I can't find an answer anywhere to this simple historical question, so I thought maybe some of the knowledgeable people here who have been around quite a bit may know. Here it is: who 'invented' the split grip and when? What's the oldest model you know with this handle design?

Any input appreciated, thanks.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/21/2011 11:41AM by Laurent Keiff.

Surf rods have been utilizing that configuration for perhaps 60 years at least.

..............

Oh, that's right... I feel a little stupid now.
But then, for lighter rods? Was there a model that started the whole trend we see now?

Laurent, The first rod "I" had seen with a split grip handle was a Berkley "SERIES ONE" which had the split grip and high framed guides. I could be mistaken but, I believe it was in the late 1980's.I remember this because K-mart was selling them at $100. and they were just lumped together in a bin with some of the other $29. rods. They were light and crisp,cutting edge at the time. The handle material was EVA nicely molded or turned to form to the reelseat with a knob at the butt. The rods were a stealth black color from what I remember. A year or so later they changed to cork grips and spoiled the whole line up with redish brown blanks, they just never were the same after that as I remember.
Who invented the "split grip" system, I don't know. K-mart was where I first seen them.

Dennis J. Danku
(Sayreville,NJ)

Thanks for that, Dennis.
I guess I could rephrase my question thus: have you always been familiar with the split grip design (for *light* rods), and if not, when did you first saw it?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/21/2011 12:41PM by Laurent Keiff.

Dennis Danku Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Laurent, The first rod "I" had seen with a split
> grip handle was a Berkley "SERIES ONE" which had
> the split grip and high framed guides. I could be
> mistaken but, I believe it was in the late
> 1980's.I remember this because K-mart was selling
> them at $100. and they were just lumped together
> in a bin with some of the other $29. rods. They
> were light and crisp,cutting edge at the time. The
> handle material was EVA nicely molded or turned to
> form to the reelseat with a knob at the butt. The
> rods were a stealth black color from what I
> remember. A year or so later they changed to cork
> grips and spoiled the whole line up with redish
> brown blanks, they just never were the same after
> that as I remember.
> Who invented the "split grip" system, I don't
> know. K-mart was where I first seen them.

Same here... I remember thinking those Berkley Series One rods were the baddest things I had ever seen at the time, and they never really gave off the same impression after that. They definitely seemed ahead of their time. The first split grip rod I ever owned was probably the Shimano Bantum Magnumlite "Fightin Rod"... the one with the "Boron Reinforced Graphite" blank and the handle that was basically the blank becoming larger at the butt. No foregrip, straight trigger handle, split rear foam grip. Still one of my favorite rods....caught a lot of fish on that rod.

Hey Phil, You too! I still have and fish with two SpeedMaster casting rods. They are the most comfortable factory rods I ever owned, the way the butt blends into the reelseat and continues to become the blank. I've had one of the shops give me a broken lower half of a heaver model, which I grafted a nice stiff blank to and now use it for flippin and punchin the pads.It's a little heavy in the hand but it gets the job done.

Dennis J. Danku
(Sayreville,NJ)

Yeah, its unfortunate that old Shimano factory burned down. Could probably build some kick ass blanks on those old mandrels with today's materials.... who knows.

I need to redo my rod sometime, the finish on the top is all coming off the blank. Always wanted to keep it original but really needs to be done one day.