Who makes the rod blanks for most of the fly rod companies? It stands by analogy that if one fly line company (or three) make most of the fly the lines, maybe one company or very few make the blanks for the rods of the others.
So who makes the blanks and for whom?
Migs (…with a guilty grin)
lowest bid??? in a lot of cases.
Rich
Maybe a more intresting questions would be who are the top three blank makers and of the major rod campanies who does not make their own blanks?
Pete
Whilst serving in Korea, I went on a tour of fishing rod factories. Got to buy some factory seconds for pennies on the dollar (IM-6 11’ 8wt, name brand with a paint blemish for 5 bucks).
I did find and buy one rod that proudly stated that it was “hand made in England.”
There were about 5 factories in downtown Seoul that made a lot of the brand names.
Frank Reid
reassuring for the “buy american” crowd.
I also toured a rod manufacturing factory in Seoul in 1984, and in the room they called “the stencil room” was every well-know U.S. brand name stencil known to man and beast hanging on the wall. They were all there, and most said “Made in America.” I ask how they could say that, and they replied that the guides were added in the U.S. So in my estimation, at that time, 90% of our rods were made in that factory. These of course were all fiberglass rods, so maybe now it’s changed since graphite, but I doubt it. $$$$, you know…
I fly fish the salt because the voices in my head tell me to…
[This message has been edited by caibill (edited 19 April 2005).]
[This message has been edited by caibill (edited 19 April 2005).]
You might get an answer to your question at rodbuilding.org…I’d be curious to know the answer too.
As you all might imagine I was “fishing” with this question.
Maybe one of the forum members that is deeply connected to the industry might have shed some light.
Migs
All Sage rods are made in WA on Bainbridge Island.
LL Bean, Cabelles (sp), Fly Logic make no rods, I don’t believe Orvis makes any (other than cane, which they recently began making again). There are more of course.
LadyFisher, Publisher of
FAOL
I think I read somewhere a long time ago that in order to put the label “Made in USA” on your product, you only needed to have made or assembled 25% of it here and the other 75% could be from overseas. Most “American” cars are assembled here but the dash instrument panel circuit boards etc. are made overseas.
Just something to think about on this subject
Warren
Made in the USA. That terminologly is all but a thing of the past. Not saying its good or bad with exception to losing a fair share of jobs here in the US. As for products it doeesnt mean because a product is made abroad it is inferior either.
I’ve heard, I wont buy unless its made in the USA, but that also goes against fair trade practices with which we are in over our heads with already. I love america and its ashame all honda’s arent made here, most are just assembled. Good product though, takes a lickin and keeps on tickin’.just like the energizer bunny, who by the way may have been built elsewhere but assembled here…ha
yep…take everything off a Harley thats not made here,and Lets see ya ride it…
[url=http://www.orvis.com/store/group.asp?dir_id=758&Group_ID=759&shop_id=2040:f8bc3]http://www.orvis.com/store/group.asp?dir_id=758&Group_ID=759&shop_id=2040[/url:f8bc3]
[url=http://www.stcroixrods.com/content.asp?id=9§ion=about:d171e]http://www.stcroixrods.com/content.asp?id=9§ion=about[/url:d171e]
[url=http://www.stcroixrods.com/content.asp?id=10§ion=about:d171e]http://www.stcroixrods.com/content.asp?id=10§ion=about[/url:d171e]
The other thing that really ticks me off is when you buy a rock solid US brand name get the product home and find a made in China tag in the inside.The one that really got me to watching tags is a pair of Danner boots I
bought last year 180.00 bucks and a chinese tag sewn inside oh well I will never buy Danner again and pay better attention next time.
treat them right and you’ll never have to buy another pair of boots.
mgj
[This message has been edited by mikeytwoshoes (edited 19 April 2005).]
[url=http://www.scottflyrod.com/difference_craftsmanship.html:1ce32]http://www.scottflyrod.com/difference_craftsmanship.html[/url:1ce32]
OK, I went out to the Orvis link and read the info on each rod. There is ONE rod which says it is made by Orvis at the Manchester facility, the TLS Power Matrix.
Most don’t say, but the Frequent Flyer does say:
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size=“1” face=“Verdana”>quote:</font><HR>
every step of the overseas production is supervised by Orvis.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
So what is the point?
We know a lot of rods are made “off-shore.” Could we afford to buy them if they weren’t? Or does one company want more of a profit margin than a company who makes their rods in the US? If the quality of the produce doesn’t measure up to your standards you won’t buy it. The buyer is the final judge.
LadyFisher, Publisher of
FAOL
I heard that TFO gets rods delivered to them for $6.00 per section. Little hands make the best fly rods right?
I was tod that Cabelas FT was made from a GL3 blank, by a a very reliable source within the company.