Bamboo wood is known to be vulnerable to infestation by insects such as the small beetle Dinoderus minutus which if left unchecked will bore into the centre of a culm and reduce the core to powder.
First, the crafted but untreated bamboo is left to thoroughly dry out. It is then smoked in a shed using the smoldering bark of a mango tree. The action of the smoke destroys any parasites and seals the wood for future protection.
The bamboo can be left in the smoking shed for anything from 1 to 3 days depending the desired finish. Lengthier smoking will produce a darker auburn colour.
