154 AMATEUR RODMAKING 



properly seasoned. If faults appear in these 

 rejected strips, examine their mates, which you 

 propose to use, but do not subject them to 

 severe strains. The weeding out of poor ma- 

 terial, if it is done at this stage, may save 

 time and labor later on. See that the bamboo 

 has no greenish hue, indicating that it is not 

 seasoned. It should be yellow and split far 

 ahead of the knife blade. 



If six strips pass inspection, place them so 

 that no two knots will be opposite or even 

 near each other, saw off ends and mark all of 

 the strips, so that they cannot be reversed by 

 accident. Dipping the butt ends in red ink is 

 a good plan. Number them from i to 6 on 

 the rind side. They should be some three 

 inches longer than the finished joint is to be, 

 so that you will have leeway in trimming the 

 ends. 



Sharpen your plane on an oilstone until its 

 edge is very keen. Bamboo requires the ut- 

 most care in planing, and a dull tool must not 

 be used on it. Set the plane very fine and 

 test it on a rejected strip of cane. It is well, 

 too, to put an old glove on your left hand 

 while you hold the cane in place in planing 

 and filing it. A slip may result disastrously, 

 for the rough edge of a triangular strip of 

 cane will make a jagged wound. 



