sanding ridges down on bamboo

[Eric Garza]

I'll be trying my hand at making a bamboo backed bow, and wonder if I can get away with sanding down the ridges on the bamboo backing? Or should I leave them intact to avoid violating back fibers?

[Eric Krewson]

Nope, leave them intact. Sometimes you can get away with sanding but more then likely you will pop a splinter at the node.

I would suggest you don't scrap the rind off the bamboo either, leaves too many tiny nick and cut marks to cause a failure later. Sand most of the rind off by hand.

[agd68]

Besides, the ridges add character

[dmc]

Sorry to hijack, but do most people run the backing through a planer in order to thin the backings?

[kayakfisher]

I use a hand block plane elbo grease and a lot of persperation on the belly side