You can easily break any blank by forcing the tip area over between thumb and forefinger. In fact, that's about the easiest and surest way to break a rod on purpose. I've also seen people do it in sporting goods stores and they don't seem to realize why the rods are breaking so easily.

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

chris c nash Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> " A fellow rod builder came up to me and said
> "check this out" I look up and he flexes this
> purple/blue blank and it snaps with with very
> little effort. He proceeds to grab another one off
> the rack and does the same thing and it snaps. He
> grabs another one and bang it snaps, he grabs
> another and the store clerk who was hearing the
> sound of breaking blanks, finally comes over and
> stops him"
>
>
> OMG , that's hard to believe but not the part
> about the rod breaking I'm talking about a guy
> willing to stand their in the store and keep
> breaking them instead of quickly looking around
> hoping nobody noticed after the first one snapped.
> Some people just make you shake your head
> sometimes.
>
> I also agree with Phil 100% , there's no question
> at all that what you explain happens regularly, I
> see it all the time . You just can't get away
> with treating higher end blanks the way many treat
> off the shelf department store rods .

I was shocked and in disbelief of what I saw. I am friends with the guys at the tackle shop and before I was about to stop him the clerk did. I guess he figured they weren't worth selling: so breaking them was OK? True story.

I hate building for bass fisherman. A rod to them is supposed to be an indestructible tool. They haul in some great fish like a crane. Rods laying on the deck can be easily stepped on. Heavy baits and extremely sharp hooks banging the rods and nicking them. See it all the time on TV. I built a trio of rods for a friend and in a matter of 24 hours he snapped 2 in almost the identical location of the rod. He had used them 5 days a week for 4 months and tried to blame them on the rod! He videos all his trips and showed me when they broke. I tried to explain he was at fault but he was defiant. I replaced one and we haven't spoke much since. I shifted into steelhead and fly rods. More my passion anyways and I find this group of anglers as a whole take more care and pride in their gear.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/04/2021 09:03AM by Mark D Schulte.

Mark, too many want to be like bill dance..they are scary to build rods for..i stay away

Switching to a solid glass rod will solve this problem. You will be able to fling car doors out of the river!

Phil, there was a builder on this site that built on solid ice rods..and said it was a ball to fish with..he would cast with it..