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Split Cane Trout Rod - Tips On Renovating


Cameron

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I have been given an old split cane trout rod, three piece, with cork grip. There is no sign of a makers name on it and it is minus most of the runners, but the cane is still in good nick. It will most likely finish up hanging on the wall when finished, but I would like to make a good job of it.

Have any of you guys attempted a split cane reno before and can pass some tips on to me? I have emailed AG and I am confident that he will reply to me when he gets time, but I thought that some of you elder statesmen out there might be old enough like me to remember split cane rods and may have some ideas on how to make them like new again.

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Jethro,

I will certainly keep you in the loop, although Allen may well reply here if he reads our posts. I am regularly doing up old glass rods, but I was a bit hesitant about touching a split cane one for fear of ruining the finish of the cane.

I have no runners for mine, so I will have trouble keeping it original. From what I have read, collectors pay quite hefty sums for restored original cane rods. However mine will finish up hanging on the wall!

My grandfather was a pretty keen fisho too, but never owned a rod in his life. His father actually named him "Berty", after his fishing boat! I was left his old plywood fishing box, containing all his handlines wrapped around beautifully shaped corks, plus pewter hook tins with the hook sizes inscribed on the side of each tin. A real work of art.

Stay in touch

Cameron

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G`day Fellas ,

AS I recall , split cane rods are strips of cane that are somehow cured , and glued together , sealed , bound and lacquered ....I think.

I think all members would truly appreciate a lecture on the Life cycle of the legendary split cane Rod from one of the Experts .

How about Fellas , all in favour say Aye!!!!!

I once watched My dad , lovingly bind a tip on his Split Cane Rod , By the light of A Kerosene lamp in our shack at Spencer one easter , after it came loose .

I think all the Runners were pure Agate , and my dad , who never let an opportunity pass without enlightening me , also told me that an apprentice would would Spend a whole day with a hand drill , boring a hole through the rough block for right handers , and two days for left .

Mick

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Guest bluecod

Aye!!

Being a right hander I'd love to hear more of that left handed hole that took two days to drill :1naughty::1naughty:

I've got at least one old split cane rod around the place that only needs to be rebound and finished, but left much longer they may need serious work.

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Guest Jocool

AYE!!!

I'd be keen to learn more. I did a fair bit of reading in days gone by, of Dick Lewers books on fishing. Has a fair bit of info on SC rods. Should dig them out for a refresher. I also saw one at a flea market not long ago. Wonder if its still there!

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I really seem to have started something here. The "split cane club" has come alive!

Seriously thought, they are things of beauty when restored. It seems that in America plenty of people are still buying them new in preference to all the modern materials, as trout rods. Some of the American web sites are fascinating to read.

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Thanks Cameron. Any info would be great. I would love to to fix the old rod up a nail a few blackfish over winter. I'm sure it would bring a smile to my grandfarthers face.

I also have a couple of other old beach rods that are just a length of bamboo with a few guides, a reel seat and a bit of cork. They look a bit rough but they have pulled some great fish in there time

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G`day Fellas ,

Yep , I too inhereted my Dads splittie.

I thought I was just it too , when on my very Ist solo attempt with his rod , I donged one Blackfish after another for a week solid .

But It wasn`t very long before the new age arrived in Glass rods , and although solid , were as whippy as all buggery , and almost indestructable ( Almost ).

But when the hollow , and extremely light rods came along , the splittie was assigned a Place of honour , which was rack over the Door of the weekender .

Some time later on , I decided to have it restored , and the only one I could find that did so at the time , was a fella from Mick Simmons Sports Store in Bondi Junction .

The restoration took some 3 weeks to be ready from memory , and I think cost Me A Fiver ( 5 pounds ) .

I remounted it above the doorway in the Weekender , where it stayed untill stolen after a break in a few years later.

Mick

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I too would love to learn more about the split cane :1clap:

Interestingly I was flicking through the latest Freshwater Fishing Mag and in the Tackle 2005 section there is short piece of new split cane rods made by a chap by the name of Nick Taransky. Its actually stipulates that the rods are made for fishing and not display! He has a website but I am not sure if I should post it? Ken?

Cheers

Windy

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Guest Jocool
He has a website but I am not sure if I should post it?  Ken?

Cheers

Windy

43165[/snapback]

Throw it up Matt. I for one would be interested in seeing it. :thumbup:

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Ive got a couple, an old convertible spin/fly combo and a deep sea fishing rod that I got from my father that probably date from the early fifties, carefully stored away to hang in a place of honour when I get the room

My wife bought me a 5/6 wt Granger Victory, that was probably built in the mid 30's, for my 40th. Fished it for the first time down in the snowy mts just before Easter. Lovely Rod almost seems to cast itself.

I,ve looked at the taransky site, follow the link to the American bloke whoe taught him how to make cane, there are some lovely rods there.

Plenty of info on cane if you google

Regards POGO

would love to see what Allen has to say as well.

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Thanks Cameron. Any info would be great. I would love to to fix the old rod up a nail a few blackfish over winter. I'm sure it would bring a smile to my grandfarthers face.

I also have a couple of other old beach  rods that are just a length of bamboo with a few guides, a reel seat and a bit of cork. They look a bit rough but they have pulled some great fish in there time

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Hey Jethro ,

My very Ist Beach outfit , was a 16 ft length of Rangoon Cane , purchased from mick simmonds At Central .

I bound all the runners and tip on , but did not realise that One should slide the reel seat on first , so I had to strip it all off and do it again.

Once finished , I purchased a large Bakerlite Centre Pin reel , and having loaded it with 200 yards od 20Lb Line , I headed for Bondi.

Standing at north bondi where the mermaids are , I would peel off as much line as I could between swells , and try and lob a Garfish on 4 ganged hook rig as far out as possible , trying to not get knocked over by the waves pounding over that platform.

When I think back now , it was rather primative , but enormous fun , so when the new U beaut , Fibre glass rods appeared made by Slazenger , I got one almost immediately , and matched it to a Seascape Overhead.

That too took some mastering , but soon I became adept , and began catching a feed .

The old Rangoon rods were excellent at casting extremely long distances , and when the side cast reels came in I bought one to try on mine.

They were magnificent to use , and I have always wondered , what it would be like to have a 16 foot one piece fibreglass blank to use of the Rocks or beaches using todays technology.

Mick

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Guest Jocool
and I have always wondered , what it would be like to have a 16 foot one piece fibreglass blank to use of the Rocks or beaches using todays technology.

Mick

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I have an old 14 foot 1 piece of un-known origin. It has copped a couple of rebinds, and is in need of one now. I used to use it of Avoca a lot with an Alvey 650!

Picture this....Driving along the freeway...in a mini...with a 14 footer out the window! :risata::risata:

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Mick - I have got 3 x 2pc beach rods that sound very similar although I have never used them. My grandfarther used to use them at Yellow Rock at Malabar. Back in the days when earnt its name. He would climb out with an heshen (sp?) bag full of tailor, bream and blackfish. Not sure how happy I would have been to have them for dinner though

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G`day Fellas ,

Jethro , Take it from Me Mate , after cleaning , ( not at the spot they were caught , rather at home in Tap water ) they tasted Fine , I never ever had a problem.

But what you should consider is , that in the 50/60`s sydney was not as hopelessly overcrowded as it is today , and therefore the sewerage released at Malabar in those days was treated properly , and not as It is today .

The system then , was was in reasonably good shape , and it did what it was supposed to .

But Today , in this overcrowded city , with all the new chemicals , and exotic diseases being flushed down the sewer at an ever increasing rate , I would not like to chance my arm these days.

In the Past , our parents would cut off an Arm , rather than flush the contents of a frying pan into the sink, but not so today.

The system Now is in serious disrepair , as is shown by the well documented reports of overflowing pipes discharging Raw sewerage into the oceans during storms.

Either way it all ends up in the ocean , and thats why I have never really taken to Surfing .

The tailor and bream were always Ok to eat , but On the one occaision I took home some blackfish for a feed , the Smell from the gut was was extremely rancid , so I never targeted Blackfish again.

Mick

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Guest Jocool
Either way it all ends up in the ocean , and thats why I have never really taken to Surfing .

43302[/snapback]

Now theres a way to make friends! :074::074::074:

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Guest bluecod

I tips me lid to Mr N A Taransky [see Matt's post] obviously a fine craftsman!

Though I don't think the bank manager would permit me $900 for a fly rod :(

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Fair point Mick. But the old boy used to tell stories of targeting blackfish with peas as bait...........

They would make it through the treatment process whole and the fish would feed on them.

I used to do a bit of surfing in Long Bay as a kid and always needed a good shower after getting out. We saw some pretty terrible days in the bay especially after a lot of rain. :hitsfan:

Now they have moved the outlet off shore the bay is a new world. Beautiful sand beach and crystal clear water. My grandparents used to own a house on Bay Pde (right opposite the water) up until a few years ago.

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Jethro & others,

Via other searches on the net, I have managed to get in touch with a very helpful fellow from Launceston who is supplying me with step by step instructions on how to renovate split cane rods. I will put this up when I get a chance. It seems that this has struck a chord with a few of us who have old cane rods sitting in the shed or garage.

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