I recently acquired a limited amount of early, Pre-Embargo bamboo, that was originally used by Rangeley, Maine, rod maker Ken Crocker.  Not much is known about Mr. Crocker but his rods occasionally turn up on the used rod market and are coveted by fly fishers.  According to a 1959 newspaper article, Ken was making rods from bamboo that was "25-40 years old"... That is the bamboo I now have and will be able to use to make custom fly rods.  Some of the culms have been flamed by Mr. Crocker and others are still blonde.  Due to the short length of these culms, (up to 40"), we will be limited to 3-piece rods.  Let us know if you desire a special rod made from this Crocker bamboo with an historical Rangeley connection.  

August is a busy month for us, and we just completed a weekend of rod-making demonstrations at the 83rd. annual League of N.H. Craftsmen's Fair at Mount Sunapee.  The opening weekend attracted over 9000 attendees and many stopped by our display to discover how bamboo rods are crafted.  The League is considered one of the finest juried craft organizations in the country, so it attracts visitors from across the country every year.  
If you missed that show, don't worry, we'll be demonstrating in Portland, Maine, on August 27th (9 AM-4PM) at the Portland Fine Craft Show.  See Mainecrafts.org for more information.  This show combines hundreds of artists and juried craftsmen each year.  Several blocks on Congress are closed to traffic so we can set up our displays, and there are many fine eating establishments along the street too, so come see us and enjoy a fun day in this upscale seaport town.  I'll have a selection of my split bamboo rods available for sale and orders will be taken for custom rods as well.