We introduced this at the EXPO and have had many requests for photos. Here they are. We will display this at the West Coast Show and it will be available for purchase at the @#$%& booth!
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Can any one work with gold/black or silver/black metallic twist thread?
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Ken was a deeply talented man. He made bamboo rods the old school way and I doubt many folks know that. I have one and it will see action next week. His surf rods which included bead wraps made with Lana are simply incredible. He was extremely helpful to me in this business and I am so thankful he became my friend. His legacy will be one of sharing and his complete body of work was wide. I know o
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MaryLou`s work is awesome. That is one lucky winner of one of her rods!!
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It was great to see many friends but it was also great to see that the craft and the show continues to grow. I was in awe by the wood of Steve Hoye, the thread of Billy Vivona, and the grips of Bill Ballou.
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Sweet!! Congrats to all involved!!
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I love bamboo but very few are actually worth much money. Unless they are made by Dickerson, Payne, Young, or Garrison then those rods should be fished!!
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Kevin, Also take a look at the #212 natural silk from FishHawk. It is more popular than white with the bamboo builders for transparent wraps.
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Steve, it was great seeing you again and I am glad you made it to this end of the world. Your thread work is top class in every way.
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I met (6 ) Georgia based rod builders today at the ICRBE in NC...two of which are fly rod guys. The show runs again tomorrow. It could be worth the road trip.
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It will all depend upon the core of the metallic thread. Take a look at FishHawk metallic thread. They use a nylon core which is covered with rice paper. It should allow you trouble free wrapping.
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If that does not work, look at the Tidy pen from Microcare for a less aggressive approach. It is not designed for this application but I think it might work. A more aggressive approach is Powerclean, also from Microcare.
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Eric, Check out FishHawk and their sponsor link is to the left. They have the same color scheme in the ColorLok format.....no color preserver required.
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Check out FishHawk...link to the left.
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Scott, check out FishHawk Threads. Link is to the left. Best metallic thread in the world. Their nylon was made exclusively for rod builders.
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FishHawk Threads, link to the left. Look at the blue Kaleidoscope. It is the same thing.
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Earl, Also take a look at 3/0 silk thread. It is very strong and a very popular solution when wrapping micros.
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I have the 10'8" 8wt built by a friend. It is very versatile. I use it for steelhead and redfish. I love it and would recommend it.
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Buzz, are you sure it is twine? Could it be rattan?
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Jack, while Madeira has many colors, it is not designed for rod building and special care should be given as it is treated with silicone to aid in high speed embroidery processes. FishHawk Threads (link to the left) is one of the few manufacturers to produce thread dedicated to rod building. FishHawk offers nylon thread twisted exclusively for rod building. Their metallic and silk threads are the
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Thanks to all....you have provided great suggestions which have not crossed my mind!!
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7'6" #3 and 9' #4.
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I am looking for any recommendations for a super fast action fly rod blank...3 pieces. I am familiar with NFC and Gatti as typically providing a faster action. I also like Batson`s RX8 but do not think it comes in 3 pieces. Any other thoughts??
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Matt, Check out FishHawk Metallic P, Iris 9004. This thread was once called, "Pearl".
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James, please take a look at FishHawk Threads and you will find Kaleidoscope. It does not have much structural integrity but will give you a true holographic look.
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The biggest difference between a bamboo rod and a cane pole is about $1,500!
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Chris, I should also mention that Ken Preston makes incredible bamboo blanks as I have one and love it.
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Check out Angler`s Roost...a sponsor with a link on the left.
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Didier, Check out the FishHawk Silk Sparkle. It is made from the 3/0 silk but twisted with one small strand of metallic. It will be slightly thinner than "A". I have a rod which uses this thread for guide wraps.
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John, I have found that the FishHawk #212 silk works best for transparent wraps. It is a natural colored silk. The thinned varnish as Tom describes is an important step. It will work well on bamboo or a nice graphite blank.
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