Bamboo

I recently purchased a Montague 8’6" 3pc bamboo rod.It seems to cast well with a 5wt line.I’ve only made a few short casts because a couple of the ferrals have hairline cracks.To get to my question…Can bamboo rods be refinished to be reliable? I see no cracks in the rod itself and seems to be in really good shape.Ya’ll come!

[This message has been edited by John 3:16 (edited 06 December 2005).]

Assuming that the rod is basically solid, bamboo is highly repairable. You can replace the old ferrule, remove the old varnish, and reset the guides without very much effort. It is a great learning experience and a good way to spend the winter. Parts will cost you a few bucks but most of the investment will be sweat equity. Golden Witch is a good source of parts (http://www.goldenwitch.com/) and the Classic Flyrod site is a wonderful source of information (http://p205.ezboard.com/bclarksclassicflyrodforum). You will not make your fortune this way, but it is that much more fun to catch a fish with a rod you built or rebuilt yourself.

David

John:

The short answer is yes. Any issue can be repaired by a competent repairman IF you are willing to spend the $$$.

Your rod probably has nickel-plated brass ferrules which crack quite often. Replacement of the original ferrules with better quality ferrules is the simplest fix but again if you didn’t pay a whole lot for the rod the repairs MAY exceed the value.

What would be the value of a rod like this in original condition?

Banjo (who posts here as October Woods) has some figures which might help you with the price question:

[url=http://mysite.verizon.net/vze2h7gi/fishnbanjossliceoflifeincyberspacecopy/id23.html:71bdc]http://mysite.verizon.net/vze2h7gi/fishnbanjossliceoflifeincyberspacecopy/id23.html[/url:71bdc]

Kat

Thanks Kathy but I couldn’t get to that sight.Don’t know whats’ wrong.

So much depends on condition and of course if in nearly unused condition and the right rod model maybe $250 to $325, More than likely it’s been fished hard, has a set in the tip section, maybe needs windings…If in decent shape and fishable $75 to $125. Again, condition is everything. Is the tip original length? Any nicks or scrapes, replaced guides?
With the cracks you speak of replacements would be in order. Still a good deal if you picked it up in a garage sale or got it cheap.

Hmmm… cybergremlins? Mine works, so I’ll copy the List (I’m sure Banjo won’t mind).

Kat

(Should give you an idea…)

Powr-Built 50 8? $325 - 9 - 9? $250

Powr-Built 35 - 8? $300 - 9 - 9? $225

Powr-Built 25 - 8? $300 - 9 - 9? $225

Powr-Built 20 - 8? $275 - 9 - 9? $200

Manitou - 7? (2-pc.) $350- 8? $300- 9 - 9? $250

Redwing - 8? $300 - 9 - 9? $250

Trail - 8? $250 - 9 - 9? $175

Flipline - 8? $250 - 9 - 9? $175

Fishkill - 7? (2-pc.) $325- 8? $225- 9 - 9? $175

Winthrop - 8? $250 - 9 - 9? $200

Bradford - 8? $250 - 9 - 9? $200

Webster - 8? $250 - 9 - 9? $200

Palmer - 8? $250 - 9 - 9? $200

Churchill - 8? $250 - 9 - 9? $200

Blue Streak - 8? $200 - 9 - 9? $150

Splitswitch - 8? $200 - 9 - 9? $150

Broad Brook - 8? $200 - 9 - 9? $150

Bluestreak - 8? $200 - 9 - 9? $150

Rapidan - 7?(2-pc.) $300 - 8? $175- 9 - 9? $150

Flash - 8? $175 - 9 - 9? $150

Leaping Brook - 8? $175 - 9 - 9? $150

Beaver Run - 8? $175 - 9 - 9? $150

Pocono - 7? (2-pc.) $300

Madison - 8? $150 - 9 - 9? $125

Comanche - 8? $150 - 9 - 9? $125

Lakeside - 8? $150 - 9 - 9? $125

Apache - 8? $150 - 9 - 9? $125

Acadian - 8? $150 - 9 - 9? $125

Ausable - 8? $150 - 9 - 9? $125

Rainy River - 8? $150 - 9 - 9? $125

Mountain Lake - 8? $150 - 9 - 9? $125

Pelham Brook - 8? $150 - 9 - 9? $125

Bear Lake - 8? $150 - 9 - 9? $125

Sunbeam - 8’(2-pc.) $275 - 8? $150 - 9 - 9? $125

Clipper - 8? $150 - 9 - 9? $125

Cold Spring - 8? $125 - 9 - 9? $100

Sonora - 8? $125 - 9 - 9? $100

Deerfield - 8? $125 - 9 - 9? $100

Barton Brook - 8? $125 - 9 - 9? $100

Eagle River - 8? $125 - 9 - 9? $100

Timberlake - 8? $125 - 9 - 9? $100

Lake Pleasant - 8? $125 - 9 - 9? $100

Clear Lake - 8? $125 - 9 - 9? $100

Mt. Tom - 8? $125 - 9 - 9? $100

Highland - 8? $125 - 9 - 9? $100

Amateur - 8 (2-pc.) $225

Montague Zephyr Series

Little Smoky - 7? - 8 $300 - 8? $225

Sierra - 7? - 8 $300 - 8? $225

Classon Brook - 7? - 8 $300 - 8? $225

Midge - 7? - 8 $300 - 8? $225

Hmmmmm, Might have to look into selling this one.Don’t know if I want to refinish it or not.Any lookers?

Don’t get carried too far afield by those prices. They are for rods in v. good/excellent original or restored condition. If you were to pay someone to do the work, it could easily cost $200 for parts and labor (a set of ferrules run about $50). The actual value in the condition of your rod would likely be substantially less than the prices listed.

David

I agree. I hope I didn’t lead you to think it was worth these prices… I was responding to your question about “if it was in the original condition”. It might not be, and might need a lot of work.

On the other hand, my Dad’s used Montague is, to me, priceless.

Kat

John,
REFINISH it!!! It’s not hard to do and a lot of fun. When finished you’ll be very proud of it especially, if the rod finds a nice rainbow at the other end.
Quinn


A wing & a Prayer! ----*<(((><~ ~ ~ ~
Quinn

Contact Fishbum from this site. He’s a true craftsman with bamboo.


These are the idle thoughts that posses a man’s mind when he’s not able to fish.

Thanks Folks! You’ve all been a big help. Now it’s up to me to make up my ever changing mind.

the ferrules will be the thing that will give you the most grief. Monty used a weird style of ferrule that are very often cracked and new modern replacements are an expensive item. CSE makes replacements. You MIGHT be able to find some NOS ferrules for it.
splinter