Couple rods from this week 602-4 & 908-2

[Midwest Custom Fly Rods]

This rod is built on a 6' 2wt 4pc private label blank. Wood insert with Nickle silver BUL5 hardware, custom grip with deer antler ends on it. Single foot guides and a Agate stripping guide. Wraps are gray&black classic twist without CP so they match the grays&blacks in the stag pieces of the grip. BUL5 front hood was left exposed which gave me a place to do some white wraps with silver trim accents and then cover with finish.










Steve

[Midwest Custom Fly Rods]

This one is just a straight forward clean build. It's a 9' 8wt 2pc Amtak blank wood seat fullwells grip, all black hardware two strippers dark green (cp) wraps with metallic silver trim.







Steve

[rayhill190]

Steve,As usual your builds are fabulous.Hope to try my first build this winter

[fishdog54]

MCFR,

That 2wt. is a jewel! Did you use antler from the clients deer? If not, that might be something to think about on a future build. The reason I suggest this is because I have feathers from turkeys and other stuff that was harvested by brothers/nephews etc. that I am thinking about incorporating into flies for them. Adds some personal touch to them. Just a thought. You could use their own feathers for the inlays??
Is that composite cork(?) end on the 8wts fighting butt more durable? I really like it regardless. Just wondering.

Best regards, Dave S.

[harleybob87]

Hey steve how hard is it to turn the antler. I love the way it looks on the grip. Very nice work on both rods.

[baitwaister]

I have used antler quite a bit in grips and it actually turns fairly easily. It sands easily and polishes nicely with just a grey scotch brite pad (fine). Make sure you use a polyurethane glue(like Gorilla) to bond it with the rest of the grip. Counter boring for recesses can be tricky. Used to use Flex coat pilot bit set, but have now come up with a better way.