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I can answer questions on custom rod building and rod restoration and rod repair for bamboo, graphite and fiberglass fishing rods. I also have experience in estimating the value of vintage rods and determining the original manufacturer.
I operate a custom rod building business providing fly rods, spey rods, casting and spinning rods in bamboo graphite and fiberglass. I also operate a custom rod building school where myself and other professional rod builders teach individuals to build custom rods. I have a personal interest in vintage rods and have a small collection of reference books and articles which often help shed light on the origins of the older rods.
Rod Builders International, Rod Builders Institute
Web Site: www.blackdogtackle.com, www.rodbuildersinternational.com, www.rodbuildersinstitute.com
BS, Business Administration, University of Tulsa
I have a large number of individual clients for whom I have designed and built custom fishing rods of all types. I also have two commercial clients for whom I build private label rods, one in the USA and one in Europe.
There is always something new to learn.
I have established a formal training facility to provide rod building classes for beginners and continuing education in the craft for experienced builders. There are a number of other professional rod builders who will be participating as instructors and mentors in the Rod Builders Institute. Contact me directly for additional information and class schedules.
Every rod is different just as every angler is different. The key to success in this field is learning enough about rod design and the individual angler to be able to create the optimal matchup between angler and rod.
Ask 100 rod builders how to do something related to rod building and you will get 103 different answers.
| User | Date | K | C | T | P | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| lori | 02/09/10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | Thank you so much for answering my ..... |
| Murray | 02/05/10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | Many thanks for prompt and cordial reply ..... |
| Jeremy | 02/04/10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | Thank you very much! |
| John | 02/03/10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | Thank you for your time and thoughtful ..... |
| Greg | 02/01/10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | Thanks for that info. You were a ..... |
Hi Tim, Yes, you can replace just the male ferrule. Normally, ferrules are sold in sets. This means you will likely find a male/female pair for a single tip rod or a female/male/male set for a
Hi Murray, I would try lines in the 8/9/10 range for this rod. Probably the higher the better. One of these weights will likely feel just right on this rod. I don't think it would need anything above
Hi Jeremia, This sounds like a nice old rod and one that you can get a lot of use from. The older fiberglass rods have collector value, but it's not as high as the older bamboo rods. Value on this
Hi Mark, Thanks for the pictures, they help. Value is probably still in the same range. The rod appears to be one of the early Heddon fiberglass rods made in the early 1950s. The handle, reel
Hi Lew, I've seen the M/27 marking before and always assumed it was a model designation put on by the rod maker to assure that the rod was wrapped and got the proper decals for a Wards rod. These were
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