Kevlar rods

[robtherake]

There's a fair bit on the web about how the duo lite specialists are more powerful than expected, as is my kevlex. Rich and I compared both rods against some barbel rods of 1.5lb tc and Avons of 1.25lb tc, and both specialists were really not that different from the Avons despite claiming to be only 0.5lb tc. Quite surprising. I was going to try to get a second kevlex/kevlar/duo lite for sone spring crucian fishing, but now I think I'll just use one of the Avons.

 

Can't say I'm disappointed, Andrew, but I was definitely expecting more delicacy. I'll continue with the method feeder/carp routine for a while, and see if it can be persuaded to soften up a little.

Edited October 25, 2013 by robtherake

[Anderoo]

It might do Rob, although both my kevlex and Rich's duo lite are second hand and have no doubt had a bit of use.

[Tigger]

Regarding rods softening up with use, I don't know how much truth is in that thought. Maybe it's cheaper rods that soften but just as an example my normark avenger has been bent double for long periods and on many occassions and over a period of nearly 8yrs and comparing it next to a couple of brand new unused ones the power is still exactly the same. As I say if the softening is more noticeable in cheaper carbon I don't know but imo if a carbon rod starts to soften up after a short period i'd stick it on ebay.

[robtherake]

Regarding rods softening up with use, I don't know how much truth is in that thought. Maybe it's cheaper rods that soften but just as an example my normark avenger has been bent double for long periods and on many occassions and over a period of nearly 8yrs and comparing it next to a couple of brand new unused ones the power is still exactly the same. As I say if the softening is more noticeable in cheaper carbon I don't know but imo if a carbon rod starts to soften up after a short period i'd stick it on ebay.

 

There was a magazine article I read a few years ago, Ian; the author talked about a pair of Drennan carp rods (from the same period as the IM6 waggler, and so on) which had softened with use over the years, so I naturally assumed that they all do, to some extent. Certainly, some of my older float rods have mellowed slightly.

 

As regards the Specialist; I've emailed Fox customer service, so it'll be interesting to see what they have to say about it (if I get a reply at all, that is!).

[Phone]

All,

 

Materials have surpassed me. I guess the old "what you see - is what you have" is going to have to be true. However, I did take a look at lamiglas and tenkara for the heck of it.

 

here are their home pages - lami talks materials i "about" http://www.lamiglas.com/blanks.php Do you'all ever use Tenkara rods?

 

Phone

 

Edit: change Tenkara to UK site - http://www.tenkarauk.co.uk/

Edited October 26, 2013 by Phone

[Tigger]

There was a magazine article I read a few years ago, Ian; the author talked about a pair of Drennan carp rods (from the same period as the IM6 waggler, and so on) which had softened with use over the years, so I naturally assumed that they all do, to some extent. Certainly, some of my older float rods have mellowed slightly.

 

As regards the Specialist; I've emailed Fox customer service, so it'll be interesting to see what they have to say about it (if I get a reply at all, that is!).

 

 

It is an interesting subject Rob and you would imagine any rod would loose a bit of stiffness/power from use over time. I have got some old daiwa tournament whisker kevlar carp rods in 1.75 and 2 1/4lb test and I thought they seemed soft but when I ran a line through them and attached the correct weight they were pretty much bang on test curve wise. They're a through action so are a softer action than a tip or progresive actioned rod.

I don't know what action your rods are but the action may give a different feel than you expect them to have.

[Dick Dastardly]

Ive owned hundreds of rods and built probably more than a thousand. Ive got three Tricast 1 3/4lb carp rods (carbon) brought and built in the mid 80's that I used up untill a few years ago. Originally built/brought for carping but in later life (90's onwards) used for big still water bream. Now these had "softened" with age.....or had they? They "felt" softer but was this just because I had by now got used to more pokier carp rods? I honestly dont know. Surely the only way they could become softer is if the materials used to make them had started to deteriorate and effectively mean the blank was actually breaking down? Would/could this be the resin? as I doubt the fibre it self would deteriorate? Maybe some one who works with composite fibres could say. I find this hard to believe as if they were actually breaking down now (some 20 years later on after they "went soft") they would have broken? Another point is that most fellow rod builders I know agree that blanks "dry out" (for lack of better description) with age and this in turn makes they brittle and as such should surely mean "stiffer"!

 

Ive discussed this with very knowledgable rod builders,blank manufacturers and anglers and none have been able to convinvce me either way! Much as this thread has shown!

Edited October 26, 2013 by Dick Dastardly

[Tigger]

Ive owned hundreds of rods and built probably more than a thousand. Ive got three Tricast 1 3/4lb carp rods (carbon) brought and built in the mid 80's that I used up untill a few years ago. Originally built/brought for carping but in later life (90's onwards) used for big still water bream. Now these had "softened" with age.....or had they? They "felt" softer but was this just because I had by now got used to more pokier carp rods? I honestly dont know. Surely the only way they could become softer is if the materials used to make them had started to deteriorate and effectively mean the blank was actually breaking down? Would/could this be the resin? as I doubt the fibre it self would deteriorate? Maybe some one who works with composite fibres could say. I find this hard to believe as if they were actually breaking down now (some 20 years later on after they "went soft") they would have broken? Another point is that most fellow rod builders I know agree that blanks "dry out" (for lack of better description) with age and this in turn makes they brittle and as such should surely mean "stiffer"!

 

Ive discussed this with very knowledgable rod builders,blank manufacturers and anglers and none have been able to convinvce me either way! Much as this thread has shown!

 

 

As you say Budgie, I would have thought if the rod was weakening/starting to deteriorate then surely it would snap when under pressure. I have really bent those old carp rods right round out of curiosity to see if they'd snap....I'm pleased to say they didn't . I really do like those old rods and there's nothing out there in the shops today with an action like them, they're superb !

[Dick Dastardly]

You mention "Action" Ian.Before the turn of the centurey blanks were made with vastly different tapers and indeed combinations of tapers to get them to bend (the "action") in the required way for each job. Since then it seems that many blank manufacturers (especially cheaper massed produced Chinese ones) now use the same mandrel and just increase the number of wraps of cloth (ie make the walls thicker) to increase the test curves relying on this to enable the rod to do different jobs rather than using the old method. No coincidence that this came about the same time as so called "multi range" rods hit the scene! Also why the lower manufacturing costs (as well as the cheaper far east labour of course) has allowed good,usable rods to be now brought so cheaply. For those reletively new to angling may I remind you that the blanks alone for the Tricast rods I mentioned cost over £100 (and that was trade!)

[robtherake]

If the fibres become brittle with age, then you would expect them to break more easily under load, wouldn't you? I'm not implying that they all begin to let go at once, but as a slow and gradual process that would result in a decline in strength and rigidity with time and use.

I'm no materials scientist (although I do have a bit of experience in this field) but as a general rule, if you bend something brittle and fibrous it has a tendency to break.