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