The Diamond Geezer

Well, personally I'd like to have access to the equipment used by Dave Barham in his tests, viz.http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/authors/dave03.htm <strong>KNOT STRENGTH Each sample was tested five times, which meant I had to painstakingly tie three lots of each sample to quality swivels in order to get an accurate result. The knot I used was a doubled, four-turn tucked blood knot, without doubt one of the strongest for joining braid and light monofilament to swivels. To be fair to each brand, I scrapped the highest and lowest results for each sample and took my average from the three remaining. This was to sort out any inconsistency with my knot tying capabilities. KNOT STRENGTH TEST RESULTS</strong> Richard

CarpKingHummph! Well, I have nurtured fleeting thoughts like yours in the past, but have to say that, abrasion resistance aside, I'd have to go for braid everytime now. But that doesn't mean that braids will suit everyone. Here's an article I read over Christmas members.lycos.co.uk/lureangler/tack...ck/monomusc.htm that shows that you're not alone, CarpKing! It certainly made me have a re-think .. but not for long! Happy New Year Richard

Have a look at http://www.shakespeare-fishing.co.uk/ There are loads of teles to choose from, at ridiculously low prices. Richard

And what were your comparative results, again?

I've just had a look at the ones you mentioned (and which you have reviewed for the supplier!) and they're more than double the price of my Shakepeare telescopic, and although I haven't tried those particular ones, I very must doubt that they're worth twice what I paid, in terms of performance. Nope, I stil reckon a Shakespeare tele taking some beating on all counts including price. Richard

Spiderwire is the original JWA brand name (In UK and I think in the USA). This was/is available as SpiderWire Braid, s true braid based on Allied Signal's Spectra HPPE. Spiderwire Fusion is not a true braid, it's a fusion line. Just to add to any confusion, I think that the brand name "Spiderwire is interchanged with "Spiderline" For more clarity, have a look at the relevant articles here http://members.lycos.co.uk/lureangler/tack/tack.htm Happy New Year

Yup, Newt's quite right. BTW, no braids or fusion lines can compare in abrasion resistance with a good modern mono of the same BS. Of course braids are much thinner in diameter for the same BS and so this puts them at an immediate disadvantage. Happy New Year Richard P.S. See also Dave Barham's ace articles right here on Anglers Net http://anglersnet.co.uk/authors/dave02.htm http://anglersnet.co.uk/authors/dave03.htm <small>[ 01. January 2003, 11:17 AM: Message edited by: The Diamond Geezer ]</small>

JT, do you have a URL for Rogue Rods, please? HNY Richard

This might be of help/interest too http://www.reelvalue.co.uk/parts.html As you probably (now) know, Mitchell was acquired by the Pure Fishing/Berkley/ABu group Happy New Year Richard

Hear! Hear!

Bilko You won't go wrong with a modern telescopic! Also I agree with Bradford that the Shakespeare teles take some beating for performance at an amazingly low price. Richard

Thanks. Obviously I meant "on demand" but as it's in the public domain, there's nothing secret or confidential about the publicly-funded findings. I have to say that on every occasion bar 2, in answer to my requests, the EA have been most helpful in supplying copies of reports and findings; in the case of the 2 exceptions, requests to the Minister responsible (currently Margaret Beckett this week I think) elicited somewhat tardy but complete reports/information. Richard

Bruno I am a tad confused by your comments! Surely data acquired either directly or indirectly by the EA and funded by the tax-payer, is public domain information? Richard

The manufacturers often recommend on the packaging/box/spool which is the best knot to use with their braid. Failing that, from test results that I've seen, Palomar and Grinner knots seem to be among the best for true braids. I haven't seen any data for fusion lines which aren't true braids, but I can't image that Palomar and/or Grinner knots wouldn't be just as good for them (fusion lines) as for true braids Happy New Year Richard

Happy Days! Merry Christmas, Chevin, Spindle & All

Yup, to the best of my knowledge the photo was indeed taken at Dick's house in Biggleswade .. though I didn't take the photo and so I can't be 100% sure [ 20. December 2002, 12:40 PM: Message edited by: The Diamond Geezer ]

OK, here's an easier one, then .....

Dark & dry is good. Cool is better, too.Of course, what really matters, is not what the dry line breaks at, when you're testing it at home, but what its strength is, wet-knotted, after it's been in the water for a while, or on your reel for a season!

And what's more, you might learn something from this article http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/authors/dave02.htm

Well, if those are the figures you have obtained, there's no argument but I for one am very surprised that such monos have lost none of their strength in 12 years

By the way, rather than using a bucket of water for "an accurate test", why not use the pukka thing, a tensile tensiometer?

And what are the wet knotted BS figures now compared with when they were new, then?

DenI very much doubt it, I'm afraid. I'd bet you'd get a shock if you actually had them tested. Personally I reckon there should be a Best Before Date on all spools of mono; after all, you don't even know how long they've been in the shop before you buy them. Nylon monos degrade with light (esp UV), air (oxygen), moisture and the higher the temperature, the faster this happens. If you've been fishing without breakages, I guess you're fishing well within the *degraded) BS of the line but ...... one day!!! Personally the most I'd do with a good mono e.g. Daiwa Sensor is to keep it for a season and maybe turn it round on the spool. I think it's a false economy and risks leaving line in the fish and the environment to chance your luck with very old line. Only a pukka test will tell! DG

MR JOHN DENNIS WILSON Journalist LAKE HOUSE, GREAT WITCHINGHAM, NORWICH, NORFOLK, NR9 5SJ

Does this bring back memories? (BTW, acknowledgement to the copyright holder)