I have used a couple of Fugi TLST titanium frame/SIC ring tip tops on a few 5-6wt fly rods and while I like the shape of them(they look the closest to a fly top) they do seem a bit on the heavy side.The ring size is listed as size 7 but the inside diameter is much closer to a size 6 so they are a bit too small for any of my heavier rods(on 7wt rods and up I use multi tip fly lines so I need guides large enough to deal with larger loops).

I am looking for a lighter weight Fugi Ti/SIC tip top for 6wt rods and under where I use size 6 running guides and was wondering if there is a noticeable weight difference between the TLST top and the size 6 ring TFST Concept top?

Is the TFST Concept tip top the lightest Fugi Ti/SIC top available?

Thanks



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/12/2009 02:22AM by Tony Dowson.

Tony,
I never weighed them, but - yes the TFST is smaller, trimmer and therefore has less weight. But any ceramic as a tip-top will affect the rod's performance more than, lets say, a REC recoil tip-top.
I have tried all of the Fuji Ti tip-tops and I keep coming back to the REC's. I am aware of all the advantages of the ceramics but can't abide the weight. And I am talking of fly rods in the #8-10 catagory. I can't even imagine the effect they will have on a 6wt.
Herb

For the tiptop, I would wrap on a single foot guide the same size and style as what you're using for the runners. That will save a little weight and allow you to stay at least as large as your running guides.

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Last time I weighed them...a TFST was much lighter than a similar sized Recoil. Most guides in the Fuji Concept titanium frames are lighter than Recoils.

The TFST is a sleeker guide than the TLST


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Better to have and not need than to need and not have.

[rodcomponents.koolhost.com]

This is a site maintained by Mike Barkley. You might want to check it out.

I wish I had my old chemistry balance scale - but I don't.
But since Ti has a mass of almost twice that of aluminum (the tube on the recoil is aluminum) - and the nickel/titanium alloy in the recoil ring can't weigh more than the combined weight of the:
Fuji frame that secures the ceramic.
The reinforcing "struts".
The SiC ring itself
I do not see how the Fuji concept can weight less that the REC.
Perhaps the old model Recoil tip was weighed - it was made of stainless.
Herb

Been a while since I weighed them, but the Fugi titanium tops are pretty light. Lighter than a standard wire loop top for sure. The recoil tops are lighter yet, I think. All in all, I really like everthing about the titanium SIC fujis except the look. But I put up with that because they work so well. The cerment tops are nice too, but a bit too pricy. The recoil tops are light, but butt ugly and I have not come to accept the real thin wire yet. Do not know if it is a problem, but it looks awful thin.

Thanks everyone.

Looking at the chart Mike B created(thanks for listing that John,I had completely forgotten about that chart!) it seems like the Fugi TFST tops are pretty light compared to most other tip tops available.They are not as light as the Recoil tops of a similar size,but probably lighter than both the TLST I have been using as well as the standard plated wire fly tops.I think I'll have to order a few to see how noticeable the difference may be.

I have quite Fugi Ti/SIC Concept fly guides in sizes 6 up to 10 and both light wire and heavy wire Recoils in both single foot and snake in sizes 1 up to a 5 or 6 and both the light wire and the heavy wire Recoils are considerably lighter than any of the Fugi Concepts of the same size.If I put a set of each on a blank I can notice the weight difference immediately,even when comparing size 6 Fugi's(which have an inside diameter closer to a size 1 single foot wire guide) to much larger size 5 Recoils.The numbers listed in Mike B's chart seem to support this when you compare guides with similar inside diameters.

With a Fugi TLST tip top and single foot size 6 Ti/SIC Concept guides on a 6wt rod,it definitely feels a bit tip heavy to me compared to a rod with up to size 2 or 3 Recoils on it and is slower to recover so if the TFST model is noticeably lighter than the TLST then I'm hoping it might close the gap between them a bit.I really do like how quiet and smooth ceramics are,as well as how easy they are on fly lines compared to wire guides.

I guess I could try a single foot Fugi Ti/SIC fly guide as a top,although I have to admit that I've never cared for the look that much.Then again,the Recoil tops aren't the greatest looking either,LOL.Using a single foot fly guide as a tip top would certainly keep the inside diameters of the guides consistent.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/13/2009 02:56AM by Tony Dowson.