Collectable Big Game Fishing Rods

Started by Tightlines667, June 29, 2015, 03:48:29 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Cuttyhunker

Chris,
The only markings are in the oval as sketched. The rest of the finish is pretty tough and crackled but I'll examine the old girl more closely tomorrow  I must have tips that are close in my guide carton.(thanks for the shot of that)
Bob
Doomed from childhood

1badf350

#76
Thats a Mildrum tip. If you dont have one it shouldnt be too hard to find on Ebay
Look hard for the Tycoon emblem and any writing. It should have a 4 digit 1000 series number indicating the line rating. 1009 = 9 thread for example (I could be wrong in that interpretation)
Here is some good info sent to me courtesy of John Bechtold "Deepfins"

-Chris

"I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, and I won't be laid a hand on. I don't do these things to other people and I require the same from them."
John Wayne as J.B. Books in "The Shootist"

Tightlines667

Those Tycoon rods are soo cool!

I need to get me one of them one day.
Hope springs eternal
for the consumate fishermen.

Cuttyhunker

Between the first and second guide from the seat about half of the tycoon decal remains and evidence of the black ink which is totally unreadable due to varnish deterioration, about a third has fallen off the bamboo.   From John's Tycoon ad it would seem to be one of the two middle sizes as they seem to have cork grips
ahead of the reel seat like mine.  The action is about like a 50-130 pound stand up tuna rod, so maybe was mounted to Gramps 9/0.  There are 4 more splits still up in the joists, one is freshwater spinner with electrical tape wrapped about half way up (hmmmm)  and three surf rods, one with a set of opposed guides.  There is also a bamboo rod, not split, just a stick,  with twine wrapped at the seat one remaining guide, and a tippet with the ring broken out.  They all went up in the joists over 20 years ago when I was more a fisherman, but thought "Well maybe someday" 
Doomed from childhood

oc1

The electrical tape was probably put there when the bamboo started to delaminate.  It can be fixed.
-steve

Cuttyhunker

Steve,
The tape is wrapped 6 or 8 inches at about the midpoint, so maybe a delam is it, I hope so and not a trunk lid smash or drive by squash.  When I get it down and opened up I'll let you know. 
I owned a marine manufacturing biz for years and did go through a lot of iron wood (aka atooba, red heart, purple heart, etc etc.) as it resisted marine boring worms, also used in pilings for the same reason in heavy marine construction.  Very heavy, mahogany reddish, straight grained, and easy to split if nailed or screwed too close to the end.  This seems like the same stuff you built that rod from.  If that sounds about right and you're looking for more I can hook you up with the outfit in Maine that was importing it
Thanks
Bob
Doomed from childhood

oc1

Thank you for the offer Bob.  I still have some and it doesn't take much to make a fishing rod.  At the price, I can't imagine making a piling out of the stuff.
-steve

Cuttyhunker

Got delayed in going south so I pulled down the 3 surf rods in up in the joists and have a few pics. Only one had any ID, Union Hardware decal, it the one that has the red insert  tiptop and ghost marks on the bamboo where a guide used to be, also has an unthreaded reel seat with thumbscrew hose clamp, it is the bottom one of the three.  The middle and top one have threaded reel seats broken back to back guides still wrapped on, one no tip top the other broken.  The top rod had the broken bamboo. The handles base to the ferrule are all 30" and they vary form 9'2" to 9'5". The lathe work on the handles s all a little different  Know nothing about split bamboo rods so any input as to what they are would be appreciated
Thanks,
Bob
Doomed from childhood

54bullseye

Quote from: oc1 on September 26, 2018, 07:46:45 PM
Nice.  Double built split bamboo.  I've never seen guides like that.  What do the markings say on the seat?
-steve

Steve I read something the other day in the Tycoon book by Timothy O'Brien on page 81 I found interesting. I was always under the assumption all guides on Tycoon rods were made by Tycoon but according to that book there early high bridged guides were made by "The Mildrum Jewel Co." that was news to me !! I imagine all there roller guides and tops were made by Tycoon and possibly later high bridged guide to. Just thought that was a interesting fact !!   John Taylor

oc1

#84
That is pretty interesting John.  I did not know that Mildrum was jeweler before being a guide maker either.

Geez Bob, get some oil on those rods.  It makes my mouth dry just to look at them   :)  I think that reel seat at the bottom may be Shakespeare.  The friction ring is supposed to hold the reel on without a hose clamp and the ridges keep the reel from moving laterally.
-steve

Cuttyhunker

Would the red tip top be incorrect? I would think with the opposed guides it would be a center located tip, the other rod that has a broken tip is also "standard"
I'll throw the linseed in the microwave and oil em up
Doomed from childhood

oc1

#86
Oh, maybe that's it.  I kept looking at that tip top and wondering why there are two barrels; one inside the other.  Maybe it turns around.

I don't like the double-sided guide arrangement.  The guides have to be small and compact so as not to be in the way.  A tiny stripper will not cast well.  A rod that bends down at rest has better balance and casts farther.  A rod that bends up at rest is awkward, wants to roll over in your hand and does not seem to cast as well.  Then, there's the whole reel seat issue.  If you hang the rod up by the tip when you get home it will straighten itself out by the next trip.

-steve

Cuttyhunker

Very sharp eye Steve. Looking at the tip from the other side we have a screw to rotate it, the reel seat is no big deal, just rotate the bamboo 180 degrees at the handle ferule.  Looking at the small bamboo spinner with the tape I see some separation at one of the seams, What would be the best glue to fix it?
Thanks
Bob
Doomed from childhood

oc1

Pre-war the glues were awful; like hide glue.  When hide glue (or rabbit glue or whatever) gets wet they soften and the rod delaminates.  The varnish was the only thing keeping the glue dry.  All those little intermediate binding wraps you see on split cane rods were an effort to prevent delamination.  I am sure that delamination became much less of a problem when they started impregnating split cane rods with resin.

Post-war they came out with resorcinol glue which was a god send.  Resorcinol is a phenol and formaldehyde concoction similar to the phenolic resins used in the first fiberglass rods and also related to bakelite and the resin used to impregnate cane rods.  Resorcinol cures faster though and does not require a heat cure in an oven. 

I think many of the guys making split cane rods these days us Titebond III.  It's safe and effective. 

-steve



Ron Jones

I agree with Steve,
If it is wood, and it will get wet, and your not bedding it to a boat, Titebond III is the answer. The key is ensuring that every microscopic particle of the old adhesive is removed before you attempt to reglue an area, and that you have adequate clamping available.
Ron Jones
Ronald Jones
To those who have gone to sea and returned and to those who have gone to sea and will never return
"