Sat, 19 May 2012 21:07:34 -0500WeeblyTue, 20 Mar 2012 15:53:02 -0500http://canadiancane.com/1/post/2012/03/credit-where-credit-is-due.htmlSharing information is the cornerstone of the rodmaking community. Maurer, Cattencach, Howell and of course Hoagy himself did us a great service is writing their books. Recently a thread on the Clark's board has sparked tremendous interest in the making of classic British reels. Chris Henshaw is a fisherman who is also a reel maker, no, not just any reel maker, he is an expert on bench made British reels. He does not seek accolades and for now sells his reels at affordable prices, he is a rare breed.

He has an ongoing thread that chronicles his passion for reelmaking. His reels are incredible, made one at a time, by hand by Chris himself. This thread will tug at many who follow it and followers will be haunted by either the process or the aquisition of a reel. Either way most will get hooked, pun intended.

Somehow Chris has shown that making a reel is not voodoo, it is within the reach of many, of course the new makers will have plenty of challenges and most will never reach the calibre of Mr Henshaw but who cares, it is the excitement of the chase, sound familiar? ]]>Mon, 11 Jul 2011 13:10:16 -0500http://canadiancane.com/1/post/2011/07/take-the-road-less-travelled.htmlI always wonder how to be unique without becoming trivial, it's not as easy as it sounds. I want my rods to be unique but I also want them to look Payne and Leonard-like without being clones. You take a little from here, a little from there, a pinch of varnish and voila. I see rods with inlay in the reel seats and crowned feathered ferruled tabs and whale bone plugs but it does not suit my eye. Mortised wooden handles or rattan grips are cool but do they make sense? I don't know.

I saw a beautiful rod but the "flex coat lite" wraps freaked me out, this was from an established maker with above average finishing. Many people wouldn't notice but to my eye it was a disconnect, to others it was terrific.

It's safe to say many people have different tastes and there is no right way to build a rod but challenge yourself to be true to your style, to search out nuances that make a rod unique. I think the trick is a multitude of nuances that collectively give you a style, not one in your face adornment. Do we need wood spacers from south of the equator when we live in a country surrounded by trees? Who knows, I'll keep searching, asking, dissecting photographs like a forensic scientist and staring at as many rods as I can find. Like George Maurer liked to say, "Do you want to be a cook or a chef?"

]]>Mon, 04 Jul 2011 10:24:26 -0500http://canadiancane.com/1/post/2011/07/time-tested-and-proven.htmlYou are never going to be able to convince a non believer that bamboo can be a superior product in some situations than modern materials. Don't even try. A chest of drawers built by hand by a craftsman can still be serviceable, beautiful and valuable after 150 years. Made by hand, with care with quality tools by an individual with a strong sense of purpose.

A modern chest of drawers from a reputable store will be landfill in a generation or less, much like many inferior fishing products and many top of the line fishing products too. A well made bamboo rod will last a few lifetimes, it will be cherished and used, a useful implement with beauty and character. Yes, they take a long time to make and they are expensive, roughly the cost of two high end graphite rods. Quality bamboo rods will out last the synthetic, it will maintain a higher value and offer more enjoyment to the user and stay out of the landfill. Has anyone ever seen a graphite rod in a classic tackle book?

You get what you pay for in life, support quality tool makers and dealers who carry products with longevity. Buy the best tools for the job. Build your rods with pride and care as they will outlast you and your children, is that cool or what?]]>Mon, 04 Jul 2011 10:11:08 -0500http://canadiancane.com/1/post/2011/07/stick-together-and-use-your-heart.htmlI had been using a Canadian made 2 part epoxy for ferrules with good success. Much to my chagrin it was discontinued and not replaced. Here is the dilemma, you sell a rod for a lot of money and you need to know that it will stay together, not for a year or two, but forever! It also needs to be removeable in case of repair.

I canvassed a few people I trust and got some solid recommendations and then canvassed a separate group and got some different advice but they were all suggesting epoxy based adhesives. I think I have a grasp on what I need to do. Today, whilst perusing Ron's "The Planing Form" newsletter I read that using any epoxy is a no-no for ferrules. Another opinion, unsolicited, by someone who has a lot of strong opinions. You can start to see why new builders get headed down the wrong path when there is so much divergent advice out there.

I used epoxy with good success, some people I trust suggested a different epoxy, an article I just read says do not use epoxy, what is a person to do? Trust your heart, instincts, and experience. Seek out competent people to ask advice, a lot of what you read is from people that do not have the experience or time spent at grade. They are regurgitators who need to be heard and are a dangerous lot. If it ain't broke, don't fix it and trust your heart, there is only one like it.]]>Tue, 21 Jun 2011 13:34:48 -0500http://canadiancane.com/1/post/2011/06/are-we-all-anarchists.html"Schwarz argues that woodworking (rodbuilding?) is a rare and radical act in today's age of cheap, mass-manufacturing and wasteful consumption. He uses the word “anarchist” to describe individuals who “work with their hands, own their tools, and seek to live in a world where making something (anything) is the goal of each day.”" This quote is from Christopher Schwarz, well known in the woodworking community.

Gee, I never knew I was an anarchist? I always thought anarchists were bad, go figure. Alas, when I look up the popular definition in the dictionary it sure sounds like anarchy is a bad thing, a land with out laws, a disdain for government, I don't want that do I?

I sure like the sound of "living in a world where making something (anything) is goal of each day". Yup. I sure like the sound of that, don't you?

]]>Mon, 20 Jun 2011 11:57:29 -0500http://canadiancane.com/1/post/2011/06/if-you-build-it-they-will-come.htmlTo quote another Canadian, W.P. Kinsella "if you build it, they will come". I offer a few thoughts on building rods for sale. I was struck at Canadian Cane by the uniformity of the Payne built rods from the Jim Payne era. All the models were consistent, the colour of the cane was consistent, the hardware, wraps, ferrules were all consistent. The rods for Abercrombie were consistent with their in-line product.

The reels of Stan Bogdan come to mind as well. They were consistent, but for a few minor variations. If you plan to sell rods don't be afraid to tell your customer that this is the way they are. Avoid chasing their vision. If your rods don't appeal to them, so be it. Develop a style, a look, an overall elan. Be consistent with your tapers, never sell a rod with a taper you have not built before and approved as worthy. These are your rods, your expression as a builder, proven and tested with time. (It is not laziness that I have said consistent six, oops, seven times)

It was Henry Ford who said "Any customer can have their car painted any color he wants as long as it's black". Hey, things worked out pretty well for Henry.]]>Thu, 16 Jun 2011 06:56:24 -0500http://canadiancane.com/1/post/2011/06/throwdown.htmlSure, we admit it, most Canadians are hockey fans, it's in our blood and we are proud of it. Congrats to the Bees for winning the Stanley Cup over the Canucks (any team with a dumb name like that deserves to lose!)

What about an East West throwdown event with Theodore Gordon versus Roderick Haig Brown? Gordon from all accounts was a waif so it would have be an intellectual challenge and Haig Brown was a magistrate so that could be a problem but it could prove good sport. Gordon had Halford in his camp so that would keep him in good stead. Regional patterns versus time tested techniques, new materials for rough North American waters. A Leonard buggy whip vs a Powell rod. We could get Ray Camp to cover it with Sparse Grey Hackle doing the play by play.

Isn't it great to know this crass competitiveness has stayed out of our sport, there is no Castmasters tournament and that makes me feel good. Go out there and hug a trout, then let him go to bring a smile to another angler, one with a bamboo rod of course.]]>Wed, 15 Jun 2011 06:59:37 -0500http://canadiancane.com/1/post/2011/06/strike-three-yer-out.htmlI never really understood the whole six degrees of separation thing although it seems pretty cool. I was poking around cyberspace and was reading about a new tome on Paul H. Young, noted Michigan rodbuilder by Deanne L. Young, his granddaughter. What I didn't know is he was a second cousin to Cy Young.

"You’ll learn of the fabulous history of Paul H. Young’s family, from his second cousin and immortal baseball hall-of-famer Cy Young to his grandmother’s cousin John Moses Browning, perhaps the greatest gunsmith who ever lived. "

Sounds like he had some interesting DNA. We are so fortunate that these books are getting written, none will be best sellers but with each generation we lose that oral and physical history that is fast being replaced with rote binary code. Does the world really need  Wikipedia?]]>Sun, 12 Jun 2011 18:36:58 -0500http://canadiancane.com/1/post/2011/06/things-we-take-for-granted.htmlI was without power windows on my truck for a few weeks, now there is something we all take for granted, I don't think either of my kids have ever seen a manual crank window. It got me thinking about some of the tools around the shop that I take for granted. I have a few of Tim Abbott's tools, they are just well thought out, a joy to use and they bring enhancement to the finished product as well as the craft. I have used Tim's node press but I don't own one, yet! Can you say tool porn? I'm afraid to see Tim's rod wrapper, I have only heard about it. My guess is it makes wrapping easier, eliminates a lot of the frustration and does a superior job, gee, is that all?

Maybe we take Tim for granted like we do John Bokstrom and did with Bill Waara Sr. I think I owe Tim a beer next time I see him with my requisite list of questions, yes Tim, more questions...............]]>Thu, 09 Jun 2011 17:59:13 -0500http://canadiancane.com/1/post/2011/06/be-careful-out-there.htmlIt's fun to bang around the workshop and create whatever masterpiece catches your fancy. As hobbyists it is easy to forget that chemicals and wood dust can mess up your day or even send you off to the emergency room. I use ammonium carbonate when I heat treat and and I gupled some noxious fumes that sent me out to buy a cannister respirator that same day. Jim Payne was a great builder but the Payne bluing agent is just plain bad for you, use with extreme caution. Urac glue can irritate your skin if you don't wear gloves, no glove, no love. Wood dust, particularly some of the exotic ones we "turn" to make reel seats can cause severe problems for some people and I mean severe, be careful, wear a simple mask when working with fine wood dust, your lungs will thank you. We build for fun, make sure you do it safely.]]>