Hi all,
I have some blanks which I am not sure of the line weight (old blanks with no labels)
How can I test them to find this out? Or is there some kind of calculation based on material and butt diameter etc.?
Thanks in advance for answers
Andi Robb

OI think the best is to take the CCS measures on them. then you will be able to get precise answer from the experts here.

if you don't know it, everything you may want to learn is there (also works if it's not a fly rod): [www.common-cents.info]

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If I'm not going to catch anything, then I'd rather not catch anything on flies.

Prostaff Rodhouse
[www.rodhouse.fr]

Back when everyone used nylon monofilament on their spin and casting rods the "line test" best suited to a particular rod had some meaning, even though actual "line test" was usually greatly understated. Today, with widespread use of GSP braid, fluorocarbon monofilament, and even more exotic hybrid braids and polymer monofilaments I can't imagine how to determine what "line test" would best complement a specific rod, except by trial and error.

It's not really important insofar as rod specs go.

...........

Rod blanks vary in what they can take on paper. The general statistic is where it will more than likely break the line first, and where the line weight will break the rod (or how it should be).

So a rod rated 6-14 lbs, would have enough strength to break 6 lb test line, but the line would cause rod failure first on 14 lb test line in theory... now rod manufacturers generally have some leeway in those numbers so it's more of a what can the rod handle with out breaking the line or the rod, but I've used 14-20 rods that have handled 25-40 test line very well, and 6-14 rods that you would be questioning the rod strength at 10 lb test line when you have a fish on...

My suggestion, is to mock up a rod, and see how it handles the pressure of the line bending it. Put a length of line on it and test for where the rod feels like it's got a good pull on it, using a scale to measure, and assume ~ 1/2 of the line test for the maximum it can handle. Although It will always depend on a lot of factors, and you can often use higher or lower line weights than suggested, but figure out what one at a pull of about 1/3 the line weight you'd like for traditional use then put a bend in the rod. For Fly rods it's more a feeling than anything else and it's harder to determine (atleast for me) but make one up and take a couple casts with a 6 weight line, then adjust up or down in line size till it feels right when it casts.

And Phil... line test doesn't change based on material, they are all tested to the same standards... 50lb mono should break at a static load of 50lbs, just as a 50 lb braid should break at a static load of 50lbs. The difference is diameter which has very little effect on rod blanks, but rather action, and reel capacity/size.