Discount Bamboo Purse Handles, Wangi Bamboo, Purse Handles

Fashion Accessories Designing:

How to Make Bamboo Purse Handles

The key to making bamboo handles is having the right type of Bamboo. It has to be flexible so that you can bend it into the desired shape.
Wangi Bamboo is a good bamboo for creating Bamboo purse handles. The Wangi poles are cut from the root of the bamboo plant. They are blonde in color and more flexible than regular bamboo. It can be bent and curved. You can purchase them in 36 inch poles or bamboo sold by the package precut.

The measurement is taken from between the nods of the bamboo and just like any bamboo will tend to taper slightly. The nods on each pole will vary approximately 4-6 nods per foot. The purse handle below was made with Wangi bamboo.

Materials Needed:

1.Wangi Bamboo Root
2.Water
3. Shaping Board (Optional)
4. String
5. Varnish (non-toxic preferred)

Instructions

Step 1

Cut the bamboo to the desired length for our example we cut off a “six inch” piece of the bamboo pole.

Step 2

Soak the bamboo in a 1/4" filled sink of water and use something to hold it down in the water so it does not float up to the top. The water should cover the bamboo root.

Step 3

Soak the bamboo until it bends easily, that can take up to a few hours do not starting bending until it bends easily with light pressure.

Step 4 Use a bamboo shaping board to bend the bamboo in the around the shaping board to form the U shape if no board is available it can be bent by hand. If bending by hand curve it into the shape of a horseshoe.

Step 5

Use a string to hold the shape pull tightly. Be careful not to pull so tightly that you loose the desired shape. Pictured below a shaping board is used
Let it dry overnight or until hardens.

Step 7

Varnish or lacquer to seal and to give it a nice glossy finish. Once it dries you can drill holes on each side to hold handle hooks or you can use small screws under the bottom of each end to attach to a purse box.

Raw bamboo root is a yellowish color, when varnished it has a pale look.
Some desire a more colorful look.

Professional bamboo crafter's have been known to use a torch to burn and harden the Bamboo after soaking the Bamboo.

We do not suggest you use a torch if you are not experienced in this skill.
In the picture I evenly and lightly toasted the bamboo handle over the stove flame turning continually before soaking in water can give some pleasing results.
See picture above. You can also paint the bamboo the desired color.

IMPORTANT:
Never use a heat source once varnish or lacquer has been applied.

This Following information is intended for informational purposes only we are not suggesting to do what we did.