130lb trolling rod blanks

[UKChris1]

I hope someone might be able to help. I am building (one day) a chair rod for giant bluefin tuna. I have all the components, just need the time...

Anyway, the backbone of the project is a white glass blank which I am told was made by G. Loomis. I have no reason to doubt this as the chap who gave it to me was a professional rod builder many years ago and this is one of his old stock. The butt end fits an Aftco #6 ferrule perfectly and the tip end requires a #30 Aftco roller (larger than the more usual #28 for a 130lb blank). It is a beast of a blank and weighs just over 2lb 2oz on its own. I think it is certainly 40 years old!

Having done some searching on the internet (always an unreliable source of accurate information  ) I find folks saying G. Loomis blanks were used by Biscayne, were sold as KC blanks and KC was also the name for Fisher Kennedy blanks. I'm sure not all of this is true and would welcome clarification from anyone who truly knows about blanks from back then. Many thanks.

From trying to bend the thing, I would say it is way more powerful than any of my current 130lb chair rods from Fenwick, Penn, Star and Harnell and by comparison with an old 180-Unlimited Harnell, I would put it squarely into the 180-Unlimited category (now defunct I believe).

Anyway, any information regarding who made what for whom in the heavy tackle blank category back then would be very interesting. Thank you!

Cheers,
Chris

PS Given my size, I expect it would prove too much rod for me to use effectively but, hey, a winter project.

[Gobi King]

Pic pls

[UKChris1]

OK boss - pics will follow.
I know I know how to do it as I have done it before

[Gobi King]

OK boss - pics will follow.
I know I know how to do it as I have done it before

reply > CLICK OR DRAG and attach file > navigate off pc and find file and attach

[UKChris1]

Thank you.
Just need to take some half-decent pictures now.

[Patudo]

No knowledge as to the provenance of your blank, but apparently Fisher 130 and 180 blanks had these stats:

130 - 5'10", 29/64 tip, 77/64 butt; weight 2.1 lbs. 
180 - 6'6", 23/64 tip, 91/64 butt; weight 3.7 lbs.

Which for what it's worth matches your numbers well - but no idea what dimensions other 130 blanks have. 

[UKChris1]

Thank you Patudo; very interesting. I fished 130 rods built on Fisher Kennedy 130 blanks a few times in Cape Verde - nice actions and suited me well (better than the rods they had replaced that were, shall we say, disappointing!).

Some photos below (I hope) though I'm not sure if the words tie up with the pictures!


- This shows all the rods photographed below in their racks along with some of their mates:
Harnell Royal VII 180-Unlimited
Fenwick white 130 with Aftco Big Foot guides
Fenwick brown 130 (the 'Jaws' rod) with Mildrum guides
Biscayne 130
Penn V black glass 130
And the G. Loomis blank

- The Penn, the Biscayne, two Fenwicks and the Harnell alongside the G. Loomis blank
- Close-up of the labels
- The brown Fenwick is slimmer than the newer white version, and much lighter in weight; the Harnell is thicker
- Comparison between the G. Loomis blank and some of the others; the greater size (and weight) of this blank is more obvious in person rather than in a photo.