I am just wondering why people refer to soft rods as always being slow, and slow rods always being soft. Soft rods will bend easier, that is, with less force applied. A graphite rod with the same action as and old fiberglass rod will not bend as easily as the fiberglass rod.
I am not saying this applies for all rods, but it is what I have found to be true for the rods I own and have casted, which is not alot compared to the amount out there.
Does anyone know what I am talking about? Maybe Soft and Slow are different words for the same meaning, but I am right about certain materials being able to bend easier like fiberglass, that i know from experimental data.
There are people here who can answer the question better than I but, softness referes to the tips action, ie. does it bend easily (soft) if not (stiff), Slow vs. fast action refers to the WHOLE rod and the way it throws the line. Do you have time to smoke a cigarette on the backcast (slow) or do you only have time to take a drag or two (fast). I think with this you get the point although not totally correct in terms of actual time, it drives home the point.
Ian, several things enter into this. Comparing the relative feel of glass vs boo vs graphite vs boron is subjective. First of all, the manufacturers like to confuse us with the term Modulus of Elasticity which is a description of tensil elasticity. It is the tendency of an object to deform along an axis when opposing forces are applied along that axis (ie, tensil stress over tensil strain). It is requires for stress calculations but rather useless otherwise. Some rods are solid glass (in years gone by) or solid boo. However, fiberglass and boron and graphite rods are now made up of non-homogeneous materials which use the aforementioned materials in various shapes and sizes along with complex hydrocarbons, etc. So “E” means about squat.
As an epiphany, consider a 12 wt graphite of 12’ and a 2 wt glass rod. Just don’t consider them too long. Now consider the opposite. Now consider the Fenwick Ferulite which was designed to feel like boo.
Obviously by now, it is all clear to you. I could explain it more but then we would have to send black choppers to kill you. Just cast what feels best to you.
There are a few variables. Just some of which are: interior diameter and taper, outside diameter, thickness of the walls, the variations of the scrim, the axis and axial of the frabostate, and the sub-strate, the juxtaposition of the oribs and maxillae, both interior and exterior. Too much and you go right past slow all the way to soft.
If you want a full discourse on the scientific measurements of power and action in a rod, go to the section here for the Common Cents System. Print out each article on the subject and read them twice (it took twice for me to understand what was going on with some certainty, perhaps you won’t have to read it more than once). I could be wrong, but I don’t believe that “soft” is mentioned. I believe that action is almost always referred to as “fast, moderate and slow” being the labels used to describe the action of various rods.
Anyway, its a very good read even for non-rodbuilders.
I give thanks for the replies from everyone.
I am confused though. Can there be rods that dont bend as much as fiberglass…but still bend as easily? or are they proportional…when a rod goes faster…it becomes harder to bend, when a rod goes slower it goes easier to bend…I should just ask you, instead, what would be a good rod for light tippets, that is also good for long casts and tight loops like an IMX ( not necessarily as fast or effective) for example?
I can’t see there being any rods today as soft and slow ( if they are even different ) as the old fiberglass fly rods…if anyone has some old ones they would be willing to trade or sell let me know.
hope this makes sense
Ian