Quick Review and Warning

[Bill Babler]

7 hours ago, holleybob said:

I watched a guide do the same with an Orvis rod trying to muscle in a fresh river run coho.  My moto since that time was ALWAYS keep your hands on the cork no matter how much your arms are burning. 

That is why you see now on a lot of fly rods a cork grip in front of the  reel handle.  They have changed the fulcrum point in the blank and it allows you to reach up a bit.  Your theory of if it don't have cork keep your paws off is as solid as a Rock.

[Rodmaker]

26 minutes ago, Bill Babler said:

That is why you see now on a lot of fly rods a cork grip in front of the  reel handle.  They have changed the fulcrum point in the blank and it allows you to reach up a bit.  Your theory of if it don't have cork keep your paws off is as solid as a Rock.

Its called " highsticking "..........don't ever do it if you cherish your rods!

[dpenny]

Bill, you're absolutely right about the trend.  

As someone with experience selling the Carbonlites for the better part of 5 years, I can tell you the new ones aren't that great.  Sure they weigh next to nothing and are probably sensitive enough for most folks, but they've sacrificed the integrity of the rod for the sake of weight.  The old blanks (the black ones) were much better, and I do own a couple of them.

For me...I'll stick with my Falcon and Loomis.

[abkeenan]

2 hours ago, dpenny said:

Bill, you're absolutely right about the trend.  

As someone with experience selling the Carbonlites for the better part of 5 years, I can tell you the new ones aren't that great.  Sure they weigh next to nothing and are probably sensitive enough for most folks, but they've sacrificed the integrity of the rod for the sake of weight.  The old blanks (the black ones) were much better, and I do own a couple of them.

For me...I'll stick with my Falcon and Loomis.

If you're from Broken Arrow why would you fish anything else! Can't go wrong with Falcon.

[5bites]

On January 27, 2016 at 7:33 PM, Rodmaker said:

Most winding checks on store bought rods are rubber. Wouldn't be an issue when the rod loads and goes oblong. The rubber will stretch with the deformity of the rod. I happen to use metal winding checks as I believe that it just adds a little more class to the rod, however, I oversize them to avoid the potential "pinch".

Also a builder here. I assume they use a China marker to mark the blank like most. 

 

I'm pretty sure it's a metal check but I could be wrong. If it is and is not sized right (small) it would definitely either damage the blank on installation or not give enough when flexed. 

 

 

Another possibility is its a blank epoxied in a pre made handle which is becoming more and more popular. 

[Rodmaker]

7 hours ago, 5bites said:

Also a builder here. I assume they use a China marker to mark the blank like most. 

 

I'm pretty sure it's a metal check but I could be wrong. If it is and is not sized right (small) it would definitely either damage the blank on installation or not give enough when flexed. 

 

 

Another possibility is its a blank epoxied in a pre made handle which is becoming more and more popular. 

Ya, 5bites, you and I use china markers, mass marketers?...... Don't know. That's an extremely strange place for a blank to break, especially 2 in a row. Generally speaking, if a rod breaks within a week or 2 of purchase , it's most likely a manufacturing defect. If it breaks several months down the road, its most likely user error. I still highly doubt that those rods had metal winding checks. Just my thoughts. There are people out there that are so highly tuned to blanks mechanics, that upon their testing can tell EXACTLY why that that blank broke where it did. I, unfortunately am not one of those people. I guess all we all can do at this point is speculate. All I fish with is my custom builds. All have as many as four metal winding checks. None of my rods have ever broke.

 

[mixermarkb]

The guys that really understand the physics and materials on rod blanks astound me. Wile E. Coyote Super Genius!

[Sore Thumbs]

On January 27, 2016 at 10:23 AM, Champ188 said:

If damage to the blanks occurred along the assembly line, sounds like training and quality control could be lacking.

I was talking to someone about rods the other day. All the blanks are made in about 3 factories outside the U.S. One is in Mexico and one is in China. Although they make a multitude of different quality of rods a lot of these rods that are in a certain price range are more than likely the same blank with different paint jobs. A lot of price differences come with the cork and the guides as well. I think we would all be amazed at how many things we use are made in China and Mexico.

[roy_eros]

Falcon blanks are made in Harrison,AR

[GNSfishing]

1 hour ago, roy_eros said:

Falcon blanks are made in Harrison,AR

I do not know the actual facts but you might check this out. I would suspect that the actual blank is manufactured overseas like most of the items we purchase. They can be assembled in the USA from imported parts. Here is a link you might want to check out.

http://www.ripoffreport.com/r/falcon-fishing-rods/broken-arrow-oklahoma-74012/falcon-fishing-rods-stcroix-fishing-rods-hh-rods-made-in-the-usa-broken-arrow-oklaho-319142