Bamboo Fly Rod Repairs and Rebuilding

Bamboo fly rods are exemplified by their extraordinary longevity - with many bamboo rods now entering their second Century, intact. 

All fly rods require maintaining and bamboo rods are no exception - bamboo rods in particular are characterised by how they are made, the quality of their components, their age and how they have been used, stored and fished over time.

An informed analysis of a bamboo fly rod can reveal how it has been looked after, it's track record of maintenance and repairs - evidenced by variable silk wrap colours, differences in finish and length of rod sections, consistency of line guides, condition of ferrules,  evidence of metal decay, bamboo splits and sets, cork handle decay or damage.  

Accessories including second matching tips, ferrule plugs, fighting butts, rod bags and travel tubes all form part of the original kit of parts.

Similarly, a bamboo fly rod may have been made with inferior silk wraps, poorly set out line guides, reel seats that work loose, unergonomic cork grip shapes and poorly sized tip tops and line guides - all inhibiting enjoyable casting and fly fishing generally. 

Making adjustments to component parts, repairing obvious defects and returning a rod to service for fly fishing by extending its life and addressing the decline, is the objective here. The most beaten up bamboo fly rod may be able to be rescued if it has good 'bones' - even that old heavy clunker could be brought back to life rather than being confined to the shed.  Similarly, splits in bamboo sections, fractures or bamboo sections that have been completely broken in two can be successfully repaired with the correct techniques. 

Set out below is a summary of typical repair types, ranging from the structure or surface of the bamboo itself, the ferrules that physically hold the rod sections together, the grip and reel seat, line guides and silk wraps. 

The amount of work involved in repairing a bamboo fly rod has a number of variables and inflencing factors that affect the process and therefore the time involved. The first step when contemplating any repairs is to conduct a thorough condition assessment.

summary of typical repair types 

rewrapping line guides, ferrules and tip tops with silk

replacing line guides, tip tops

resetting, cleaning, turning down ferrules

renewing crazed varnish surface finishes

repairing broken rod sections by scarfing 

repairing fractured bamboo sections by invisible silk repair wrapping

re-gluing delaminated split cane sections 

extending short rod sections to original lengths by scarfing

straightening 'sets' in the bamboo

repairing or replacing cork grips, filling divots, repairing cork dents

replacing and refitting missing rod sections

restoring the rod's origial inscription

complete removal and replacement of cork grips & reel seats

refurbishment & repair from tip to butt

restoring by refinishing to original maker's specifications