Restoring Rods

[Elton]

I think i may have asked something similar recently, but can't find the post. Anyway, can anyone help this visitor to the site?

 

quote:

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I'm interested in building/renovating my own rods. Do you know of anyone that can teach this technique, or do you know of any good books, video's etc, that could be of use. I currently have a couple of old carbon carp rods that i want to strip done and rebuild.

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[Chris Plumb]

Elton - I reckon you should get Roger the Rod to put this up on your site.

 

http://homepages.tesco.net/~barbel/html/ar...ng/rodmenu.html

 

Chris

[Vagabond]

Carbon rods - never 'eard of 'em

Oh perhaps I have tho' Was fishing the other week next to a fairly well known angling writer, who was using a state-of-the-art £250 plus carp rod. It snapped whilst casting 2oz about 50 yds - he was not very gruntled at all. Four emotions went across his face -in order, they were disbelief, horror, rage and finally despair.

 

Seriously though, if someone comes in with a query on greenheart rods, or even this new-fangled stuff called split-cane (more properly split-bamboo) I could probably help - especially in advice as to how to repair a split or break.

 

Of course there are still a few specialist firms doing split cane rods, but as some seem to take an inordinate pride in the length of their waiting list (years rather than weeks - a bit like the NHS) and are interested in selling new rods rather than doing repairs that is not much good to me, so I repair my own. It is fairly easy and of course much cheaper.

 

Interestingly, all rod breaks I have ever experienced have been accidents whilst not fishing. Car doors and boot lids account for most, failing to jump a fence and falling down a flight of steps accounted for two more. Actually fishing with the rod is the safest thing you can do for it!

 

My main problem with my ancient rods is replacing worn-out rod fittings - not the actual fitting of them, but finding them - I have a few people on this forum looking out for rod buttons etc.

[chesters1]

carbon? they either need re ringing or a coat of varnish :confused: you dont restore carbon you bin it and that goes for most (but not all) glass as well

[Alan Pearce]

A copy of Rods and Rod Building by the late Len Head may prove of use, if you can get one.

 

Alan.

[Vagabond]

True Alan, and for older rods :-

 

Rod Building for Amateurs by Richard Walker

 

How to Build your own Split-cane Fishing Rod by Lt-Col G Lawton Moss

 

and...... (expensive but absolutely brilliant)......

 

A Master's Guide to Building a Bamboo Fly Rod by Everett Garrison & Hoagy B Carmichael

 

Most traditional American fly-fishers would kill for a Garrison rod

 

and if you use native wooden rods, the Treatyse of 1496

[Steve Burke]

Vagabond:

My main problem with my ancient rods is replacing worn-out rod fittings - not the actual fitting of them, but finding them - I have a few people on this forum looking out for rod buttons etc.

A friend of mine can probably help here. Let me know what you're after and I'll make some enquiries.

[Newt]

Take a look at http://www.mudhole.com .

 

Lots of info there and you can get books/videos as well.

 

AFAIK, a graphite (carbon) rod should certainly be worth a renovation unless the blank is nicked.

 

Rings and windings and finish - fairly easy and fun as well.

 

Reel seat - depends entirely on how it was installed. If a recent rod and the seat was properly mounted with an epoxy glue, you can't remove it. But I've had some where the seat was fairly easy to remove.

 

Mudhole has several books by Dale Clemens on rod building and repair. I can highly recommend them. The man is an expert and writes with great clarity and in plenty of detail. If I were forced to only have 1 or 2 books on the subject, they would be his.

[Vagabond]

Cheers Steve - for starters I would like half a dozen assorted size of the split-cane era rod buttons (the screw threads are a standard size, but the buttons themselves vary) I could do with a couple at fly rod size and about four of Mk 4 size.

 

Also any of the old-fashioned agate or synthetic agate TIP rings - the sort with a couple of parallel legs that are whipped to the rod tip. Say half a dozen assorted sizes to fit tips of 1/16", 3/32" 1/8" and 5/32"

 

Let me loose amongst his stock and I might find a lot of other things and spend a fortune!

 

BTW went to Wingham last Mon/Tues to have a good look at a few swims before the weeds grow . Gin clear, and no sign of any fish in the margins - guess thay are all still deep (North-East wind blowing and very bright sun)

 

Norma came along for bird watching and to provide logistics back-up for the lord and master, and was pleased to find Cetti's warbler (4) Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Green and Greater-spotted woodies, amongst a lot of other species, and to see the first swallows and housemartins of the year hawking flies over the lake.

 

Fished one swim - nothing until just before we left, when a fish picked up a small red worm legered in 20 ft water, and fought well on my Mk4 Avon. However, it turned out to be a six-pound-odd pike. It must have been hungry!

 

So although I didn't hook one of the monster tench, for those first few seconds, (before I realised the fight was most un-tenchlike), I was just as excited as if I had!

 

Hope you have a good fish-in. I shall be in Texas. If you would like my sub for Wingham now, please Email me with the required amount and I'll put a cheque in the post - otherwise will be back at end of May