Here is a question from Volume 6, Issue #2 of RodMaker
Magazine:
I hear about all the wonder materials used in rod
building today and still see rods break and fail
when the graphite fibers break. Isn't there a
fiber around that wouldn't break so easily and
would make the rods more durable? It's tough to
spend so much money on something you have to threat
so carefully. I thought the newer fibers were
actually supposed to be stronger. Curtis, Lithonia, GA
In terms of rod failure that is not caused by
abuse - nicks, impact, etc., breaking fiber isn't
the cause of the failure. If you take a sound rod
blank and just continue to load it until failure
occurs, at some point the fibers on the compression
side will blow out of the matrix, collapsing the
structure inward. Once this happens, the strength
that was provided by the structure itself disappears
and the load falls on whatever is left, which in this
case are the fibers themselves. At that point the
fibers themselves may break, but their breakage
only occurs after the structure itself has collapsed.
The strength or resistance to failure of modern rod
blanks relies on the structure staying intact as much
of more than anything else. Intact, it is capable of
handling tremendous loads, but once its integrity is
breached you have nothing capable of handling the
load. Broken fibers are usually the after effect
of blank failure and not the cause of it.
There are many materials and fiber types which are
suitable for use in making fishing rods. But, modern
day graphite fibers remain the most popular in terms
of providing the characteristics that most fishermen
deem preferable in a fishing rod. The design of the
rod blank also plays a role in how durable it's going
to be. Everything else being equal, blanks of smaller
diameters and thicker walls can take more abuse than
those of slightly larger diameter and thinner walls,
but the former will weigh more for the same stiffness.
As in almost anything else, we have to live with a
compromise when selecting the blanks we use in building
our rods.
Try to determine what is most important to you or your
customer. Performance? Durability? A measure of both,
realizing that you have to give up a little of one to
get more of the other? The day of ultra-high performance,
lightweight miracle blank that is also absolutely
unbreakable is still somewhere off in the future.
Until then, you have to select the blanks that offer
you the best combination of the properties you most
require. This may require you to back down a bit from
the ultra high modulus lightweight blanks and instead
choose something that has a bit beefier structure
capable of withstanding a few more bumps and bangs.
~ Tom Kirkman
Publishers note:
If you have any tips or techniques, send them
along! Help out your fellow rodmakers!
~ Publisher, FAOL
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