Hand carved reel seats

Just wondering if anyone else makes carved reel seats, I feel it’s a way to truely
customize my rods.
Will try to get DDR to post a few pictures of some.

I’d love to see some pictures. My next project is going to be to build a rod and about 6 years ago I gave a co-worker a walnut tree that I had cut down and I might ask him to make the reel seat or at least rough it out for me and I can finish it off.

Roy

I believe I’ve seen them made from deer antler or elk horn.

I’d also like to see a pic if you could post one.

thanks,

sorry for the delay. i have all the pictures on my camera, but im having difficulty getting them on to the computer. we just got a new computer, and its not recognizing the device for loading the pictures. i should have it figured out soon though, or i’ll just go buy a new one.
so just want to say sorry for taking so long Doug
-ryan

Thanks, I really appreciate your efforts.

here are a few of my latest projects:

  1. a wooden hex case with brass ends and caps for 2pc 9’ rod
  2. a moose antler and zebrawood handle on Legend Ultra
  3. a couple of wooden handles the first being 100 year old redwood and antler tip the other Southern ash

Baitwaister,

Would you ever consider making a handle with the deer antler like the second picture to sell? I would be interested in one if you would make one.

I would be interested in making one. The one thing I will say is that a straight wood handle with a bone winding check (Like the redwood one) is about 10 grams in wght more than a cork which is a negligibe amount that you will not feel. That particular one is made from the pedicle of small bull. It has a lot more wght than a cork or wood, even when bored out an inserts are put in. The rod that is on is a 5wt with a Ross Canyon reel and it balances out fairly well. It is still a little handle heavy. It does not affect how it fishes or casts but you do feel the handle. Other ones I have made where it is a bone accent in the back and winding chk in the front are not as heavy as using the pedicle…but it is definetly custom. One thing to remember also when fitting a wood or bone/wood handle is that you have to be more careful when fitting to a blank. You can only put inserts in so far so you have wood and bone to ream out. It is slower and if you try to force it you can crush the blank…ouch. What I try to do is to mic the diameter of the blank close to where the handle will end up and drill that out just a hair under that size and then ream from there. I will also usually use a silver winding check on top of that to hide any small imperfections in fit.

Baitwaister,

Those are very attractive, do you turn them on a lathe?

Yes iturn them on a lathe using mandrels.

Finally got it working. here are the pics.

and

Those are very nice, I never thought about adding an image. Those really look sharp! Thanks again.