I hope everyone reads this and if they are not already using wax, start. This past Saturday I went to my favorite smallie river. Put together my 9’ 4 pc 6wt and started fishing. Now on most days, I always put a little of the wax that came with the rod on each section, before putting it together. But not this time. About an hour into fishing and I notice the tip section of the rod was off center from the rest of the sections. And loose! Fortunately I carry some wax in the vest and took care of it in short order. But oh how close I could have come to breaking my first fly rod.
So thanks for the article. I might just have to start carrying a nail with me to remind me to wax my ferrules.
Thanks to J.C. for opening my eyes to this. I now carry the stub of an old candle in my vest. By the way, Zip Cast is good for cleaning the wax build up off of those ferrules. Makes a great cleaner for the eyes of the rod too.
I carry a tea light candle in my vest. It’s small and inexpensive. JC got me started on using pariffin several years ago and now it has become part of my cleaning and maintenance routine (wash and dry, Pledge, and wax).
I wish the manufacturers would stress the use of wax on the ferrules and as suggested include one with every rod.
It is wax and mineral oil mixed together. Sounds a bit expensive but it sure does the trick. (Keeps em together but lets you easily separate the sections when your done.)[/b]
At least one manufacturer; R.L Winston, DOESN’T recommend wax on their spigot ferrules. Their position is that the wax attracts dirt and causes premature wear. Since spigot ferrules on high end rods are usually graphite and not coated with rod finish; as well as being fitted to the individual rod it makes sense to me.
Winston suggests that IF you feel compelled to wax THEIR spigots; you should clean off the wax after each use; something I don’t feel like doing. As a result; I don’t wax my spigots.
Do they get loose on occasion…?
…Yup!
But I just check them occasionally along with the other things I keep an eye on like my reel seat fittings and tighten if necessary. Even though spigots can be replaced; I really don’t want to get one replaced sooner than necessary. I haven’t had any problems yet sans-wax so I will continue going without.
BTW - Winston doesn’t have an issue with waxing sleeve-over ferrules since they usually are not custom fitted or unfinished graphite and as such; don’t wear as fast. But the bottom line is; wax DOES accumulate grit and should be cleaned off periodically and reapplied.
I’m sure every rod maker has their opinion on what’s best for their rods and I decided to ask my rod company what they recommended for my sticks just to be sure.
but I have not had good luck lately finding it. And, nothing against bee’s wax, might be great, don’t know about it, just know about paraffin. I suppose a case could be made against it too, about grit sticking to it, so far I have not had a problem. Just a dab of common sense and responsibility. The surface on spigots is different than graphite over ferrules. Graphite can be very slippery and come apart, or so slick it jams together.
Since I worked with Bees Wax for 27 yrs as part of my job, I found it works great rubbed on my tying thread for twisting dubbing and it smells good too! Never tried it on my rods.
Doug
Another option is what bamboo rod maker Jeff Wagner told me to use…a bar of bath soap. Jeff just uses a “swipe” & it works fine. no build up as it can be washed right off with a little water.
Mike
Thanks JC. I have a rod that tends to come loose after a few hours of fishing. If I am using this rod I check the ferrules about every hour, what a a pain! :? I now have given them the paraffin treatment and they fit together snug but easily come apart when needed. I sticking a few birthday candles in my vest!!
It’s funny, I have been trying to pass this idea around for years and am amazed at how many really good and long time fly fishermen have never even heard of it. And like I wrote, why the rod makers aren’t screaming this is beyond me. Glad it seems to be helping some of you. It will keep you from breaking rods and that awful feeling when you get a two piece rod stuck and can’t get it into a car or truck to get back home. A real embarrassment.
Fenwick was advocating wax on their fiberglass Feralite sleeve over ferrules from the beginning of non-metal ferrules which I think was the late 1950’s or early 60’s. It’s neatly written right on the rod blank; (decal, I guess ;)). It’s funny how that info got lost. I had a Fenwick HMG with a sleeve over from the late 1970’s and it also recommended wax.
For NO particular reason except that I have some laying around for the last 30 years or so, I use Marvel Mystery Oil. I apply some on the ferrules before and after fishing. I have a small oil impregnated rag/swatch and wipe the ferrules with it and then wipe THAT dry/clean with a paper towel. I started with about 1/2 pint of a 1 pt can and still have about 1/2 of that left. Has worked GREAT. Probably not good for rod finish though although I really don’t know.
Bill,
It’s as you said. The Old Master taught me to rub the male end of the ferrule along side my nose 25 years ago. I have been doing it ever since and never had a problem. People look at me funny though. But maybe that has nothing to do with where I rub my rod. Ya think!
Bill I use to do the same thing. I think that was to prevent the metal ferrules from sticking. With todays graphite and some older glass rods, I use wax to prevent them from coming apart during a days fishing.
I can’t remember reading a bout htis any place, but I wil lhave some wax with me by the end of the noon hour.
I guess you can teach an old dog new tricks.
I have to respond, again. It has been stated in the past that you rub a mixture of SALT AND HUMAN EXCREMENT (the side of the proboscis is one such location) on the ferrules of your cane rods. The waxy substance was plentiful and cheap and already came with a generous (more in warm weather, less in cold weather) of SALT. This application was performed with a ritual, a slight chuckle and a knowingly wink of the bushy eybrow’d bloodshot eye.
This anointment was secretly developed by the rod industry themselves, later society would call the practice 'planned obsolescence.
The mixture would attract grit and grime, and the salt with the accompanying moisture was a perfect incubator for iron oxide to slowly destroy the ferrules, actually causing them to rust together. The obvious fix was to just use more, must be there had not been enough
