# Bent Bamboo Rod



## cosmo71

I recently inherited a bamboo fly rod. I am anxious to try it out but the end is bent. I looked online to see how to straighten it and there are lots of suggestions. The most popular seem to be heating the rod while manually bending it in the opposite direction. I tried a hair dryer as well as a warm, damp towel. It helped a little but it is still bent. I’m hoping someone on the forum has had a similar problem and can offer some better suggestions.


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## Grandpa D

I read that you can make a jig out of a piece of plywood and some nails or screws.
You drive the nails onto the plywood so that you can hang the rod on it. Place the nails in the board in a slight bending angle and then put the rod tip in the jig, so that it now has a reverse bend to the rod.
Warm the rod and then place it in the jig and add heat again while the rod is in the jig. Let it set in the jig for a few days and check it once in a while.

For my old bamboo South Bend rod, [no pun intended] I just added friction by rubbing the rod tip in my hand while bending it the opposite direction of the warp.
It was straight after a few minutes of doing this.


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## wyogoob

*Grandpa D* that's one way to straighten them out.

Bent bamboo rods are usually repaired by applying steam to the bent section and bending it back. Same as building a new rod from scratch. The trick on yours is doing it in such a manner the finish is not damaged.

I straighten all the bamboo rods I refurbish/rebuild, 30+ years. You could bring it to my place in Evanston and I will straighten it out for you.

PM me.

Goob
TEE-PEE POLES


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## cosmo71

Thanks for the suggestions, Grandpa D and wyogoob. I think I will start out with the steam method and see where that gets me.


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## wyogoob

If the rod is old the glue that holds the bamboo strips together could delaminate using "dry" heat. Newer rods can be straightened with an alchohol lamp. An alchohol lamp is what rod builders use to burst air bubbles in rod finish and removing metal glue-on ferrules. If I am in doubt on the rods age I will use steam from a tea pot to heat up the rod. Hold the rod about 10" away from the spout. If the rod section has more than one bend do the worst bend first.

A rule of thumb is not to get the rod hotter than 150° F. Bent bamboo rods should be straightened after the rod finish has dried. So on a refinish, I straighten the rod first, while the old finish is intact.

What is the rod model? Bamboo rods that are 50 to 60 years old or more were put together using hide glue. Hide glue softens easily.


PM me if you have any questions. I'm in the office with the beeper thingie on when an email comes in.


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## sinergy

Maybe fish with the other hand :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## wyogoob

sinergy said:


> Maybe fish with the other hand :lol: :lol: :lol:


  Some of the old multiple piece bamboo trolling rods had guides on opposing sides of the tip section because they took a set after hours of being loaded while trolling.

Often, on cheaper models of bamboo, I would put the new guides on 180° from where they were originally, to keep the tip top straight. It was frustrating to straighten and refinish a bamboo rod to near new and have the bends return to the tip section after a couple of fishing trips.


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## wyogoob

From the time I was probably 10 yrs old until I was 30, hardware store bamboo fly rods were my "go-to" fishing poles for bass, panfish, and some walleye and catfishing.....even bull frogs. Didn't matter much if I was using flies, poppers, jigs or live bait, they just fit the bill in many situations. I had the latest and greatest fiberglas, but I was always drawn back to the old wooden rods.

Usually the rods would be stored in a vehicle (unlocked in those days), many times parked in the hot summer sun. Not thinking, I would take the rod out of the hot car and put a set in it using it, snagged say, before it had cooled down.

I had an old Shakespeare that belonged to my dad. It would take a set readily. A straightening job would last one fishing trip! It would get a big ole long set in the tip. But if you were casting right-to-left you could "snap" the tip at the tail-end of the cast and the line would hook left. Geeze, I use to wade out to my waist and "hook" the flies around the ends of fallen trees and kill the spring crappies. I couldn't do that with a fiberglas fly rod.

We use to skip school when the crappies were spawning. Life was good.

eyegottagitbak2wurk


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## madonafly

There is old bamboo rods and there is cheap old bamboo rods H&I, Monty's..etc, they are cheap rods, and heavy as all get out.

Okay heat/steam can take the bend out, but like mentioned, it can create other damage, plus allot of times the band will come back.
If it is a GOOD bamboo, then seek the help offered, if is is an inexpensive...seriously look into just hang on the wall or fish it as is.

Remember also, when putting the pieces together on bamboo....never ever twist. Straight on, straight off...and the pop is a good thing.


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## wyogoob

Yeah, good points madonafly.

I asked him what the model was, but he hasn't answered.


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## proutdoors

I have one that my grandfather gave me when he sold his cabin ob Bills Island in Idaho. He said he bought it back in 1938. It holds way too much value as a reminder of a man who helps teach me to enjoy the outdoors to ever consider doing anything but admire it hanging on the wall in my office. Beautiful piece of craftsmanship. I seem to recall him saying he last used it in the late 1960's.


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