I’ve been looking to buy some old silk fly lines…Just want to experience how they cast, but it’s really hard to find any information on brands and such from back then.
I’ve been looking on ebay and found a fly line that looks to be new, old stock…still in original package and looks unused. But I can’t see on the package if it is silk or not…It’s a Gladding’s Ideal fly line.
Does anybody have any place I can look up old lines? Websites would be the best, but if a book is available I’d get that too.
It is sometimes difficult to determine between a silk and braided nylon fly line.
One sure-fire test is to put a match to the end of the line.
If it burns to a fine ash it is silk.
Can’t speak to the Gladding Ideal line?
Gladding made some silk lines as well as braided nylon and braided nylon core lines.
If you’re truly interested in silk lines, here’s a link to a treatise by Dr. Wolfram Schott. It may not be your cup of tea as it’s 25 pages and somewhat technical. There is some very good info to be garnered there though.
Sorry, unable to link as it’s a pdf file. Just Google Wolfram Schott if interested. You can find it easily.
black, some of those old silk lines can be real finds. I can’t offer you any info on manufacturers but you might bear in mind that they will quite likely have to be reconditioned. Not a difficult process but takes some time. clarks is the place to go for certain. Great site.
I’ve already been fooled by the old nylon line once. Looked like silk, but when I stripped it, it was definitely not silk. I also found an old silk line on a reel that I purchased at a flea market and in the process of removing it from the reel and cleaning it I now have 4 chunks of silk line left, shortest is about 4 ft and longest is about 20 feet…
I’d really like to get my hands on a couple of silk lines to go with my 2 boo rods I just got off of ebay, without paying a couple hundred each that is…
I’ll check out the links and check out the Schott treatise, also.
I am seriously considering building a planing form for bamboo rods, and I’m tossing around the idea of building a braiding machine. So we’ll see where it goes from here.
Black Co.
Edit: I just checked and I’ve already read the treatise, I thought the name sounded familiar…
Since it comes from China, silk lines can be bought off evil bay. Brand new for a fraction of Phoenix’s price. Are they the same? I have no idea, but to me silk might last you 25+ years, but the upkeep is something I don’t want to hassle with.
That’s why I like Sharkskin. Glass, cane and graphite.
But if you want to experience silk, I would say the ebay. Just type silk fly lines into your search box and you’ll bring them right up. There’s a number of $49 buy it now lines there right now. For $50 what do you want.
You have three choices instead of two. Beside the original two choices of silk or PVC fly line, there is now Cortland’s Sylk Line, that is PVC, but behaves and is constructed to match the original silk lines, without the maintenance problems.
I have been using it for about 4 years now on a old South Bend Split Cane that sat in someones closet for 50 years for the lack of a silk fly line.
The South Bend is again singing its song, as I cast the Cortland Sylk Line.
Cost approximately $60, and I think it is a great improvement over the original silk lines. ~Parnelli
I found a lot of info on that page. I also believe there is a Japanese gentleman that hand makes silk fly lines currently as well and sells them for a good price on ebay.
I have a Sylk line and while it’s a good line it ain’t silk…no way. I don’t believe it even behaves like silk.
The Chinese lines are by a gentleman named Zhu and a trip to clarksclassicflyrods.yuku.com/ will give you a good commentary on them. Briefly, the early ones were maybe not quite so good. Uneven braiding and it seems I remember most guys refinishing them. From what I’ve read the laters lines have improved but I don’t know how much.
A want ad on clarks can sometimes turn up a silk line. When I was looking for a 4 wt. DT I had offers on a couple half lines, ie, 14-15 meters, and they’re just about half of what a full line costs.
Keep looking, something will turn up somewhere…and you may end up regretting fishing with silk line and bamboo. Tis an insidious disease.
Thanks for the information. I looked at Zhu’s lines, but was unsure of the quality… but for about $60ish including shipping I might try one out. I think you could request an unfinished line for a little less, I may go that route.
I’ll be picking up the rods on Sunday. One is fishable now, the other needs some work. Both are 9ft and the one that needs rework is a Southbend. The other is unknown but looks really good, its already been redone. I can tell because it has an amalgamated cork grip.
Now to find a reel to go with it. I have a knock off Pfluger Progress that was my uncle in laws, but its not in very good shape, rust, the center pin is loose and the clicker is worn out.
I’ll keep looking for silk and a reel and will check out clarks for sure.
