There seems to be a difference of opinion on an other board as to which term is correct: Spine or Spline. From what I have heard, the term spline was a misprint in a catalouge or journal that caught on. Can someone clarify for me. Thanks.

Billy

I think the term spline refers to a segment of a whole as in one segment of a bamboo rod. The term used for the preferred bend of a rod is called spine.

Also, my grandfather was a fireman in Florida way back during the 1940's. He and some of his buddies used to build rods out of calcutta cane and always referred to a 'backbone' and later they called it 'spine'. I guess they got the term spine from backbone. I can remember hearing them talk about how important it was as far back as 1944 or 1945. I do know that they considered the backbone or spine the axis where any natural bend was located and that's not quite the same thing that most rod builders use today.

Hi Billy
tried several times to reach you after the attack, because I seen your company was very close to the towers.
Glad to see you are o.k.
Mark

I began building rods in 1972 after reading a magazine article on how to do so. It mentioned the term spine. I have always thought that was the correct term. I have heard bamboo guys talk about spline in terms relating to any of the individual strips of bamboo that make up the rod.

Spline is also a geometric term describing any curved shape.