The Split Cane Fly Rod
(Excert from Part III: Research and Technique)
A Fly Fisher's Life (1959)
By Charles Ritz
Our sincere thanks to Crown Publishing Company
August 31st, 1998
Publishers note: Since this
publisher is older than dirt, it occured to me that some may never have
seen many of the older books. From time to time, we hope to
excerpt interesting segments from our personal library to enlighten,
entertain and perhaps amaze our rod building friends. Some things
are older than you might think. Most of these books are long out
of print, and if we spark an interest in you, check out the used
book stores, or one of the mail-order book sellers. We previously
ran a series on bamboo from Ring of the Rise, (check the archives)
which I understand is now available in reprint. Your suggestions
and comments are always welcome.~DB
The Split Cane Fly Rod, Part Four
(Excerpt from Part III: Research and Technique)
"The Uniformity of Cane Rod Tips"
"In order to test this, take the male ferrule
in the left hand, the ring end in the right and bend the tip,
turning it in your fingers: if one of the facets shows any
serious weakness, you will feel it at once. Then flick the rod
tip with a brisk movement of the wrist and you will be able to
tell quite easily, by comparing them, which are the most rigid
and which the most pliant in relation to their diamenter.
If you have to choose between several
similar, or almost similar, rods mount them and place the
ends of the tips on the edge of a table, placing all the butts
in line so that the alignment is perfect, then the weight of
each rod will slightly curve the tip near the end, the degree
of curve will show the precise comparative difference in the
strength of the rod tips. Half an inch or so is sufficient to
show a disparity in strength. Make this experient on all six
facets to determine the rod's homogeneity. In rods of first
class quality the difference should not be more than about
an inch.
You are now in a position to judge of a
cane rod as well as the experts can; you may nevertheless
find that it has faults the first time you use it in practice."
~Charles Ritz
Next time,Malformation, weakness in bamboo
rods.
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