Maine Made Best — Old Fashioned Craftsmanship

[foakes]

As most of us are experts with our fishing and hunting gear — occasionally in our modern world of fast paced life, and disposable consumer products not designed to last — we come across something old fashioned that is based on the concept of simple function coupled with generations of proven field testing.

A very modest gentleman in Maine contacted me about building a couple of new Quicks for his personal use.  He wanted to use these personally with a couple of new rods he would build specifically for each reel.

After learning a little about his company, Maine Made — Best,  I was blown away...

www.bestmaineco.com

His name is Evan Emmott, and he is a new member of our Alan Tani site.

For those of you interested, you can look at his website — and decide for yourselves if any of his products may serve your needs when it comes to using, protecting, and displaying your gear.  From fly fishing, outdoors, to firearms accessories.

Knowing a little about woodworking, leathercrafting, fishing, and hunting — Evan's offerings are not a cut above the rest — they are in a class of their own.

A part of Evan's product line includes reel cases — if you have a few of Tom's (Cortez) reels that you finished off with Lou's or Ted's custom parts, some vintage reels, Everol's, Senators, fly reels, or one of Randy's new 20/0 Senators coming up — these would provide function and protection for your special reels.  The prices are very fair, and the quality is heirloom as well as generationally lasting.

I have found oftentimes that the the best quality product is also the least expensive — because it just works —and never needs to be purchased 2 or 3 times.

This is not a paid advertisement — just something that I thought should be shared among the Ohana.

Best,

Fred
                   ——————————————————————

         The offerings from Maine-Made Best are based on designs created by E. Jollymore Emmott (pictured in the 1930s with salmon in hand) in the early 1900s for his work as Assistant Riverkeeper on an estate in Yorkshire, England.  Local craftsmen executed his designs to stand up to hard daily use as well as leisurely fly-tying with strong whiskey next to a warm hearthside.  Form and function were weighed equally by a man who made his living with rod, fly and gun.

         After the First World War, Jolly emigrated to Atlantic Canada, and later to Maine, where his great grandson, E. Porter Emmott continues production in the time-honored way. As it was in Jolly's day, one man in Maine uses hand tools and turn-of-the-century machinery to fashion each piece of equipment, start to finish, one at a time.

Maine-Made Best is passionate about hand crafting sporting equipment from wood, leather and canvas so you get more by buying less.  Based on designs perfected afield by my great grandfather, E. Jollymore, a Riverkeeper and Northwoods guide, our equipment has literally endured field testing for generations.  After all that time, we promise it works, it lasts, and is made to a standard no longer common...

[Rivverrat]

The use of waxed & oiled cotton fabrics are something that still has a lot of merit in this day of supposed breathable fabrics such as goretex & the all the other crap outer wear that states it breaths better than any other & can cost over $450 for a jacket that your lead to believe is needed to happily survive any where other than your couch.

News Flash, with out open venting or pit zips breathable fabrics dont work for any one physically exerting themselves for a length of time. It is impossible to pass the amount of sweat the body produces during hard physical activity through the micro pores of a fabric that was design for use in heart surgeries.

But now through extensive advertising people have been brain washed to such a degree that it is near impossible to buy a pair of quality boots that the interior isnt lined with this crap. Leather boots need to be treated to last if your going to treat them they will be water proofed. So why would any sane person what to put what will soon become plastic sweat bags in their boots ?

I tested gear for an outdoor magazine for some time. Gore tex along with some of the other supposed breathable fabrics have been a pet peeve of mine. Bet you couldn't tell.

There are materials from yesteryear still made today  when breath ability is desired that still work just fine... Jeff

[Rothmar2]

Absolutely beautiful products. The world needs more people like this, and people and marketers should be embracing and supporting the ethos here. Great post Fred.

[Rivverrat]

  All the stuff  produced by them looks very nice. I did actually notice this prior to going off on my tangent... Jeff

[gstours]

Old time craftsman are a dying breed.  It's just evolution.  There's art and beauty in the painstaking skills they have.  Apprenticeship is not attractive and generally can't pay for even the simplest life with inflation and other high costs in most developed countries.   Yes I enjoy the good old days and appreciate the simple things.
   Thanks for sharing the fur and stitching. 

[Alto Mare]

Good stuff!...welcome Evan!

Sal

[oldmanjoe]

   It`s nice to see the old world ways of doing things .    hand crafted
  I miss the time that we saw old building along a stream with a water wheel turning some sort machinery                 joe

[happyhooker]

Good stuff!...welcome Evan!

Sal

Ditto.

Frank