Originally Posted by
bonefishwhisperer
I never wax the ferrules and never have even though I fish salt well over 200 days a yr...never been a issue if that tells you how important it is....just another detail that really isnt important unless you are collecting rods for your grandchildren IMO...that being said I have fished with a guy that would just wipe the side of his nose or ear with his finger and that alone was enough "wax" to keep the ferrules in control....a good rod shouldnt have any ferrule issues...I have only 3 rods left that are 2 pc rods because I have began using 1pc rods and they are great
I disagree. Nose or ear oil should never be used on any ferrule especially the spigot metal ferrules on bamboo rods. Nose oil contains fatty acids and salt that will corrode metal, plus it contains fine dust particles. Rub the outside of your nose at the end of a day fishing, and see if it doesn't feel gritty and is discolored on a tissue. It will gradually wear away even graphite ferrules.
Ferrules should be waxed. I think what you mean is that you have not had problems yet, and you may not. Rod companies recommend paraffin or candle wax because it provides a layer of protection for the ferrule surfaces and will fill in any irregularities in the seating of the ferrule.
Ferrules should be seated with a quarter twist that lines up the guides. Twist two sections of rod ferrules together without wax and you gradually wear away the surfaces.
The wax will also insure that the ferrules will come apart at the end of the day. Stuck ferrules are due to a vacuum which develops in the hollow sections of the rod. As the ambient temperature rises, the air trapped in the hollow section of the rod expands and creates air pressure that is suddenly released as we cast and flex the rod. When the ambient air temperature lowers, this air may not leak back into a rod section and you have a vapor lock that keeps the joints locked. Wax will allow you break that seal without breaking the rod.
Wax also helps to keep the joints from loosening during a cast. A loose joint can break either under the stress of casting or fighting a fish. Loose ferrules are one of the causes of "mysterious" fly rod breaks.
Regards,
Silver
"Discovery consists of seeing what everybody has seen and thinking what nobody has thought"..........Szent-Gyorgy