Replies

1. 
   sandman605 | Oct 14, 2008 01:15am | #1

   I've have worked with bamboo while visiting Japan in the 1970's. It's a wonderful material that can be quite hard on the tools. Today's bamboo is no match for the bamboo of long ago. They harvest the grass much too frequently for it top be dependable working material.

1. 
   GLASTARZA | Oct 14, 2008 02:30am | #2

   I've heard that it's difficult material. The artisans in the show, were able to do some interesting things that focused on weaving. The tour guide said they are able to work down to 1/32 strips. Gallery: http://brooklynmodern.wordpress.com/2008/10/10/japan-society-displays-the-new-bamboo/http://brooklynmodern.wordpress.com/

1. 
   sandman605 | Oct 14, 2008 04:33am | #3

   Thank you for showing me the gallery. That's is some fine work. While I was in Japan, there was a man I held in high regard Kazuyoshi Miurza who did incredible work with the strips of bamboo taken from nearby rice fields. I strive to achieve his quality of work but am afraid I will never succeed.

1. 
   GLASTARZA | Oct 14, 2008 05:02am | #4

   Don't be too hard on yourself...that's pretty high quality stuff.
   My acquaintance studied in Japan http://www.ericmanigian.com/
   He obviously learned a lot.
   best,
   G

   Edited 10/13/2008 10:03 pm ET by GLASTARZA

1. 
   sandman605 | Oct 14, 2008 05:15am | #5

   Thank you for kind words. Your friend is a magician. I would enjoy sipping a fine Bordeaux and discovering his feelings of man's interpretation of modern woodworking in civilized society. Wonderful work

   Cheers

   Edited 10/13/2008 10:16 pm ET by sandman605

2. 
   Lataxe | Oct 14, 2008 10:51am | #6

   G,

   I have a friend who installs kitchens and has recently been dealing with laminate bamboo worktops, a current fad in British kitchen design, apparently (along with zebrano - zebrano kitchen doors! Ugh!!). He hates the stuff as it wears even his TCT tooling in no time at all - much worse than any other material he has to cut. It does look nice, though, :-)

   He offered me some big offcuts but I said no thanks.

   Lataxe

3. 
   chscholz | Oct 14, 2008 07:51pm | #7

   Traditionally bamboo was primarily used for vernacular furniture.

   I guess the main reason for that is that some Southern Chinese pests are known to turn bamboo into sawdust in now time.

   The literati solved that problem by having precious wood (rosewood such as huali) carved to imitate bamboo.

   Marzurkewich states that "[Chinese made] Bamboo furniture reached its apex during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century when Europeans and Americans began looking to East Asia for inspiration in interior design. Foreigners purchased vast quantities of bamboo furniture, although the fanciful design of the export-quality bamboo furniture departed significantly from the classical lines of the early Song [960–1279 AD] pieces."

   ---

   Chris Scholz

   Dallas/Fort Worth, TX

   Galoot-Tools