Is Birchwood Casey Tru Oil compatible with bamboo? I am building a bamboo handle and down-locking, concealed thread fore-grip. They are not split cane as found in rods and blanks but rather whole culms cut to employ the nodes at the ends. Do any of you have experience finishing bamboo? I employed PermaGloss to seal and finish the one split-cane blank I have built. While PG would probably afford the best durability, protection from the elements and UV as well, I would like to avoid the shiny, dare I say slippery finish many of you enjoy with your CF-skinned-foam-core grips. I have limited experience but pleasing results with Birchwood Casey Tru Oil, suggested by many of you, for the two birch bark handles I have built. If there is something better for bamboo, please let me know.

Mark Talmo
FISHING IS NOT AN ESCAPE FROM LIFE BUT RATHER A DEEPER IMMERSION INTO IT!!! BUILDING YOUR OWN SIMPLY ENHANCES THE EXPERIENCE.

Traditionally spar varnish.

Have fun
John

John,
Thank you for your input!

Mark Talmo
FISHING IS NOT AN ESCAPE FROM LIFE BUT RATHER A DEEPER IMMERSION INTO IT!!! BUILDING YOUR OWN SIMPLY ENHANCES THE EXPERIENCE.

Mark.

Tru-Oil will dry to a gloss finish which is not slippery or slick. The gloss finish can be reduced by lightly buffing with 0000 wool.

John D is correct the traditional finish for bamboo rods is spar varnish ("long oil varnish"). Unfortunately, long oil spar varnish is rapidly becoming a thing of the past being replaced by urethans and acrylics with which I have no experience for reel seats or grips.

I do have experience with Tru-Oil and it gets my vote until you do a test with an acrylic.

I have refurbished at least four bamboo rods for customers' sentimental value, belong originally to father, grandfather, etc. They were not intended to be fished as there may have been slight compromises in the cane itself. All were finished with Birchwood Casey Tru-Oil. My clients were completely satisfied with the outcome.

Ray Zarychta
Glastonbury, CT

Donald and Ray,
Thank you for your input and suggestions as well. I will test the Tru Oil on a cut-off piece of bamboo by working it into the wood without leaving a lot left on the surface to hopefully avoid too shiny of a finish. While 0000 steel wool would dull the shine, I am afraid it might hide the extremely fine grain of the bamboo as well. I will probably test another piece using PG followed with the steel wool just to see. As stated in my original post, I feel PG would afford the best protection but want to avoid the shine.Although these grips are going on a vintage Conolon blank, I am more concerned with using the most advanced finish rather than period-correct materials, hence my name, Craftsman Tech Custom Rods.
Thanks again for taking the time to assist!

Mark Talmo
FISHING IS NOT AN ESCAPE FROM LIFE BUT RATHER A DEEPER IMMERSION INTO IT!!! BUILDING YOUR OWN SIMPLY ENHANCES THE EXPERIENCE.

Again, thank you to all for the suggestions. As a follow-up, I applied Tru Oil to the rotating grips for about 5 minutes to help it penetrate the hard bamboo and then wiped off the excess to the point where the wet looking surface was gone. It is dry enough now to tell the surface has a dull sheen which is pretty close to what I was hoping for. Being so hard, I do not know how deeply the Tru Oil penetrated, but because the bamboo is so hard, it must be fairly weather resistant to begin with. Anyway, it’s good enough for who it’s for, right?

Mark Talmo
FISHING IS NOT AN ESCAPE FROM LIFE BUT RATHER A DEEPER IMMERSION INTO IT!!! BUILDING YOUR OWN SIMPLY ENHANCES THE EXPERIENCE.