[www.rodbuilding.org]


They come from about twenty years apart, but both tell stories about rod building.

Remember when Herter's sold rod-building materials?

There are so many innovations all across the board since "back in the day":

Blank laminates and composites.
Manufacturing advances in production tools.
Blank designs and tapers.
Guide materials and concepts.
Carbon Fiber grips and reel seats.
Etc.

With simple tools, fabulous results can be obtained.

I don’t, but I had a dear friend about fifteen years ago in Minnesota who was an avid outdoorsman, and well into his 80’s. He was a one man Herter’s historian. He trapped as a kid and/or young man for their tying supplies. He started seminary on this income. Herters also supported tying, reloading, and were of course famous for decoys. They employed real sporting goods experts and sometimes designed leading edge products they had manufactured. For the really insignificant price of whitetail tenderloins I heard amazing history. He knew legendary wardens and sportsmen.

The rod wrapper in the picture is how I learned. I bought it in the original Sydney, Nebraska Cabela’s hardware store. It actually feeds very smoothly and does tips really well. Once you start a wrap you have to finish, though. Herters and that vintage of Cabela’s were much alike.

The thread is a custom color made for St. Croix by Gudebrod. You could buy thread from St. Croix that perfectly matched their blanks. Matching thread was a huge trend in the ‘90’s and early 00’s that’s still with us today.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/18/2024 11:14PM by Kendall Cikanek.

I love stories like that, Kendall!

I wish I saved all my Herter's catalogues from back in the day. Pages of dreams. I still have some of their marabou, chenille, and a couple fly tools. They had some good quality stuff.

I am only seeing one image here, a C-clamp with a spool of thread attached. That said, it's the first time I've ever seen one. Thx Kendall. From a time when true "service" was still a thing.

I still have an ultra light rod i built with Herters stuff and several lures made by them. Loved to read the catalog.

I posted both items in one image as it’s been since I built on a first generation SCIV, St. Croix Legend blank, with that matching brown thread, since I used the C-clamp wrapper. It’s an Adjusta clamp that was used as the base. I just found it in a container I hadn’t opened since a couple of moves ago.

Herter’s was incredible, I wasn’t even thinking of them when I posted, but am happy to see this tangent. I wonder what companies we respect today that will become cherished and missed like them in a few decades?

I own and still use that c-clamp style thread holder/wrapper. Mine is around 25-30 years old, purchased from Cabelas.

For 27+ years, the last page in each issue of RodMaker has been our "History" column. It contains the largest compilation of historical rod building artifacts and eras in the world. I have enjoyed publishing these articles and am often surprised at how many readers will write and tell me that it is the first thing they read in each issue.

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

Bill, do you remember under what brand they sold it? I’m not sure, but my memory is it was Flex Coat rather than Cabela’s. They had various kits and booklets with Flex Coat and Gudebrod pieces. I still have a “how to” booklet somewhere in another tub with individual foil pack finish components by Flex Coat.

Oh man, I loved the Herter's catalog. I used to spend hours going through them fantasizing about moving to the Bitterroot mountains in Montana, after high shcool. I was going to be a fur trapper like Jeremiah Johnson lol

Ordered my very first shotgun reloading equipment from them. I did some research. I guess Cabela's owns the name now. Supposedly they still sell stuff with the Herter's name on it.

There is no “brand” labeled on it. On one side of the clamp it has Adjustable, the other side has 1420-2. The numbers relate to the machine screw, 1/4 20 thread 2” long.

I do remember getting it from Cabelas, back in those days they had a small catalog dedicated to rod building. I do know Cabelas had their own brand of supplies and tools, just stuff made by others and sold in their own packaging. Probably got this clamp from the same folks that Flex Coat used to supply theirs.

Those were the days, cabelas had a nice assortment of blanks and rod building supplies also Gander mountain had a nice catalog before they had stores. Also Midland tackle in sloatsburg NY had a catalog with great deals.

Fishing is not a matter of life or death, it's much more important than that

My grandad always had his Thompson wrapper and his Herter's wire bender clamped to the end of his workbench to keep them clear of his work unless needed. 1960's till his passing, I was in the CG at sea when he passed so all his gear was gone when I got back. I was lucky he had already given me his Sabre 6 1/2 ft. flounder rod, it came with one of the first Lew's reels on it.




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It’s funny how many parallel things there are in life. i debated for months between joining the Coast Guard or studying fisheries biology. Both seemed so wonderful for a high school kid from central Kansas. i went the fisheries route and worked a few years in the Bitterroot Mountains, which has appeared in this same thread. I’ve been happy at the opportunities I’ve enjoyed, but still have missed what might have been with the Coast Guard. When living in Duluth, MN or fishing out of Kodiak, AK the call of the Coast Guard has been present. There are a limited number of things you can do, though. Sport fishing is a huge set of adventures.