Heat treating,Straightening & Tools

Selecting pieces
Before heat treating, I select the most suitable pieces for each section from 30-40 pieces splited from one bamboo. I make only 1 or 2 rods from one bamboo.

In my opinion, all the bamboos are living things and they have personality for each bamboos.So I do these processes to fit every bamboo's best condition, using my sense of sight ,touch ,smell, and experience.
And for me, they are very important times for me to have a conversation with bamboo materials.

Straightening


I use far-infrared heater for heat source. It keeps heat well inside the bamboo.

The tool held in my right hand is called "Tameki".It is used for straightening. It's very simple tool but very useful.
After first straightening.I repeat it 2-3 times every 24hours.

Heat treating

Using same heater,I do the heat-treating the binding 6 pieces together.I repeat these processes 3 times each for first rough planing and second rough planing.

Tools
Parts of my mates.


Above 2 tools are Japanese plane.They are used for pre-rough planing.

Reference materials
These pictures are taken by me when I visited Japanese traditional bamboo rod builder.

They are "real" tameki-straightening tools made of hickory.
He is one of most famouse rod builder. He is using charcoal for heat treating and straightening.

These sticks are used for shaving off the inside of bamboo.

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