OK you more experienced rod building pros, a question for you.

I have been building all my rods (few dozen) on St Croix blanks - it was part of my marketing strategy. Made in the USA, lifetime warranty, etc. etc. As we all know this will no longer be possible - unless I want to build all of them on SCV blanks which gets pretty spendy. So, what now? I stocked up on some SC blanks but will run out this summer. I have been doing some research and have a few ideas for replacement blanks but want to get input from more experienced builders.

I typically build 6-7 ft, give or take, spinning rods. A few exceptions would be 7-8 ft musky rods, and 8-9 ft steel head and salmon rods. The blanks must be made in the USA, reasonably priced (similar to the SCII and SCIII blanks), and have a great warranty.

Suggestions? Recommendations? Ideas? Input? Any consensus on what an alternative would be?

Thank You in advance!

Walleyerod

Seeker has their blanks rolled in Washington, factory rods assembled in California. Made in the USA and they have a large selection of fiberglass and graphite composite rods that would be worth looking into.

Give them a call, here's the phone # from the website 714-769-1700. I always get someone on the line.

Best of luck
Nick

Tough call, depending upon how "made in the U.S.A." is defined. I would not surprise me if ALL graphite cloth is imported, resin impregnated in the U.S.. Maybe the resin comes from offshore?

Think "Made in USA" means designed , rolled , baked & painted in the USA there's no question that much of the highest quality carbon is imported from Japan .

St. Croix's Fresnillo Mexico facility is identical in every way to St. Croix's facility in Park Falls Wisconsin , of course Rod Geeks has set up camp at that location but they are all St. Croix blanks but only the new SC V models are labeled as such.

NFC and Lamiglas make superior salmon/steelhead blanks. As of right now, Lamiglas is the best supplier, some have had long waits for NFC blanks, but myself, not to bad on salmon/steelhead blanks. Two weeks being the worst. The Lamiglas XCC blanks are Lamiglas' #1 selling boat rod blanks, real dandies.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/11/2019 01:26PM by Spencer Phipps.

NFC also Batson makes a few blank models in the USA.
A lot of your resins are made here in the USA but as stated earlier the carbon cloth like Toray is from Japan Companies and may actually be made in China. There are a few carbon and Kevlar type clothes that are made here but am not sure about pre-preg.

herb canter Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Think "Made in USA" means designed , rolled ,
> baked & painted in the USA there's no question
> that much of the highest quality carbon is
> imported from Japan .
>
> St. Croix's Fresnillo Mexico facility is identical
> in every way to St. Croix's facility in Park Falls
> Wisconsin , of course Rod Geeks has set up camp at
> that location but they are all St. Croix blanks
> but only the new SC V models are labeled as such.

Thanks for all the info.

I have toured the Park Falls facility and was impressed. So, you are saying that the St Croix facility in Mexico is making the Rod Geek blanks? I was told by St Croix that only the entry level blanks were built in Mexico. Which Rod Geek blanks are St Croix blanks? Are the SCV's still being built in Park Falls? - that is what I was told when I was there. It would be helpful if you could provide me the information supporting the claim that Rod Geeks blanks are being built by St Croix? I'm sure this info would be helpful when I go to sell rods built on Rod Geek blanks.

Thank You

Rod Siemens Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> herb canter Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Think "Made in USA" means designed , rolled ,
> > baked & painted in the USA there's no question
> > that much of the highest quality carbon is
> > imported from Japan .
> >
> > St. Croix's Fresnillo Mexico facility is
> identical
> > in every way to St. Croix's facility in Park
> Falls
> > Wisconsin , of course Rod Geeks has set up camp
> at
> > that location but they are all St. Croix blanks
> > but only the new SC V models are labeled as
> such.
>
> Thanks for all the info.
>
> I have toured the Park Falls facility and was
> impressed. So, you are saying that the St Croix
> facility in Mexico is making the Rod Geek blanks?
> I was told by St Croix that only the entry level
> blanks were built in Mexico. Which Rod Geek blanks
> are St Croix blanks? Are the SCV's still being
> built in Park Falls? - that is what I was told
> when I was there. It would be helpful if you
> could provide me the information supporting the
> claim that Rod Geeks blanks are being built by St
> Croix? I'm sure this info would be helpful when I
> go to sell rods built on Rod Geek blanks.
>
> Thank You



No, i didn't say the Rod Geeks blanks are being built by the St.Croix staff in Wisconsin i meant the Fresnillo Mexico factory is an exact replica of the Park Falls Wisconsin factory with the exact same machinery, the exact same proprietary blank testing equipment & exact same QC processes . Many St.Croix personnel from the Wisconsin factory worked at the Fresnillo Mexico location for quite a while temporarily to make sure it was identical in every way .

The whole Rodgeeks setup and business is a joint venture with St. Croix , i went to last years expo to check out the Rodgeeks blanks for myself because i am very familiar with St. Croix rods and they're St. Croix blanks through and through just at a much better price . The overwhelming majority of what Rodgeeks offers are SC II and SC IV blanks , all the designs are from St. Croixs long time rod designer Jason Brunner , it's the same exact material no differences at all .

There was a great article in a fly fishing magazine a few years ago that was about the Fresnillo factory and Paul Schluter , Dave Schluter & Jeff Schluter showed how identical it was to the Park Falls factory .



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/11/2019 05:18PM by herb canter.

Get Bit Outdoors Liberty line of blanks are made in the USA and very high quality.
Hydra NG are USA made too. Both I am pretty sure is made by Cousins Tackle to their specifications.

Liberty blanks are made by Cousins huh , thats what you think i mean , thats good enough for me , was wondering about that.

Just found out that Cousins went out of business in the fall of last year. I hope I was wrong that they made the Liberty and Hydra blanks! I hate seeing businesses shut their doors that make a quality USA made product.

Another US manufacturer is United Composites.

Lance Schreckenbach Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> NFC also Batson makes a few blank models in the
> USA.
> A lot of your resins are made here in the USA but
> as stated earlier the carbon cloth like Toray is
> from Japan Companies and may actually be made in
> China. There are a few carbon and Kevlar type
> clothes that are made here but am not sure about
> pre-preg.

Lance
The Batson/ Rainshadow Eternity blank that says made in America is a NFC rod blank made for Batson.

Tom

David Miller Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Another US manufacturer is United Composites.

Anyone have experience with their DHX blanks?

Tom Wewerka Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Lance Schreckenbach Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > NFC also Batson makes a few blank models in the
> > USA.
> > A lot of your resins are made here in the USA
> but
> > as stated earlier the carbon cloth like Toray
> is
> > from Japan Companies and may actually be made
> in
> > China. There are a few carbon and Kevlar type
> > clothes that are made here but am not sure
> about
> > pre-preg.
>
> Lance
> The Batson/ Rainshadow Eternity blank that says
> made in America is a NFC rod blank made for
> Batson.
>
> Tom


I thought so but wasn't sure, I guess I was hoping that Bill had decided to have, at least a small factory in the US.
If it is made in Mexico you could still put made in America on the blank. It's like a an American made Fender Stratocaster vs a Mexican made one. There really isn't a big difference.

Rod Siemens Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> David Miller Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Another US manufacturer is United Composites.
>
> Anyone have experience with their DHX blanks?


They made the same as the Graphite USA aka GUSA dual helix rods with same model #s maybe with improved materials. I don’t have any personal experience with these blanks but have heard they are very good. Hopefully someone here has or do a seperate thread on it to find out.

Rod,
I would stay clear from the NFC blanks...I have recently purchased 5 of them and all had severe warps in them. All X-rays and 1 HM...The first X-ray I built broke in half on a 1lb bass (Setting the hook)...I was with my customer that had just bought this $450 rod from me...Talk about embarrassed!.
I thought I was buying the best and they are far from it...heck some of them looked patched. I am extremely frustrated by them and will never buy another...not to mention they will not answer the phone and will not respond to emails and it took over two months to get them the first time. A warranty is only as good as the company behind them. I feel ripped off'ed.
I know the Rainshadows are nice, also using the MHX blanks with good success but I'm not sure where they are made. Don't really care as long as they are well built and warrantied locally.

Jeff Mcfry
Black Widow Rods