Hello,

I did a search on the forum, but there were no results on what happens when a blank is shortened. I have read conflicting things about shortening blanks. While all said that shortening a blank will make it slower, I read one post where the blank's ern goes up, and one where it goes down. I can see how it would get slower, but I don't know how it would get more power by being shorter...please let me know which is more accurate.

Thanks,
Ken

It probably depends on which end you cut off.

Cutting from either end makes the action slower. Cutting from the butt reduces the available fish fighting power. Cutting from the tip increases the lure casting power, to some extent.

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I was reading on another forum where a guy bought a 9' 6 weight 4 piece, and just left the butt section off to make a shorter rod, and claimed it was now a 7'6" 8 weight...that was what was confusing me. Is there any validity to this claim?

Thanks,
Ken

Ken,
You have to remember there is no set standard for designating a line rating on a blank. It's up to the manufacturer to give their best guess, fishing the rod the way the tester fishes it and with the line selected by the tester. I'm willing to bet the blank already was a good stout blank with an ERN power rating exceeding a 6 wt and than the caster got a rod he likes the feel of, at the distances he fishes with an 8 wt line. I'm betting he didn't test the blank with the Common Cents System either to get a definitive measurement we could all use to compare his creation to other rods or blanks.
If you don't have some type of repeatable verifying system than all blanks and rods are a crapshoot as to their real power and tip action.

Ken,

All I can say is that leaving the butt section off the rod isn't going to make it more powerful - it will be less powerful. If he considered the rod a 6-weight with the butt section, then without it there is no chance it will be an 8. He is simply providing a subjective opinion on what line he may prefer on it - but I can assure you the blank did not become more powerful by dropping the butt section.

Why not take one of your own multi-piece rods and try dropping either the tip or the butt and seeing what you think. 10 minutes spent doing this should put your mind at rest.

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