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US made fly blank?
Posted by: Mike W. Anderson (---.intrstar.net)
Date: August 14, 2024 05:42PM

Looking for a 4wt 7 to 8 foot 2-piece fly blank made in the US or Canada. I know Sage makes one but I cannot afford a 600 dollar blank... any suggestions? Can be glass or graphite.

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Re: US made fly blank?
Posted by: Tom Kirkman (Moderator)
Date: August 14, 2024 05:55PM

Rod Geeks, RodForge, and maybe a few others that aren't coming to mind at the moment.

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

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Re: US made fly blank?
Posted by: Spencer Phipps (---)
Date: August 14, 2024 06:05PM

NFC makes a 7 ft. 6 in. high modulus linear S Glass 4 wt.

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Re: US made fly blank?
Posted by: Herb Ladenheim (---.ri.ri.cox.net)
Date: August 14, 2024 09:43PM

Why eliminate blanks made in New Zealand - CTS makes blanks among the best in the world.

They have an 8'0" #4 2 piece - Affinity-Vintage.
What is your fishery.
Herb
CTS U.S. Rep

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Re: US made fly blank?
Posted by: Bill Hickey (---.res.spectrum.com)
Date: August 15, 2024 04:43AM

USA made:
McFarland Rod Co
Livingston Rod Co
Steffen Brothers

All three have both glass and graphite.

Also, don’t discount CTS, they also have glass and graphite, made in New Zealand, their blanks are high quality. Herb’s recommendation of the Vintage series is spot on. They also have the Quartz series in glass.

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Re: US made fly blank?
Posted by: Ancelmo Fernandez (---.biz.spectrum.com)
Date: August 15, 2024 05:58PM

Hey Mike,

I see plenty of suggestions for USA-made blanks suggestions. I would be very hesitant about Canadian offerings. I hear they use maple syrup for resin in the production of the blanks. There is that and I cannot find any production facilities for components in Canada.

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Re: US made fly blank?
Posted by: david taylor (---.hsd1.co.comcast.net)
Date: August 15, 2024 06:40PM

Rod Geeks is really Mexico, but that is N.A. and a democratic nation.

NFC and Stryker, which I think they purchased. I have not seen fly blanks on the Rod Forge site yet.

CTS and Epic in New Zealand, both great blanks.

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Re: US made fly blank?
Posted by: Geoff Staples (208.52.76.---)
Date: August 16, 2024 11:43AM

In response to the statement above "Mexico, but that is N.A. and a democratic nation." I guess they get a few points for being in North America, but not many for being a legitimate democracy. If the later carries more importance for certain consumers, then I'd offer up Rainshadow's RX10 Fly series, which are designed in the U.S. and manufactured in South Korea (much higher freedom rating than Mexico.) [freedomhouse.org]

-Geoff at Batson

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Re: US made fly blank?
Posted by: Evan Cobb (---.res.spectrum.com)
Date: August 17, 2024 09:52AM

RodGeeks C4 rods are made in Park Falls Wisconsin

NFC fly rods are made in Washington.

RodForge is made in the US, I believe in Texas

JP Ross are also made in the US, I believe in Colorado.

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Re: US made fly blank?
Posted by: david taylor (---.hsd1.co.comcast.net)
Date: August 17, 2024 06:42PM

You are correct, Geoff. I was presuming he was thinking N.A. given he listed the U.S. and Canada and nothing across the ponds.

Many a great rod is made in S. Korea, which ranks higher than the U.S. on the freedom index. Ugh. In addition to your fine Eternity RX10 blank, OEM rods such as Epic, Taylor, Hardy, Loop and others come from S. Korea, where the infusion of graphene into the latest resins (regardless of what one thinks of that) has been championed.

Can anyone state if Rod Forge offers fly blanks. I do not see them on their web site.

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Re: US made fly blank?
Posted by: Bill Hickey (---.res.spectrum.com)
Date: August 18, 2024 09:16AM

Just a correction on JP Ross, he is a builder, like myself, that has his own designs, but he does not roll his own blanks. Like me, he outsources that. At one time, Mike McFarland was rolling some of his stuff. Not sure where his stuff is rolled these days. JP has his shop in the Utica NY area.

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Re: US made fly blank?
Posted by: Kendall Cikanek (---)
Date: August 18, 2024 07:12PM

South Korea also consistently ranks as the most loyal ally of the United States. Only the UC blanks rolled in Huntington, CA have equaled the Korean rolled Eternities for me over the last few years for straightness. This includes a Park Falls, WI made SCV I took delivery of a couple of days ago. Having lived in Duluth for several years, I suspect this one was a Friday afternoon special from Northern Sconi-land :). I don’t see the South Korean made Eternity blanks as being less prestigious or patriotic because of their origin. I’d happily own a CTS from New Zealand or a Century from the UK (I think they still make them there, but at their prices I’m not comparison shopping them often). The only components I’m aware of that aren’t from China are cork rings from Portugal and CFX grips from Oregon. Maybe some Alps bits and pieces are still from Taiwan or South Korea. There are probably cottage industry scale parts available if one scours enough.

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