[John Powell]

I'm at the very bottom of my learning curve.......

so -- looking at this rod
is that marking from a poor build,  water ingress,  bad node .. or..?



thanks....john
NO not my [new] one.........that's still somewhere 'on-the-truck'.......
shipped on the 12th by Parcelforce 48hr service............

[Sandy Nelson]

Hi John

What exactly are you looking at, if its the funny marks to the Right of the ring then thats the Node.
I know its a photo, but i can't see anything to suggest damage (looks filed rather than pressed). There is some varnish missing, i would hazard a guess when the rings are replaced the blank was rubbed back to remove the old whipping varnish and hasn't been touched up. Otherwise looks fine.

Sandy

[John Powell]

Hi John
What exactly are you looking at, if its the funny marks to the Right of the ring then thats the Node.
I know its a photo,..................Sandy......

hi --  only have a photo ATM
so the dark area to right is the node colouration - OK - but do they usually show on decent rods

the pale areas either side of the left foot whipping is what puzzles me as the rod is supposedly re-finished by a rod restoration Company down south
i wont name them on a public forum - but not too impresssed if it is as you say............. ???

regards......john

[Sandy Nelson]

Hi John

Nodes usually look like that on most cane rods, Pressed nodes have a more linear graining and look less obvious, most hand planed rods have pressed nodes, Filed nodes have the pattern you can see and usually associated with milled rods, although it does depend on the manufacturer. Either way of doing it is structurally sound, its purely aesthetics, there is a train of though that by pressing the nodes you blend the fibers better, a bit like folding your finger together so you get a smoother transfer of energy. whereas the filed node basically has the fingers cut off so you may induce a weak spot, but I don't think it matters too much unless the rods are very light (3/4wts)

I think you will find with the varnish when they refurbed the rod they removed the rings and cleaned the varnish back in that area, rather than doing the whole blank. That affects the patina just like it would with removing varnish from older wood, so what you are seeing is a cleaned bamboo around the ring, and the rest is the original colour patina in the surface of the bamboo.
Again not a structural problem just and aesthetic one.

So nothing to worry about in terms of using it.

Sandy

[John Powell]

Hi John
Nodes usually look like that on most cane rods, ....................Again not a structural problem just and aesthetic one.
Sandy....

thanks - for the explanation...

well, I've put in a low bid offer - we'll see if I get lucky..?.....................john

[Sandy Nelson]

I've put in a low bid offer

good idea, there is a lot of rubbish out there that people think is worth money because its cane, just remember once upon a time cane was standard, so there is a huge variation between cheap and expensive rods, (just like the carbon ones today).
if you are forking out anything with 3 figures make sure it has a proper label (like Hardy's, Sharpes, etc) and has identifying features you can confirm its real and not a knock off (more of an issue with American rods). In fact most of the Hardy Palakona rods (ie the test, are really nice and not too huge a sum, although I like cane in lengths less than 8ft 6" and usually a 4 or 5wt)

Rods with marks like the one above are likely Chinese rods from the 60's/70's and were mass produced very cheaply (they are still doing it )

Cane is a wonderful hobby, but can cost you a lot once the addiction kicks in  Especially if you get your hands on some the really nice ones, then there is no going back

Slippery slopes and all that...................................

Sandy

[John Powell]

..................Cane is a wonderful hobby, but can cost you a lot once the addiction kicks in  Especially if you get your hands on some the really nice ones, then there is no going back.........................Sandy..

so true............
well this afternoon was delived my first purchased cane rod
(i already have a Scottie 9'5 #7/8 from my Father ) - possibly a sea-trout rod when he retired to south Wales

it's a 8'9 R. O. Roberts (?)  maybe #6 and marked May 1962
bit heavier than I wanted - so still looking for an 8' #4
but, as you say,  it can be addictive.!