Quote Originally Posted by Byron haugh View Post
Depends on the item.
Would not do so with a rod. One of my favorite rods is the Hardy Zenith. It uses a proprietary Syntrex blank which somehow embeds nano sized mica particles throughout the blank. These big rod companies spend years developing the design and materials to bring about strong, lightweight pleasures to cast.

When it comes to small artisans who use common materials, I would. There are some very talented, relatively small operations making great vises and reels, I believe.
Byron,
as much as the rod manufacturers would like you to believe they are developing the graphite technology this is not really true. Materials have been developed for the aerospace and military and anyone with a checkbook can buy them (there are some that can only be used by US residents for military security purposes i have read in one manufactures adds). In the would of graphite, fishing rods are a very small player. The closely guarded secrets are the manufacturing techniques.