warped bamboo fly rod

Question
Is it at all possible to straighten a warped bamboo fly rod?

Answer
Hi Brent,

Yes.  It's actually possible to straighten pretty much any rod.  But you must be very careful and there is a possibility the "set" may come back over time.

A set or curve in the bamboo can be caused by several things, but typically is the result of poor storage or heavy fishing use.  

Poor storage can be leaning the rod, or rod sections, against a wall or corner; laying the rod on a shelf rather than storing the rod in its tube; or hanging the rod across a horizontal rack that allows it to sag in spots; or, any number of other storage methods that don't properly support the rod.

Never put a wet rod into its bag or its tube.  Putting a bamboo rod away wet will virtually assure you that dry rot will occur.  Always thoroughly dry the rod, the bag and the tube (if wet); then put the rod in the bag and the whole thing into the tube.  Most rod bags come with a hanging tag.  This tag can be used to hang the rod in a warm, dry location out of the tube if desired.  Many people used to hang their rods in the bag from a nail in the back of their clothes closet during the winter months.

Don't put it in the gun rack in the back window of your rig, not even in its bag and tube.  The sunlight and heat will ruin it.  Don't let it rattle around in the trunk either.  I have bamboo rods that are 125 years old and still work and look great.  A little common sense and basic care will go a long way toward keeping your gear in great shape.

Heavy fishing use in this case is anything that puts an excesisve strain on the rod.  For example, hooking snags and tugging on them using the rod as a lever, catching fish that are much to large for the rod (i.e. salmon on a 2WT), or using lures with excessive weight.

If you have seen any of the old bamboo boat rods that were (are) used for salt water fishing or large fish, you may have noticed most of them have guides on both sides of the tip section.  The tip section takes most of the strain and a "set" can occur even during a hard day of fishing.  When it did (does) simply turn the tip section over and let the fish straighten the rod out.

Improper storage or heavy fishing uses such as these will actually stretch the fibers along the outside edge the curve formed in the rod or rod section.  Bamboo fibers run longitudinally from butt to tip; remember, bamboo is a grass, not a wood. The fibers on the inside of the curve are compressed while those on the outside of the curve are stretched as the rod bends.  During normal use and storage, the rod can handle flexing and rebounding with no real damage.  During periods of excessive stress or improper storage, the outside edge fibers can be stretched so far that they can't bounce back to their normal positions.

Hold your forefinger up and bend it over and back straight.  The inside of your knuckle compresses and the skin on the outside of your knuckle streteches when it bends...then does the opposite when you straighten it back out. Your rod works the same way.  And, just like your finger, if your stretch it too far, you pull something (stretch it) and its hard to straighten out again.

The way you correct a set is to essentailly stretch the fibers along the inside of the curve to match those along the outside of the curve. I don't know of a way to shrink the outside fibers back to where they were so stretching the inside fibers is the only way to even them out again.

You do this in very small amounts, very carefully, and, did I say very slowly?  Well, I should have.  Samll steps, go slow.

Use a steady source of low heat like a hair dryer on low setting.  I usually set mine up so it can run constantly hands free and point it up toward the ceiling.  Pass the bamboo over the heat while applying light pressure in the opposite direction of the curve or "set" by placing one hand on either side of the curved area...not too close together, you don't want to break anything, just apply some light pressure.  Don't let the bamboo stay in the heat long and don't let it get too hot...it will harm the rod finish and the bamboo to get too hot.  In other words, pass it over the heat applying a little pressure, then check it to see how much of the bend has been removed, if any.  This is a long process that you can't hurry.  It is much better, and safer, to go slow and take your time and don't let it get too hot.  I'll say that once more, go slow, take your time, do not let it get too hot.

After a while you will notice that the bamboo is returning to straight and any adjustments you make are smaller and smaller increments.  Depending on where and how large the "set" is in the rod, you may make a whole series of very minor adjustments or you may be able to remove most of the bend in only a few passes.  Experiment, go slow, take your time and don't let it get too hot.  Sorry, couldn't resist.

You should know that this is also a technique that can create more problems if you don't do it properly.  Check often and from different angles to determine whether or not you are straightening the rod.  As long as you are making positive progress, continue.  It takes a while.

When you get it pretty close, stop.  You are not likely to get it perfectly straight without stripping the rod down and doing a lot more than this to it.  Once you have it pretty much back to straight, go fishing.

After you go through all this you have a rod that has some stretched fibers, therefore, you have a rod that could develop a set again at or near the same location.  Under normal fishing use, you are likely not to see the set return.  If it does and seems to be a frequent problem, you may want to reinforce the area with a wrap of thread which is a whole different topic.  Of course, if you you store the rod improperly or tug on snags to excess, you will get another set even in a new rod.

If you are worried about this at all, take the rod to a local rod builder and have the work done.  It is a fairly common job for any rod builder that works with bamboo rods.  On the other hand, it is a fairly easy job to make a mess of if you don't go slow, take your time and keep the heat to a minimum.  Be careful if you try it.

Good luck,  Joe