Tom's article on rod breakage in last months magazine really hit home with me last night. I went to the local Academy Store to get a Fuji spinning rod guide for a repair. There is a display of Allstar Rods at the end of the aisle that is very eye catching which contains about forty mixed action and length rods. A store sporting goods sales representative was assisting a young lady finding a rod for her boyfriend for a Christmas present. He was TESTING the rods, for her, with the thumb/forefinger bend test pictured in the magazine.
While I was standing there watching he broke two while "looking for a good one". These are the "computer" butt wrapped rods that they have on special for $ 49 for this years holiday season. Sharon you might do well by hiring someone to take Tom's article around to all the stores to instruct their sales staff in doos and don'ts of fishing rods. If you could reduce this breakage then maybe you could reduce your price for those blanks to custom builders!

Gon Fishn

I dought Sharon will look at a thread subject of LOOKING FOR A GOOD ONE .
But I really like your point.
Mike

Send the thread to her??

Should have given her one of your cards

Instead of taking it to Tom the expert, just give the rods the flex test. That way you don't end up out on the lake with a broken rod.

Hey Bill,
Do you remember 2 years ago watching the girl at All Star who was doing the overhead bend test. You called her the Amazon cause she looked good but could probably arm wrestle you to the floor. Anyway,
I wonder how those rods broke if she did that test right? Maybe these rods were not tested for whatever reason.

Dave

Dave: There was absolutely nothing wrong with the Allstar rods on the rack. The idiot mashing them in a short area on the tip end is what caused the failure. If you saw last months issue of the Rodmaker the picture in the article was exactly how the guy was breaking the rods. As far as the Amazon goes - I will never forget seeing how the blanks were tested in the factory.

Gon fishn