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Post by Deleted on Jan 12, 2009 4:12:32 GMT
Couple of questions. First, what's the best place to shop for a good supply of bamboo poles that are give or take 3 feet (same length as the tatami omote mats) and about 3/4" - 1" in diameter?
Secondly, is there (like tatami) a preparation process before performing tameshirigi on bamboo? Soaking in water?
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Post by Tom K. (ianflaer) on Jan 12, 2009 4:25:26 GMT
wish I could help you, I want some too. I've been told it grows wild around here. I gotta take a hike I guess.
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Marc Ridgeway
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Post by Marc Ridgeway on Jan 12, 2009 4:27:31 GMT
South Carolina? yeah, it should be everywhere....in Ga I have an unlimited supply...
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Post by Deleted on Jan 12, 2009 4:43:08 GMT
Depending on where you live and whether you own your own home you could grow your own bamboo.
There are species of bamboo that will continue to grow and thrive in winters down to -5 F. It so happens some of these species also grow to heights of 30+ ft and can grow to diameters of 4-6".
I used to have my own little grove growing up till I lost my house in my divorce.
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Post by Tom K. (ianflaer) on Jan 12, 2009 11:40:47 GMT
ok, so I'm not the nature guy I was as a kid anymore. where would bamboo like to grow? near water? just out in the middle of the woods? anywhere and everywhere like a weed?
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Marc Ridgeway
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Post by Marc Ridgeway on Jan 12, 2009 13:46:23 GMT
ok, so I'm not the nature guy I was as a kid anymore. where would bamboo like to grow? near water? just out in the middle of the woods? anywhere and everywhere like a weed? Well ... its a grass... Bamboo tends to thrive in open areas, often near a stream or creek or other low place, but not necesarily, it will thrive where ever it finds a foothold. I often see it from the car window, at the edge of woods , by streams , or on the borders of yards ....
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Post by Tom K. (ianflaer) on Jan 12, 2009 15:43:03 GMT
thanks Marc, now I just gotta go looking.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 12, 2009 16:55:17 GMT
I've never in my life seen bamboo in Oregon
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Post by brotherbanzai on Jan 12, 2009 16:58:25 GMT
When you find some bamboo you'll want to do your cutting on the pieces while they're still green. I think preferably not more than a couple of days after you've cut them down. Once they dry out they're more likely to shatter than cut and could easily damage a sword (and you). You shouldn't need to soak them if you've just cut them down, and soaking them after they've dried out won't help any. Soaking may help preserve them a couple of days after you've cut them down if you can't get to them right away but I've never tried that.
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Marc Ridgeway
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Post by Marc Ridgeway on Jan 12, 2009 17:03:19 GMT
I reccomend only cutting Bamboo the day its fresh, or rthe next day or so... after a couple of days , it can cause edge damage....
This is lest pronounced in spring and summer when the bamboo is green and back in its vegetative stage...it will stay "fresher " longer... in winter bamboo is dormant, and gets hard and yellow....
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Post by Deleted on Jan 12, 2009 17:54:55 GMT
I've never in my life seen bamboo in Oregon That's funny - when I used to grow bamboo I got all my bamboo shipped to me from a huge bamboo nursery in Oregon.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 12, 2009 18:02:39 GMT
Yeah, my friend used to order it and grow it in their yard but I've never seen it growing wild.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 12, 2009 18:05:47 GMT
Oh - wild. Heh you won't find it growing wild there. Believe it or not there used to be a species of bamboo that grew wild in the norther half of the USA up into the lower regions of Canada. Unfortunately something happened (the white man came) and its all but died out now. The only examples of the species in existence are found in nurseries, green houses and cultivated groves. Nothing growing wild now. Sad really although that particular bamboo species wouldn't do us any good when it comes to cutting with a maximum stalk diameter of .75".
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Avery
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Post by Avery on Jan 12, 2009 23:11:36 GMT
I would definitly advise NOT to plant bamboo near anything that you don't want it to take over. Once it takes root, its damn near impossible to get rid of. Hey, tom, if you ever feel like a short trip up my way, I can give you all the bamboo you will ever need!! (refer to the first part of this post. ) ;D That offer applies to anyone else as well. As far as cutting, I agree with Marc. After a couple of days its really not good to use.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 13, 2009 1:11:47 GMT
Thanks marc and brotherbanzai
Think I'll find an alternative then. Saw a few times martial artists cutting tatami with a dowel in the middle, might try that. Home depot sells them for dirt cheap that are 3-6 foot long.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 13, 2009 3:01:07 GMT
I agree with Absilitis - that is if you have running bamboo. Typically the bamboo that thrives in warmer climates tend to be called "running" bamboo. That is they spread their rhysomes out in all directions and from those rhysomes sprout new bamboo plants. They're worse to corral than weeds.
If you plant cold hardy bamboo they generally tend to be clumping bamboo. That is they stay in clumps. You could plant a 6'x6' clump of bamboo and 5 yrs later it'd only take up about 12'x12' of space - much less rapid in expansion than running varieties which could take up your entire freaking back yard in a couple of years... an entire field (under the right conditions) in 5.
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Avery
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Post by Avery on Jan 13, 2009 3:06:57 GMT
I agree with Absilitis - that is if you have running bamboo. Typically the bamboo that thrives in warmer climates tend to be called "running" bamboo. That is they spread their rhysomes out in all directions and from those rhysomes sprout new bamboo plants. They're worse to corral than weeds. If you plant cold hardy bamboo they generally tend to be clumping bamboo. That is they stay in clumps. You could plant a 6'x6' clump of bamboo and 5 yrs later it'd only take up about 12'x12' of space - much less rapid in expansion than running varieties which could take up your entire freaking back yard in a couple of years... an entire field (under the right conditions) in 5. Sams right. I should have specified what variety I was talking about.
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