Ecocomposite: Split Bamboo Fly Rods
By David A. Bainbridge
Associate Professor
United States International College of Business
Alliant International University
San Diego, CA 92131
The classic bamboo fly rod that I fished with as a child was probably made
in the 1920's and would likely be worth a great deal today. The rod was an
ecocomposite structure made with bamboo (or cane), linen or silk thread,
cork, wood, hide glue? and varnish. I believe it had been waxed from time
to time. Only the metal parts would need to be recycled after its long
life was over.
Fishing poles were once a willow stem or a whittled down sapling, and
often broke at the tip under heavy loads. The use of bamboo tips on wood
rods apparently originated in England, perhaps from someone who had seen
bamboo rods in action in India or China. Bamboo is lighter, more flexible
and stronger than solid wood, and eventually fishermen began making the
entire rod entirely of bamboo. Charles Murphy of New York is credited with
coming up with the hexagonal design used today in the late 1800s.
"Tonkin bamboo" or "Tonkin
cane", Arundinaria amabilis, is preferred for fly rods.
This bamboo is grown in Kwansi and Kwantung Provinces along the Sui River
in southern China. The culm should be 5-7.5 cm (2-3 inches) in diameter at
the base, and may come off a stem that is 15-20 meters (45-60 feet) tall.
Culms are cut, floated down river, and then scrubbed and dried. Tonkin
bamboo has excellent flexibility and fiber density and the long distance
between the nodes makes it ideal for fly rods. One 4 meter (12 foot) culm
provides enough material for one rod.
Note: Arundinaria gigantea was the only native bamboo in North
America. The tall and extensive cane brakes of Kentucy and Tennessee were
made up of this bamboo, which can reach 7+ meters (20+ feet).
Further Information:
Web sites
Ken Preston Custom Fishing Rods
[http://kensfishingrods.com/tonkin_cane.htm]
Bruce Conner personal site
[http://www.cybercom.net/~bconner/hrd2make.html]
The Ultimate Bamboo Fly Rod Library
[http://www.artistree.com/SplitCaneLibrary/]
Books
Kirkfield, S. 1999 [1986]. The Fine Bamboo Fly Rod. Cork and Cane
Press.
corkncane@aol.com
Garrison, E. 1994 [1977]. A Master's Guide to Building a Bamboo
Flyrod.
Meadow Run Press.
Cattanach, W. 2000 [1992]. Handcrafting Bamboo Flyrods. Lyons Press.
Howell, J., G. Brackett and R. Walinchus. 1998. The Lovely Reed : An
Enthusiast's Guide to Building Bamboo Fly Rods.
Pruett Publishing.
Book source:
The Anglers Art 1-800-848-1020. Address is P.O. Box 148, Plainfield, PA
17081.
Magazine
The Bamboo Fly Rod
[http://www.thebambooflyrod.com]
Video
Handcrafting Bamboo Fly Rods: Part I & II. Produced by Wayne
Cattanach
[1996] 3 hrs. 25 mins.
"Digger": Portrait of a Bamboo Fly Rod Maker. Stoney Kill
Films [1990]
35 mins.
Tonkin Bamboo sources
Charles H Demarest Inc
PO Box 238
Bloomingdale, NJ 07403.
www.tonkincane.com
The American Bamboo Society
michael_bartholomew@cce.cornell.edu
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