Failure to do so can result in splinters in the bamboo where the blade comes out on the bottom. Mark the butt end side of each section piece as it is cut with a colored marker. Use a different color for each section. Record the color sequence order for future reference. A strip of masking taper for this purpose.
Heat treat the culm sections.
I treat the sections for 8 minutes at 350 degrees. A normal kitchen oven can serve the purpose. An inexpensive canning thermometer serves this purpose well. If the oven is small, you may treat the culm sections to be used for the tip and butt separately. I normally use the top 3 to 4 sections for the tip sections and then the next 2 to 3 sections for the butt depending on length of the finished rod.