Bamboo Tips - Tips Area
Finishing - Protection

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After the ferrules are mounted and when I'm working with the rod, hand dirt and associated skin oils seems to be a fact of life getting on the shaft here and there. Been using a art gum (the white pencil eraser) to remove the grime by erasing it away. Anybody got a better idea. Have tried steel wool but cane removal results. Not too partial to various types of cleaners/solvents as I have no idea of their effect on the cane.  (Don Anderson)

Alcohol works fine for me cleaning up the section prior to finish depending on how much dirt you are talking about. Just my opinion but I think it does remove all of the oils you are talking about.  (Don Schneider)

I too use alcohol to clean my rods, seems to work fine. What else would you do with alcohol you can't drink????  (Shawn Pineo)

I use both alcohol and art gum eraser. Works for me.   (Hank Woolman)

After you are done scraping/sanding the blank, and before you ferrule, dip the blanks with a coat of varnish.  Let it cure and then do your ferruling.  After ferruling clean the rough varnish with DA, then sand all of the surfaces flat using a lubricant like boiled linseed oil, taking off most of the varnish.  (Kyle Druey)

Denatured alcohol does it for me.  (Martin-Darrell)

Rubbing Alcohol & Glass Plus mixed, cuts oil and water based grime in one wipe...(Dave Collyer)

You got me on this one...what water-based grime won't alcohol alone clean?  (George Bourke)

The rubbing alcohol will cut some water base grime but tends to push it around instead of picking it up in the rag, the Glass Plus has additives to do this much better...

I use 98% rubbing alcohol and mix it in the Glass Plus bottle, just a simple/handy all in one cleaner to have next to the bench that's fairly safe on most surfaces.  (Dave Collyer)

I use aluminum foil to cover the handle. I use low-tack (good quality) masking tape to hold it in place to ensure I don't end up with adhesive residue when it is finally removed. Maybe you can use foil (or just the tape?) on the rod also. I must admit I have the same problem, but I have been able to get the rod clean with a solvent wipe.  (Dave Kennedy)

You could always wear latex gloves while handling the rod.  Could get warm in the summer, but it will keep the grease off the rod.  (Mark Wendt)

I take plain old Saran wrap and wrap my handles while working on the rod and keep it there until done and in the tube.  (Bret Reiter)

Although I haven't had any negative side effects from any of the many different solvents I've used on blanks, if you are against them, try a grey (very fine) Scotch Brite pad, it works much like steel wool, but you really have to grind at it to remove any bamboo, used intelligently,  it will clean unvarnished bamboo fine, it is a bit tough to get right up to wraps with though.  (John Channer)