The rod that I am currently working on is a two piece and the upper half has a pretty good bow in it. Other than putting the guides on the back side of the curve is there anything that I can do to remove the bow?

I know that rods left in a hot car with the line pulled tight...like on a hook keeper will create a bow in the rod...I wonder if it is possible to do the same in the reverse to remove the bow...I'm sure others will chime in soon...I'd like to know the answer on this one too. you can always send it back too

Dave

If we're just talking about a bow or gentle overall curve, you're fine. If we're talking about a sudden crook or warp somewhere, that's a different matter and you may choose to return the blank to the maker for a replacement.

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Mike,
You say that you are putting the guides on the "backside of the bow".
It is difficult to understand, for everyones understanding - what the "backside of the bow" is>

If you have the rod standing upright, and the tip of the rod is facing you, and the bow is facing you, are the guides on the rod facing you, or on the side away from you?

In any event, I personally like to put the guides on the same side of the rod as which the bow is on. i.e. if the rod is standing upright and if the bow int he rod is facing me, I prefer to have the guides facing me.

My feeling is that it is not likely that the bow in the rod is going to go away. If the guides are placed on the bow side of the rod, the guides and line are then following the natural bend in the rod.

In particular, I have have so many rods that just after receiving the rod, the first thing that they do is to sight down the rod to insure that the guides are straight.
If the guides are placed on the bow down side of the rod, the guides will all naturally follow the rod and will appear to be in lane - actually are in lane, and casting will fimply follow the natural curve of the rod.

For the times that the guides have been placed on the bow up side of the rod, I have had clients ask that the guides be moved to the other side, since they seem to stick up - to the untrained, as well as trainded eye.

Take care
Roger

I would describe the back of the bow as the convex side.

You want the rod in a position, so that when using it, the rod is in a concave position. It's not wrong to do it otherwise, but I think you'll find it performs better if you do it this way.

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Are you saying to put the guides on the concave side? I thought that by putting them on the convex the stiffness from the guides would help straighten the blank.

I'm saying to have the rod in the concave position when it's being fished. Where you put your guides will depend on whether or not it's a spinning or casting rod. But anyone viewing the rod from the side while you're fishing it should be seeing a concave curve.

By the way, guides don't stiffen a blank - they soften it due to their weight. And yes, that weight will tend to straighten the blank at the tip if the rod is in a concave position.


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Tom I have sent you an email, and thanks for the help!