If you have been lucky enough to attend one of my Bamboo Rod Making seminars, then you already have an idea of what it takes to make a cane rod.

For those who don't, here is a brief overview of the thirty sequences, and the nine hundred and forty eight different checks during these steps.

When a " Niemiera " leaves my shop, you will have a heirloom work of functional art, made exquisitely by the hands of a skilled journeyman, and a delightful cane fly rod proudly signed by the maker himself.

Culms of Tonkin cane are split in half lengthwise. Inner nodal dams removed and then each half split into thirds.

With the outer nodal dams filed, the cane is further split - butt sections into thirds, tip sections in half, and in half again.

The strips are steamed, and straightened.

An initial bevel is planed into the strips.

Six untapered triangular strips are bound in the rod binder in preparation for the heat treating

Heat treating in my oven for a blond rod. Not only does this remove moisture from  the cane, but it also tempers the sections.

Straightened tempered sections...left are sections with that golden blond hue...in the middle...and right flamed sections.

On the top a finished blond blank.

With nodes filed, and scraping enamel  done, the planning forms are set for the rods desired taper.

The taper being hand-planed into the strips.

The tapered strips are checked, and  inspected to exacting standards....... Imagine this, that triangular tapered strip above the penny....just above Lincoln's nose....its measurement is only .032 of an inch.

With the apex sanded, the sticks are glued, bound, and set to cure in my curing oven.

The blank scraped of excess glue, with ferrules mounted, now has it's cork grip shaped on the lathe.

The blank is sealed, and wrapped  with the finest silks.

The rod is signed by the maker.

The fly rod is dip varnished to  protect it from the elements, and when cured is hand rubbed to elegance.