playing around with finish, on another rod. just seeing what I like. last rods were done in high gloss spar using a dip tube....with the wraps having 3 coats on previously...
personally I like the high gloss blonde look, and it came out pretty good.... just want to try a more taditional less gloss look this time....

this time I am hand finishing with tru oil....gun stock stuff...... read alot of positives about using it... alot of negatives too...but it was because mostly of varying away from tradition...
my question...
you guys that have tried this.... going to do the blanks first and then wrap.... when just finishing the wraps what do you guys do with varnish...how much do you thin...ratio...how many coats...
do you lightly sand the wraps..and then coat again.....

or do you use flex coat... LITE..(traditional bamboo makers just fell out of their computer desk reading that..:).. not high build.... and could you tell between a varnish wrap finish, or epoxy finish..... never used epoxy on a bamboo wrap.....so curious...
thanks for the info.... new to the site..computer illiterate...... but this has been very helpful......and want to say thanks who responded to my questions before....

Gloss spar IS the traditional finish for bamboo, there are exceptions, such as the "impregnated" rods frpm Orvis etc, You can always let the varnish fully cure and then rub it down to a less shiny look if you like. That, if done correctly can give you a virtually flawless finish. Now really old rods may have lost their gloss, from both abrasion over the years, and from varnish beginning to fail. Remember the classic rods pre-War, mostly were glued with hide glue, and the varnish needs to be in good condition to keep out the water that can soften the glue. Polymerized oil such as Tru Oil won't protect against water nearly as well as a varnish film.

While not exactly wrong, I don't like the idea of putting epoxy on bamboo rods. It makes repair more difficult, and isn't really any advantage over quality varnish.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/28/2012 12:05AM by Steve Schoene.

I have a bamboo that I finished with Tru-oil. I put it on with my fingers, trying to make a thin coat. I did about 4 coats on the rod first. I used a brush and just put it on the wraps. Did not sand the wraps. Might have used som 1200 grit on the blank. Was doing a gunstock and some grips at the time and do not remember all the details on the rod. I use Tru-oil fairly frequently. It worked fine and has been waterproof enough to show now ill effects after 3 years of admittedly light use. Have seen bamboo done with flexcoat. Do not care for it.. Could probably put on a coat of Flex-lite and then varnish over it. A bamboo rod is probably not going to get roughed up a lot or left in the bottom of the boart. Dried and put in the case to project the cane.