Looking for IM-9 Blanks! Does anyone know a vender that has them?

Shimano claims to have IM-9 rods and there's a place in Australia that advertises IM-9 fly rods. Maybe they're just dyslexic and inverted a 6. It's probably a close cousin of Bass Pro Shops' 85 million modulus rods.

IM9 is the highest strength fiber in Hexcel's line of Intermediate Modulus (IM) fibers. IM9 is only about 5% stiffer (modulus) than IM6, but it is about 20% stronger. You don't see a lot of blanks with IM9 fibers and keep in mind that the scrim or other reinforcing fibers play a significant role in the strength of the blank.

What type of blanks are you looking for? Shimano uses it in their Crucial rods but they don't sell the blanks. Raven has IM9 based float rods and blanks.

Mark

IM9 prepreg has been available for some time. The data that I have shows IM9 to have just a little higher modulus of elasticity than IM6 and IM7, 40MSI, 40MSI and 42MSI respectively but it has quite a bit higher tensile strength, 760 KSI, 780KSI, and 920KSI respectively. With tensile strength that high I am not sure why more blank manufacturers are not using it unless it it is very expensive.

As far as the Bass Pro 85 Million is concerned I only have data on one prepreg that has a modulus as high as 85 MSI but I would not build a blank out of it because the tensile strength is very low, 569KSI.