Calcutta Bamboo Rods

My first instalment of 'Gulf Coast Boy' mentioned using a Calcutta rod to fish with. A brief description of these might be in order.
In the days before fiberglass rods, poor folk like us made our own fishing equipment.
Back then, you could buy the long poles and cut them down to the size you wanted. I've made them up to sixteen feet, but found fourteen better. We used them to surf fish, mainly for large red fish.
As with most things, they came in a 'male' and 'female' variety. Male stalks were preferred because their strength. You could identify them because the length of their segments between knots were shorter.
We would buy rod tips and eyes or reuse old ones to make the rod. A simple reel seat was added to the rod and a heavy duty cord wrapped around the butt end to make a good grip.
All rods have a 'natural' bend in them; meaning they prefer to bend in that direction. The rod maker would tie a substantial weight to a string and tie it to the tip of the bamboo pole. Slowly turning it would reveal it's natural bend. You always put the tip and eyes on the top of the rod to let it bend naturally. We would tightly wrap the eyes with strong thread and then coat the rod with several layers of spar varnish.
Some of these rods made by gifted rod makers were amazing , but their main function was to last a long time and catch fish.
The rods I made served me well. I could throw a weight and two large pieces of bait a long way out into the Gulf.
One rod I made was almost perfect. Fourteen feet long and ready to fish. I tied it in the bed of my truck, the rod extending six or more feet over the cab. I Went to pick up my fishing buddy and failed to allow for his oak tree over the driveway.
Snap!
That rod never saw salt water. I laid it on the ground beside his driveway and off we went to fish. On the way home, I bought another blank to make another one, using the salvaged rod tip and eyes.
I gave up surf fishing for big 'reds' a long time ago. I don't particularly like to eat the large ones; too strong. But the rod making was satisfying.
Some people marvel at how creative it was to make a rod that would last many years and catch large fish.
I marvel at how a person can make a shirt out of a piece of cloth.
Skills.
I'll get back to 'Gulf Coast Boy' soon.
Thank you for your time.