Hello,
I am new to this forum and board. I am a retired chemical engineer and built numerous fly rods in the 70's and 80's. I have rebuilt/refinished a few six strip rods over the years, but now retired, I am looking to expand my hobby by redoing a number of used bamboo fly rods (some VERY used) of various ages and pedigrees. I am originally a polymer chemist and went back to grad school for chemical engineering degrees. I don't say this to brag but to show that I have knowledge of coating chemistry and industrial processes. Any information, hints or recommendations will be gladly received. I look forward to learning from others with the same desire to bring some of these old beauties back to life.

Donald E. Albrecht

Bamboo decays even while embalmed in a coating. I would seek the nicest looking finish for display and avoid disappointment on the water.

Donald,
There is another forum called the Classic Fly Rod Forum, it mainly deals with Cane. There are also several books out there that get into repairs, restoring and refinishing cane. If you looking to restore your rods to original specs, I'd try to get you hands on the Bamboo Restoration Handbook by Michael Sinclair (book is out of print and prices vary on the used market), while his book does not tell you how to restore, it does give you the specs for many popular Cane rods.

I'm also testing my hand at doing some repair on a couple of Cane rods, plus a full on restore on a Heddon 17 1/2, I have nothing into the rod so far, so if Phil's" Debbie Downer" premonition becomes the future of this rod, all is not lost.

Good luck and have fun with them.

Donald,
I second Bill's recommendation on Sinclair's book. It's hard to find and getting more expensive as time goes on but it's the best guide out there for vintage rods. Also, check out Proof Fly Fishing. They're working on a series of tutorials on bamboo restoration and they sell supplies to aid the process.

I own a lot of vintage bamboo that I have refinished and fish regularly. It's a very rewarding experience to strip one of these old soldiers down to bare bamboo and bring it back as close as you choose to original and then catch a fish on it.

Me email is on my profile. Contact me and I can help you get started.

I see where you are going with your ideas. I’ve repaired/restored my fair share of cane rods. Obviously the normal finish is a varnish. However, there are/were several companies that used a impregnated finish. There are folks out there now using a similar finish normally used for pool cues. Absorbing rate would vary I’m sure. Pressuring the finish in a closed container may effect the glue joints. But hey, there’s millions of old rods to practice on. Personally I’m interested in your results.

Donald,
The first thing you need to decide considering coatings is if want your rebuild/restoration to be era-correct or optimum. Old-school coatings are just that, old, and while there are those who may consider them to be “proper” for a vintage repair, modern coatings are generally tougher, last longer and maybe even easier to apply. Is it a museum piece or something someone is actually going to (hopefully) fish? Case-in-point; I coat all my vintage Conolon blanks with modern Perma Gloss = it’s awesome! I also used PG for the one cane rod I have built as well as rebuilding the saltwater cane rod my Dad used in 1946 = same awesome results albeit not period-correct. The choice is yours.

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

Concur with Mark. You must first decide if your bamboo rod is going to be a fishing pole or a period-correct display piece.