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New Ferrules

All that glisters may not be gold but these ferrules certainly look the part.

The pair at the back are standard bar stock nickel silver, those at the front are made from high strength Naval standard (NES 833) bronze.

It is an admirable material sharing many of the properties of nickel silver. It does not corrode even in contact with sea water but will develop the classic bronze patina if un-polished. It is an excellent colour match for flamed cane and with matching reel seat components and bronze guides can look very harmonious.

Like Nickel Silver it can be made to have a smooth fit as the material does not gall and the really good part is that it is around 50% stronger, so with closer tolerance machining can be made lighter.

Like standard ferrules it can be blued but it can also be given a bronze patina from new.

This form of bronze was used by Winstons on their cane rods for many years under the trade name "Duronze".

They will be offered as an option on all my custom fly rods.

By the way the Nickel Silver ferrules really are silver in colour but they are basking in the reflected glory of the bronze ones!

Lightweight special

Not something you see every day, a three piece hollow built fly rod with titanium ferrules.

And it works too!

Rods in progress

All of my rods are custom made and if interest is shown at any stage of manufacture then variations on fittings and finish can be incorporated to suit the purchaser.

The Garrison and the Payne have now seen action in Norway, see photographs page. Uwe Heyk has proved what can be achieved with a little cane rod by landing an 8.5lb Sea Trout on his 206.

Both 8ft 6in rods have landed some very fine fish including Browns up to 5lb.

Three new trotting rods completed including my lightest yet "The Roach Perfection".

Currently finishing five fly rods, three flamed rods and a matched pair or three piece blond rods with bronze ferrules.

A nice dark flamed Barbel rod to my design also saw action before the season close.

Restorations

On the restoration front I have just finished a Precision Rods Avocet style rod that will be a fine light Barbel rod and lined up I have a genuine early Avocet "built to endure", and an Ogden Smith version the Arun. I also have some of the nicest Mk IV's I have seen that just need a little straightening.

Reel seat inserts

Wood varieties available

The possibilities for reel seat inserts are endless but the photograph below shows three varieties that are very suitable being hard and close grained.

Although six blanks are shown there are in fact only three types of timber. The pair on the left are both Rosewood the far feft from Brazil (Pau Rosa) the next from Bolivia (Morado). The centre pair are two varieties of Olive wood, the one on the left is from Israel the one to the right is a wild African Olive.

The pair of exquisite burrs on the right are both Mallee burr from Australia the left showing very fine pippy marking whilst the far right shows fine swirling grain.

Current woods available from stock include:

Native Yew
Burr Walnut
Big leaf Maple burr
Red Mallee burr
Brown Mallee burr
Amboyna burr
Rosewood
Spanish Olive
African Olive

Double slide band

The reel seat below is an ultra lightweight design made specifically for a one piece 6ft rod, Paul Young Smidgeon. It features a flared end and polished butt cap and the reel is locked by a pair of very finely knurled slide bands. The oil finished timber insert is another piece of extremely well figured spalted burr elm.

The classic cigar shaped handle is constructed from A+ grade 1/4" shives (selected flor grade).

The handle is 5 3/4" long constructed from selected 1/4" shives and is shown without any filling so the surface flaws can be seen as minimal. These fine lines will be filled then re-turned and bleached.

Now fitted to the completed rod and for sale on the flyrods for sale page.

This uplocking slide band fitting on a recently completed 3 weight dry fly rod, shown above, features a brown mallee burr insert and polished aluminium components.

The threaded uplocking seat pictured below also features Mallee burl.

Ferrule plugs

Now supplied as standard and also available individually. Turned from split cane as shown below or from selected close grained hardwood. Each stopper is turned and polished by hand before being fitted with cork that is individually turned and fitted to each ferrule.

The array shown above is part of a collection of Hardy style ferrule stoppers turned from Rosewood. Not surprisingly these are destined for a collection of fine Hardy fly rods.

Guides

I have now started to make my own agate lined guides so that I can replace any style. Pictured below are a stand off butt ring and a Hopton style tip ring.

The frames are made from solid nickel silver joined throughout with high grade silver solder and the liners are genuine agate currently available in plum and white/clear.

Pictured above is one of my clear agate stripper guides. Made from solid nickel silver and featuring finely bezelled liners. See also the flyrod range page for more pictures showing some of the different frame styles available.

Now available with red agate liners.

Cork

It has been very difficult obtaining excellent quality cork at any price but I have imported hand selected high grade shives from the USA.

To short circuit this roundabout supply route and ensure a good ongoing supply I have now imported cork direct from the factory in Portugal. These are flor grade and I will select from these to make my handles.

New reel seats - Nickel Silver

Two new additions shown above. A Garrison style pocketted cap and knurled ring set appropriately fitted to an all cork handle for a Garrison 206.

The other reel seat is again polished nickel silver but with a plain end cap and a morticed olive insert. A variety of end cap designs can be provided with knurled plain or other designs of sliding ring.