Another Bamboo Rebuild...

Articles Rod Building & Craft
1

It’s funny how jobs run in groups. This last couple of weeks have been “'boo rebuild time.” This is another one but probably the most interesting of the bunch.

I started looking at it like just another Jap 'Boo rebuild but once I got to looking, I knew I had something more. This appears to be a custom build. The grip is quite unusual and I hadn’t seen a seat quite like this before. It is an uplocking seat but you turn the butt to tighten things up. It’s not an expensive seat, but different.

I simply cleaned up the grip and took the seat apart and cleaned and polished it up a little. The rod itself was pretty straight and needed only minimal straightening once the old finish was scuffed a bit, I gave it a couple of coats of wipe on poly. I rewrapped the new guides back in the orignal locations with orange and black classic twist like it had been originally. The second tip was wrapped in yellow as it was originally. I was able to save the original inscription. The original stripper was missing so I grabbed a “second” I picked up double cheap on Ebay that I honestly couldn’t find anything wrong with from Golden Witch.

2

The rod is a South Bend with a “comficient” grip. I have 2 with the same grip and reel seat. Comficient means comfortable and effecient.

3

You were the second to suggest that. I have learned something and will pass it on to the customer. I don’t think he was aware of any of the rod’s history other than it was Grandpa’s.

Apparently, the rod had been reworked once before. There was no decal or identifying marks other than the inscription. It is still one of the nicest I have had the opportunity to work on.

4

Defintely South Bend.

Not Jap…anese.

5

Nope. Like I said, I figured I had something more than the hardware store fly rod.

6

Sorry, you are correct. My post was meant to draw attention to the use
of Jap v/s Japanese.
Jap is offensive, in my opinion.

p.s. Thousands of South Bend rods were sold throughtout the country in hardware, department, etc. stores.
A few models are ok bamboo rods. Most lack any refinement or casting merit. Again, my opinion only.

7

Another winner Kevin. Great wraps , they look like glass.

8

You are right about the terminology. Old habits die hard sometimes.