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Just wondering if anyone has any opinion on the advantages of Rec recoil guides over traditional snake guides. I'm planning on building Sage 490 SLT and want to do it with the best components possible. Are they really worth the extra cash? Also, does anyone know what the "t" listed on the guide spacing chart on the sage website means. The guides are listed as 1/0t, 1/0t, 1/0t, 1/0t, 1t, 1t, 1, 2, 4. Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
RJN
I'm interested in the answer to your question as well. I'm looking forward to building a TXL 3 weight.
In answer to your question as to what the "t" stands for, it's THIN wire. This info is direct from Kati at Sage. If you have any specific questions, email her, she's great. She even told me what brand and specific colors of thread are used on the TXL I'm interested in.
Certainly not to be considered an expert on recoil guide, I would offer this to you directly from "REC", and the ones that I have used I have been overly pleased with. This is the same guide used on the Winston boron rod as I understand it too.
"RECOIL guides are made from a special nickel titanium alloy with unique physical properties which provide exciting new possibilities for fishing rod designers worldwide. Until now, fishing rod guides have been plated or have used ceramic inserts to provide wear resistance. RECOIL guides are made from an extremely hard but flexible "Shape Memory" alloy, which does not require plating, cannot corrode in any environment, and returns or "RECOILs" to its original shape after repeated deformations. RECOIL guides are available in snake, single foot, and stripping guide styles for fly rods. RECOIL guides are available for spinning and casting rod designs."
The bottom line is that occasionally, a guide will get bent from whatever the cause may be. With the recoil guides, they are made like a spring and retain the shape. If they should be placed under undue stress for what ever reason, they will return to their original shape, and from my own experiences, that is a very good characteristic.
Titanium and titanium alloys are very springy and tough. They are also impervious to corrosion. To give you an idea of how springy and tough they can be, I will tell this story:
While hiking across an island I was anchored off when I did commercial fishing I came across a piece of what appeared to be aluminum foil. I picked it up thinking to crush it and roll it in a ball so I could put it in my pocket to dispose of later. I found that I couldn't bend or crease it. It was amazingly strong even though it was only as thick as aluminum foil.
It turns out that the island was used as a missile test range at times and this was a piece of the outer skin from a Navy missile.
I later learned that titanium alloys were used to make these missile skins.
Very impressive stuff and I can see how an alloy like this would be an interesting and beneficial material in guides.
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Joe
Why snakes of any kind? Custom, habit, tradition? I'd use single foot Fuji ceramics.
Allyn
Arkriver, this type of guide is also available in single foot. Whatever type you use, this material is going to have advantages.
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Joe
Arkriver,
In some cases,Mostly in very light rods (Graphite or Bamboo) the bridge effect that is created by Snake guides is a very welcome feature as it will give support to an already delicate blank,some blanks benifit greatly in having such extra support.
Have built rods because the ppl whom I've built them for,wanted things their way.even thoe I tried to explain where it may be better another way.....and those,who,later expected something for nothing.
were not to impressed when asked why they thought that when I had asked them during the build,and explain'd the different aspects of such,why they'd expect me to "make it all better"..don't get me wrong I like what I do in my spare time,but I've never offered nore will I ever offer Guarantee's as for blank failure.....Weather the Manuf. of the blank does is another thing altogether..but most rod co's are quite forgiving when plied about a blank that has not lasted the test of time..
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"I've often wondered why it is that so many anglers spend so much money on,and pay so much attention to.the details on the wrong end of the fly line.If they took as much care in selecting or tying their flies as they did in the selection of the reel and rod,They might be able to gain the real extra edge that makes it possible to fool a fish that has,in fact,seen it all before" A.K.Best
"Wish ya great fishing"
Bill
[This message has been edited by billknepp (edited 03 July 2005).]
[This message has been edited by billknepp (edited 03 July 2005).]
Bill: I had not heard the support idea. I have not seen it any of my books or elsewhere. I'll give it some thought. You are correct that ultmately you give the buyer or ?, what they want. Some people I have talked with just say that single foot guides on a fly rod look wrong. I'm not sure I am ready personally for wooden handles.... Allyn
Not fond of the wooden handles myself,That was my Bro in-laws thing,I found them to be very pleaseing to the eye,but when wet or worse slimed by a fish,They got rather slippery.
None of my own rods sport them..but I do like a custom Cork grip that suits my hand,turned on the rod,they are quite quick and easy to make....
Bill