Hi Susan, > Sarah, is bamboo acidic like wood and paper? (I would imagine so.) Could it > be neutralized somehow? Anything cellular is acidic inside. Cells have organelles called lysosomes that are full of corrosive acids and enzymes. They rupture when a cell dies and digest the cell from the inside out. It's an organism's way of cleaning house. For a woody product to be neutralized, the cell structure would have to be torn completely apart and the pulp buffered. That's a process that obviously wouldn't apply to bamboo. What I was actually thinking was that bamboo shanks could be cemented into some sort of synthetic action part, consisting of the flange, the base of the shank, and the knuckle. Yes, I know that presents other problems (or not), but it might be a more intelligent use of materials. Dunno... Seems worth a try. ;-) Peace, Sarah
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