Classic Bamboo Rods

Creating the Fly Rod

The bamboo used in rod making gets its name from a small area of China near the Tonkin Gulf.  It has been used for over a hundred year due to its unique strength. The culm is split lengthwise into sections and is run through a router to begin creating an equilateral triangle.  Each strip is hand planed on a planing board with gradual tapers from the butt end to the tip.

A bamboo fly rod is made of six strips of bamboo glued together to form a hexagon.  The strips have been flamed to give the rod color and the nodes in the bamboo are flattened.

After the glue dries the rod is cleaned and lightly sanded.  The rod is cut into sections and the ferrules are mounted on the rod.  The rod is tested to find the weak side and marked to allow the rod to cast correctly.  The rod is then sealed with oil or varnish.

Next, the grip and reel seat can be mounted on the butt end.  Placement of guides and the tip are temporarily placed on the rod and the guides are wrapped with silk thread.  Once the wrapping is complete the thread is coated with color preservative and varnish to seal the threads.  Once this is dry the rod is ready for the final finish of wax.

How To Order A Rod

1. Call Classic Bamboo Rods at 803-463-5185
2. Select the rod you want to build
   • • rod length
     • line weight
     • color
     • taper (We can discuss “classic” tapers we have built or use your dimensions)
3. Select the hardwood reel seat and hardware
4. Select your wrapping thread color
5. Personalization

Three section flyrod with additional tip