I am FINALLY going to do this (and the crowd roars, lol). I am going to build a 4 piece, 9’ 5wt for my wife, and a 6’ 2wt for my brother.
I am looking for suggestions on some nice personal touches to each rod. I love the feather inlay idea for hers, so I may toy around with some of the stuff I have, but what else might be something I can do to personalize it. I will write a little message on the blank, but am at a bit of a loss for anything else. I’m sure she will love it no matter what I do, but I’d really like to make it special and unique.
My brother is a former Marine. I really liked the rod that one of you built a few months back for a Marine, so I’m looking at doing something like that for him. I really love the black Eagle, Globe, and Anchor, so I might try to find one small enough to put on the butt of the reel seat. Anything else you guys can think of that would make it special? I might see if I can inlay the red “Semper Fidelis” flag near the grip somewhere, and I’d like to finish it with red and gold wraps.
Any thoughts, suggestions or tips are greatly appreciated.
For her rod, definitely use her favorite colors for the wraps. I have used stick-on rhinestones from Michael’s on the winding check, then covered with rod finish, on rods for a touch of extra bling. Mudhole has a nice, tasteful heart decal you might like, too.
For the Marine rod. This is what I would do…
Black or charcoal blank, Gold colored hardware with a black graphite or ironwood insert, gold single foot guides with candy apple red wraps accented with gold and black, no CP. I would find a brass dress uniform button with the Globe and Anchor, possibly at a vintage clothing store, and use it in place of the butt cap. I would do a simple cigar shaped grip, but the cork would be dyed black with a rattan wrap. I would lay a red and gold Trimar thread between the wraps on the rattan. Seal the grip with a few coats of wipe on poly. I might write “Semper Fi” on the blank just ahead of the grip.
Mudhole has the decals you want or mentioned for the Marine rod, but they would probably be large for a 2w. You could put them on the reel seat instead, though.
One last point… There no such thing as a ‘former’ Marine.
Well, Kb, you’re right there, lol. No disrespect intended, that’s what he told me to say after some poor soul called him an ‘ex-marine’. These are some fantastic ideas.
I can’t wait to surprise them with their rods…should make a good Christmas present for them both.
Ok here is what I would do. On the wifes rod I would build a pink one if that was a color she liked. I would then match the guide wraps to the rod. On the base I would weave something to the effect of FOREVER MINE and then on the other side I LOVE YOU. Then I would do a butt wrap in diamonds or double diamonds all in metalic thread. The small rose for a alianment dot would be awesome and I think a rose as a but cap would be good. I would use blood wood for the reel seat and gold for the guides and harware.
For your bother I would use a dark blue blank and do the guide wraps in dark blue with scarlet and gold trim. I would weave Simper Fi on one side and then always faithful on the other side. Then I would do a butt wrap in dark blue, scarlet, and gold in the form of chevrons. Above that I would weave the few the proud on one side and his name on the other side. I would use gold guides and hardware and ebony for the reel seat. The marine corp emblem on the butt cap wold be awesome with little gold swords as the alienment guides. Please forgive the spelling
I like the idea of the dress blues theme for the rod…didn’t think about that. My only problem is finding a rod blank in 2wt that is that color. How difficult is it to paint them if I can’t find something the color I need?
Oh, man…I just got off the phone with H&H. They have the Batson Forecast blank that is just about the perfect blue color for the dress blues fly rod!
I simply can’t wait to place that order. And they even have the periwinkle blue for the wraps on my wife’s rod.
TT I have built a few of those blanks and I will tell you they are good! One thing to remember is to grind down the guides or you will run into problems wraping. If memory serves me right they have a 3 or 3.5 tip. Very small.
Thanks for that advice. I wondered about that. I really want this rod to look sharp, so I probably will grind the guide feet down a bit. I really can’t wait to get started on this rod.
Anything that light will need the feet narrowed some. If you are using black or TiCH guides and no CP, touch up the ground feet with a Sharpie so the bright SS doesn’t show through the wraps.
