Do bamboo rods have a spine like the graphite rods do? I am thinking, “no.” At least I am not finding one.
All rods including bamboo have a spine. It is just the nature of the beast. Sometimes it is difficult to find but it is there.
fishbum
Thank you. I discovered what I was doing wrong. I was attacking it from too steep an angle. When I dropped the end I was holding closer to the table, the spine became very apparent.
Kevin,
Maybe it will help with all of this if you understand that a ‘spine’ on a fishing rod blank isn’t a physical ‘thing’ but an effect. It’s not ‘put into’ the blank intentionally, it just happens.
The ‘spine effect’ is caused by the always present anomalies and defects of the manufactuing process. This makes the blank seem to flex easier in one plane.
A ‘perfect’ blank would have no spine. I’ve seen a few that were close…but I have always been able to find the ‘spine effect’ on them all.
The way a cane rod is manufactured will in some ways alleviate this ‘spine effect’. This is caused by the hexagonal shape…the blank will always flex easier across the ‘flats’…still, on every cane blank I’ve played with, the blank will seem to flex ‘easier’ across one set of flats than the others.
Buddy
This one sure did once I dropped the end I was holding in my hand closer to the table. I was thinking that the way the six pieces were glued up would eliminate that spine effect as there are 6 joints making the rod “round” rather than just one in graphite rods. I am glad I went back and checked again.
I had it all marked when I took the old guides off, but the marks disappeared on the tips and center section while refinishing.
Now I wish I could make up my mind on the colors for the wraps. 
Thanks, Guys!
This is incorrect. A rod made in the shape of a regular polygon will flex equally across the flats or across the apex of the cross section. Any difference is caused by different properties of the individual strips, not the geometry of the rod blank.
fishbum