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I have a supplier for bamboo if anyone is looking for any for shanks or even tamper making. I've now used it for both.

This bamboo is approx. 12mm at the area between the knuckles. (size may vary slightly.) It's good looking bamboo and for the most part pretty straight, with some having a slight curve. It's solid thru the center so works great for drilling to match delrin tenons and seems to be very strong.

It comes in sections about 11" long and knuckle distances can vary some too. It is very light and works great on pipes.

I have a few sticks, but have lots more available. This bamboo goes for $3 a stick and I'd be open to trade for stem materials.

Price is $3 a stick.

Here is an example of the bamboo. I can send more pictures if I need too.

Is this the stuff that comes with the nodes sanded off?

Well it comes just as you see in the picture. It is smoother than the bamboo on some other pipes I have, so could be. I really don't know that much about bamboo and what it should look like for pipe making.

I think the place I got mine was Frank's Cane Supply or something like that, maybe in California. Someone here posted the link for me when I asked for a source for large diameter bamboo. I used to run across the invoice every so often, but I've forgotten for the moment. The problem with it is that the nodes are all sanded down, and not always very artistically. I read that was to insure that no foreign soil was imported. Which is fine if that's what you want, but what you get from pipemaking suppliers has the nodes intact so that you can finish them how you like.

I understand that Jack, these aren't sanded 100% smooth and every piece that I have looked at so far looks pretty good. But as you said, some wish to make changes to the bamboo on their own.