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Hi Gents,

Most classic rods were made from strips split from many culms, sometimes dozens. Rods made from a mix of strips from several different culms are less likely to take sets, as the stresses in each strip are better equalized by all stresses and bends in the mismatched strips. It's analogous to averaging all the bends and kinks; the more strips, the less the impact of the existing bends and kinks on net straightness.

Most makers make rods from a single culm as it's become a defacto-standard among makers and expected by buyers, but it may not be ideal. This method (single culm) was advanced by Everett Garrison. Garrison advised making each rod from a single culm to try to improve repeatability of action from rod to rod, but not necessarily for improved resistance to sets. Most makers since then have held the single-culm method as the ideal, but it may not be for any number of reasons. Also, please note that mirror-matched tips can just as easily be made from several culms as from a single culm.

To JimmyB11's point, heat-treating is very important, as is glue selection. Some glues take sets easier, some glues straighten easier, and some are difficult to get to stay straight once bent.

Regarding impregnation, it does make straighter rods in that the material becomes completely homogeneous from strip to strip (normally no two strips ever have exactly the same specific gravity). I don't impregnate, but a while back I experimented with tung-oil impregnation for prototype rods. Even if I put unstraightened blanks right out of the string into the oil tube, when I pulled them out the next day they were always as straight as a pool cue. I don't particularly like impregnated rods (weight issues and aesthetic reasons), but the aforementioned effect is truly amazing.

The extent of the sets is another issue. My opinion has always been this: Hold the rod straight out with arm extended, with the recommended line hanging out the tip and piled below on the ground. That is the static bend of the rod with no casting load. If the set in the tip is equal to this or less, it likely has no effect on the way the rod casts.

Another thing to consider is the set straightness of graphite rods, as they are tacitly the comparison. Many anglers would be surprised at the sets in graphite rods as well, and often while still on the sales rack. This doesn't necessarily make tip-sets any more acceptable, but the point is that they are native to fly rods in general, not just bamboo fly rods.

Chuck