Hi all! I'm new to the site. Loads of info for custom rod builder's!! Did have a ? or two about rod blanks. I'm wanting to build a complete set of rods for my own personal use and have spent many hours going through catalogs,websites,etc... and came to a decision on the mhx blanks. HOWEVER, after talking to few guys (won"t mention who or the place) they had nothing, and i mean nothing good to say about them. They flat out told me that they break. I'm on a budget and really can't afford 150 to 200 dollar rod blanks. I know that croix makes a good blank(sc111) and batson have some good blanks. I do have a particular taste in the blanks that i have looked at. I like the matte finish on the the mhx blanks.One of the guy's i talked to handles claims for a company and he was telling me that of all the blanks he sees returned, he sees more mhx blanks then just about any other as far as breakage issues. I don't want to put good quality things on my rods with the thought that they are likely to break on me 2 months down the road. I know that it's a few guy's opinion, but nevertheless it was not something that i wanted to hear. Any tips or advice would be of great help.Thanks, Roger

Roger,

I have built many Mudhole blanks and have not had one break that was not caused by abuse or slammed in a rod locker. For the price you can't go wrong with a MHX blank. They also stand behind all of they rod blanks.
Most blanks that I seen, which are broken are caused by "high sticking"....swinging a fish into a boat with the rod or snapping it trying to get it off of a hang up. If I ever has a rod that has broken I sent it back to the manufacturer and ask them to inspect the rod for defects. If there is not a defect in the manufacture of the rod I have always gotten a big discount on a replacement blank.

Like I said above the MHX are very good. I have built rods with just about every price range of blanks from the very expensive to the lower priced and they all will break if abused.

Don Campbell
don@sensorfishingrods.com



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/27/2018 05:13PM by Donald R Campbell.

I agree with Don. The MHX blanks are an extremely good value with a ton of options to choose from. I have also found them to be quite durable. Most Rod breakage occurs due to abuse, not manufacturing defects. MHX stands by their product and their warranty is great. Just make sure to register the blank. For the money you cannot go wrong with these blanks.
Norm

The MHX blanks come out of the same factory in China that the other blanks you have mentioned do other than St Croix. St Croix are very good blanks so if you can afford one get it, What Donald and and Norman say is spot on and I think the one thing that was left out is that they sell an awful lot of them so you are bound see more broken than other brands, The Bill Batson brand is also outstanding and they stand behind their product. Just jump in you can't go wrong especially with your first builds.

Knowing that someone has seen what he thinks an unusual volume of MHX failures really tells you nothing. Given the popularity of MHX blanks it would be surprising there were not a bunch of failures. To be meaningful you would need to know the failure rate per 100 or 1,000 MHX blanks produced during a period of time and compare that to similar data for multiple other brands by model.

I recently had the opportunity to visit a very well known and long established rod making facility, and was taken aback by the number of rods returned for warranty repair or replacement. My host understandably declined to speak directly to my question regarding blank and other component failure rate other than to say damn few were were returned for causes other than abuse.

If MHX blanks are in your wheelhouse for specs, price, color, finish, etc. go for it.

Any rod blank will break if abused. The idea that MHX blanks are overly prone to breakage doesn't hold water. Mud Hole could not afford to continue selling a product that was problematic.


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

I build many rods on MHX blanks, and the only breaks my customers have experienced were their fault, not the blanks. As mentioned above, these are very popular blnaks and would not still be around if they were defective!

MHX = Very good rod blanks with lots of selection and sizes. Good price too. Good warranty.

My favorite blanks are St Croix. Really excellent blanks, comprehensive selection, made in USA. A bit more expensive.

Recently built and liked a Rodgeeks blank. Made in Mexico at St Croix's factory. I'll be building more of these. Just another choice for you.

But graphite is fickle stuff and any can break if handled wrong, high sticked, slammed in a door, or in my case, stepped on!

Good luck. Not too many bad choices actually.

Have to agree with the rest of the gang they are fine unless you want to use them for a prod going through the woods or like a light saber haven't had one come back to me for quite a long time the couple that did the breaks were obviously user abuse from being stepped on or the door bit as they were loading or unloading so build away and just don't abuse them and they will last for a long long time

The best day to be alive is always tomorrow !!
Think out side the box when all else fails !!!
Wi.

Roger , your comments about MHX blanks failing is the first time i have ever heard this , the overwhelming majority who have built on them have not had anything bad to say . The person who designs them is a former Lamiglas designer who knows exactly what he's doing . I have fished St.Croix and CTS the most and their blanks fit my style and what i prefer .

I have found the RodGeeks blanks to be virtually identical to the St. Croixs which makes sense since Rodgeeks uses St.Croixs factory in Fresnillo Mexico with the exact same proprietary machinery as St.Croixs main factory in Park Falls Wisconsin . I think they're some of the best buys in blanks out there which cost a fraction of the identical blank with St.Croixs name on them .

Rainshadow blanks are rated highly as well and i went through all of them at the ICRBE but not a one fit what i was looking for which was 8-9 feet 1/2 - 2 oz or 3/4 - 3 oz FAST to X FAST medium to heavy power Immortal or Revelation . Now regarding breakage issues , It disgusts me to no end seeing people who have absolutely no clue how to fish , treat , transport and care for a high end rod , approx 1 % BREAK from a manufacturing defect , 99% of the time it's the users fault who treat high performance rods like e glass beaters they had as a kid.

These are high tech instruments that must be treated with care , no sharp whacks against hard surfaces , no sinkers slamming into the rod from trying to free a snag , no throwing them in the back of a pickup , i store them in flannel sleeves while transporting them and they never touch any other rods. I have NEVER broken one.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/27/2018 09:18PM by herb canter.

Hey Roger,

Same boat. Most of the time rods break, its because of user error. MHX is fine, even "abused" the ones I have built have lasted well.

Nick

Roger, All rods break. Don't listen to anyone who slams an accomplished product. Take the pennies you can afford and buy wisely with confidence. Make your own mistakes, a good swift kick from yourself is painless compared to anothers.

Dennis J. Danku
(Sayreville,NJ)

More often then we would like to think, someone slamming a product, has an agenda! Your best input is from those who use the product!

All rods will break if proper care is not given. If you got sacred off of the MHX blanks, (no reason to be) Then I would should suggest looking at the American Tackle Bushido line of blanks.

Capt. Craig Freeman
Grading Scales Sportfishing and Back River Rods

Low mod, hi mod, doesn't matter. We need to change the vernacular from "My rod broke", which seems to have a mystical, alien, "I-have-no-idea-how-that-happened" air to it - to "I broke my rod", which points to a far more honest, less hazy statement that is more rooted in reality. Chances are pretty high that, yes, you did break your rod. I would also add that as blanks have gotten lighter and more sensitive it seems the tide is lifting a new group of fishermen who are doing a much better job of understanding the necessity of caring for higher quality tools.

You go Herb

Thanks to you all for the good advice reguarding rod blanks. I happen to treat all my equipment with the upmost care. I've had some fenwick rods for years that still look like new. I guess that makes good sense, bottom line is take care of your equipment. I've also looked at some reels on @#$%& (Morrum series by ABU, great reels!) and some of them looked as if they had went catfishing and just wedged the reel in the riprap along the bank or something. Pitiful,right!. As a side note, i have always liked cork handles on my rods. We all know how dirty they get after a while, best thing to clean them with you might ask!! Mr clean's magic eraser. Will be posting more as time goes on. Thanks again for all the advice,Roger

Hey guys, Roger again. Has anyone experimented with lock wraps on these guides and figured out a way to do it? I've practiced on the old L runners and some LV's, but it doesn't seem to work on the KT's. The back of the KT guide is a bit different shape. I tried several times and i kept leaving gap's at the back of the foot. Would like to put lock wraps on all of my single foot guides just as added insurance.