Care of Bamboo Rods
One of the most damaging things to a bamboo rod is water. It doesn’t hurt your rod to get it wet, what hurts it is to let it stay wet. Dry it off when you are done using it & especially before storing it in the tube. Never store it wet in the sock or tube. Any amount of water trapped in an air tight tube with your rod will cause serious damage. If the moisture penetrates the finish it will start to rot the cane. Many bamboo rods that seem to have broken for no reason were probably put away wet. Leave the rod out of the sock & tube for a day or so after fishing to let it dry.
The varnish on your bamboo rod is a vital barrier that protects the cane, as well as the glue binding the strips together. A bamboo rod is pretty resilient but there are a couple of easy ways to screw it up. Never leave it in a hot car, especially in a tube lying in the sun. The heat will bubble the finish & cause it to separate from the cane. The entire rod will need to be refinished. Never use solvents on the rod. Mosquito repellent was a big culprit on many rods. Even rubbing alcohol will damage the varnish.
Keeping your rod clean is a good practice. Not only does it look better but it assures that no harmful chemicals or mildew get left on the finish. Don’t use harsh cleaning products on your rod. A little mild soap on a damp cloth is the best thing. You can use a soft vegetable brush on the cork & a tooth brush on the guides and hardware. Dry it thoroughly & dry the ferrules when you’re done. Use Q-tips to dry the inside of the ferrules.
One more thing, a Hook Keeper is just that, never stick your hook in the cork.
Ferrule Care
The quickest way to ruin a rod, almost beyond repair, is by twisting the ferrules. It’s a common temptation to twist stuck or sticky ferrules to seat or unseat them but that simple motion will twist the bamboo & cause fiber damage & possibly de-lamination of the glue joints in the rod sections.
Assembling your rod, place your hands close together to line up the guides & join the ferrules. Push straight in to snug the fit. To take the rod apart, grip the rod w/ your hands spaced widely apart & pull to disjoint the ferrules. Never twist.
Never put your rod together while the ferrules are wet. Moisture inside the assembled ferrules will cause corrosion & the ferrules will stick. You’ll risk breaking the rod getting them apart & once the corrosion is removed they won’t fit as well.
Never leave a bamboo rod together over night. It may be tempting to leave the rod strung up for one reason or another but again the ferrules get sticky or stuck. Take the time to break the rod down & dry it after every use.
Keep your ferrules clean. Q-Tips work well for cleaning the inside of the female ferrules & the best cleaner is denatured alcohol. For the ferrule at the top of the mid on a three piece rod you will need to pinch some of the cotton off the Q-Tip. It’s best to store your rod with ferrule plugs in the female ferrules, but if you don’t have them put the rod in its sock with the female ferrules facing down to keep grit out of them. Check them before assembling the rod to be sure they are clean.
If your ferrules are bright, meaning not blued, whipped or finished, you can buff them with Nevr-Dull to keep them looking good. Just put a bit of masking tape over the varnish & ferrule wrap where the bamboo meets the ferrule to keep from damaging or staining the wrap or the finish.
When putting a rod together you will often see folks rub the male ferrule against their nose or in their hair. It’s not the best idea. There’s not only oil on your nose & in your hair, but there is salt too. Salt can cause corrosion on the ferrule. Also the oil may trap particles of grit & these can scratch the metal ferrule surfaces. Rubbing the male slide on a bar of dry Ivory soap is a good lubricant.
Bamboo rods are great fishing tools & a joy to own & fish. There’s no need to be afraid of them. Follow these simple suggestions & your bamboo rod will last for many years to come.
End of the day
When inserting your rod into its tube, take care of join your fingers in a circle around the top to protect the guides as the rod slips down into the tube. Many loose, bent or broken guides have resulted from not following this practice.
Last but not least
You know those little strings on your rod sock? A lot of guys tie those strings around the disassembled rod, I guess because they're there. Tying these strings tightly around the rod is probably the most common cause of producing a set in a rod section/joint. Tie them loosely, or better yet, tie each one in a bow on the back of the sock & ignore them.
One of the most damaging things to a bamboo rod is water. It doesn’t hurt your rod to get it wet, what hurts it is to let it stay wet. Dry it off when you are done using it & especially before storing it in the tube. Never store it wet in the sock or tube. Any amount of water trapped in an air tight tube with your rod will cause serious damage. If the moisture penetrates the finish it will start to rot the cane. Many bamboo rods that seem to have broken for no reason were probably put away wet. Leave the rod out of the sock & tube for a day or so after fishing to let it dry.
The varnish on your bamboo rod is a vital barrier that protects the cane, as well as the glue binding the strips together. A bamboo rod is pretty resilient but there are a couple of easy ways to screw it up. Never leave it in a hot car, especially in a tube lying in the sun. The heat will bubble the finish & cause it to separate from the cane. The entire rod will need to be refinished. Never use solvents on the rod. Mosquito repellent was a big culprit on many rods. Even rubbing alcohol will damage the varnish.
Keeping your rod clean is a good practice. Not only does it look better but it assures that no harmful chemicals or mildew get left on the finish. Don’t use harsh cleaning products on your rod. A little mild soap on a damp cloth is the best thing. You can use a soft vegetable brush on the cork & a tooth brush on the guides and hardware. Dry it thoroughly & dry the ferrules when you’re done. Use Q-tips to dry the inside of the ferrules.
One more thing, a Hook Keeper is just that, never stick your hook in the cork.
Ferrule Care
The quickest way to ruin a rod, almost beyond repair, is by twisting the ferrules. It’s a common temptation to twist stuck or sticky ferrules to seat or unseat them but that simple motion will twist the bamboo & cause fiber damage & possibly de-lamination of the glue joints in the rod sections.
Assembling your rod, place your hands close together to line up the guides & join the ferrules. Push straight in to snug the fit. To take the rod apart, grip the rod w/ your hands spaced widely apart & pull to disjoint the ferrules. Never twist.
Never put your rod together while the ferrules are wet. Moisture inside the assembled ferrules will cause corrosion & the ferrules will stick. You’ll risk breaking the rod getting them apart & once the corrosion is removed they won’t fit as well.
Never leave a bamboo rod together over night. It may be tempting to leave the rod strung up for one reason or another but again the ferrules get sticky or stuck. Take the time to break the rod down & dry it after every use.
Keep your ferrules clean. Q-Tips work well for cleaning the inside of the female ferrules & the best cleaner is denatured alcohol. For the ferrule at the top of the mid on a three piece rod you will need to pinch some of the cotton off the Q-Tip. It’s best to store your rod with ferrule plugs in the female ferrules, but if you don’t have them put the rod in its sock with the female ferrules facing down to keep grit out of them. Check them before assembling the rod to be sure they are clean.
If your ferrules are bright, meaning not blued, whipped or finished, you can buff them with Nevr-Dull to keep them looking good. Just put a bit of masking tape over the varnish & ferrule wrap where the bamboo meets the ferrule to keep from damaging or staining the wrap or the finish.
When putting a rod together you will often see folks rub the male ferrule against their nose or in their hair. It’s not the best idea. There’s not only oil on your nose & in your hair, but there is salt too. Salt can cause corrosion on the ferrule. Also the oil may trap particles of grit & these can scratch the metal ferrule surfaces. Rubbing the male slide on a bar of dry Ivory soap is a good lubricant.
Bamboo rods are great fishing tools & a joy to own & fish. There’s no need to be afraid of them. Follow these simple suggestions & your bamboo rod will last for many years to come.
End of the day
When inserting your rod into its tube, take care of join your fingers in a circle around the top to protect the guides as the rod slips down into the tube. Many loose, bent or broken guides have resulted from not following this practice.
Last but not least
You know those little strings on your rod sock? A lot of guys tie those strings around the disassembled rod, I guess because they're there. Tying these strings tightly around the rod is probably the most common cause of producing a set in a rod section/joint. Tie them loosely, or better yet, tie each one in a bow on the back of the sock & ignore them.
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...Unscrewing the tube of a well-used old rod in the spring, after a long winter, you are greeted by the sweet aroma of memories of many past Opening Days.... |
Well loved Payne #202, 8 ft, ca. 1930's
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