seven-footer, but I know that one or two rods will have to suffice for my lifetime production. That will be just fine, for I know that I am best suited to spend the time I am allotted upon bright water, if not wielding my own rod, then enjoying the artistry of a true master of the craft!