Does anyone know the real lowdown on nickle silver vs anodized aluminum materials for real seats? Some places you read say that nickle silver tarnishes easily and is a pain compared to high grade aluminum. Other places say that the nickel silver is more durable and ages "more gracefully".
I'm sure both are probably fine materials but just wondered what other builders experience (or preference) has been.

Thanks,
Greg

Aside from personal preferences, good aluminum is best for light rods. NS does age gracefully into a nice patina, but very easily can be brought back to full brightness. Bright aluminum seats and winding checks compliment bright hard chrome guides. Black anodized seats compliment black chrome guides. NS seats after time more or less "clash" with the chrome guides. I use NS exclusively on bamboo and often use blueing. REC's new NS finish has yet to be tested. I personally prefer aluminum seats. I have a good supply of old Rodon seats that I really love, except for the pressed uplocking hoods making it harder to shape the cork ring for a good fit.

i definately prefer the fine NS seats over the aluminum. i love the fine threads. it just looks richer to me.

Nickel silver looks a hundred times nicer and classier than aluminum ever will.Sure you have to clean it up every now and then to bring back the lustre,but the look can't be beat.

Aluminum simply looks "cheap" by comparison IMHO,but it is light,inexpensive,and can have it's advantages.You'll never worry about scatching up an aluminum seat like you would nickel silver,LOL.

If you are planning on using a nice burl wood insert or something then definitely go NS because nice wood deserves nice hardware that looks great and will last,but I would probably go aluminum on most other seats and definitely go aluminum on anything that might see salt water.Cork slide band seats look good with either,but I definitely prefer NS(even though aluminum is lighter,the NS just looks that much better).



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/01/2005 07:33AM by Tony Dowson.

i have a temple fork outfitters 9 foot 5 weight fly rod, the professional series. the hardware feels so light, it might be aluminum. it also feels so light, it feels cheap. the heft of nickle silver just adds to the value in my mind. and perceived sturdiness, which is probably debatable! ;-)

i have noticed some notching and nicks from wear on my aluminum seat. would n/s do this? i'm kind of hard on my gear.. which comes from holding a rod in one hand and scrambling over granite boulders as i work small streams, bracing myself with each hand as necesary, so it's kind of inevitable, although i TRY to be careful. this is also my first winter season building and i've used nickle silver on two rods for friends and dad, and i intend to do one for me at least so we shall see what develops in real world use.

i DO like the apparent finer machining with n/s, particularly the finer threads, although i'm now flirting with cap and ring setups.

just rambling again...

eric
fresno, ca.

Greg: You can see that people have preferences regarding nickel silver v. aluminum. Mine are equally personal.

I love the look of NS with turned wood inserts on rods that are about 6wt or less. They lend a look of lightness and grace, fine engineering,etc., and feel almost weightless to me.

I use black anodized aluminum on rods 7wt and up, and always for saltwater rods. I don't like uncolored aluminum. I think these seats can take a beating better than NS. I will even use heavy duty graphite for salt as well.

Just my $0.02.

Aaron Harp

Thanks for some great info.
Greg