Restore or develop old rods

[Blue Fisher]

Just rescued my fibreglass Bruce and Walker MKIV G carp rod from my parents shed where it has laid forgotten for over 30 years. It’s in a bit of a state but really not too bad. One ring has certainly rusted, and others may not be at their best. The cork is a bit degraded and the spigot whipping needs replacement. But I flexed the top section and thought this looks and feels great, I must use it again.
The tip ring has already been replaced with a Fuji ring so it’s already not original, but what approach should I take to get it ready to use again?
Do I :
Do the minimum and get it fishing again
try to find original rings and replace damaged cork to get the rod back to original.
Or do I replace all the rings with modern guides and put a screw fitting reel seat on the rod, it may feel even better.
Or even say, “the bit I like best about this rod is the blank“, so strip it totally and start again.

Although this time the question is specific to the B and W rod, there are some other very good fibreglass blanks out there hiding under degraded rod rings and cork.

 

[@Clive]

It is a purely personal choice. It might cost £40 or more to do it up properly, but you would have a very useable rod eithed as a carp rod, spinning rod or general medium / heavy river rod to enjoy. You could cut the cost a bit by looking for a cheap donor rod to strip as I did recently to do up a cane Avon. But essentially only you can decide whether to invest the time and money to restore it.

 

[Blue Fisher]

It is a purely personal choice. It might cost £40 or more to do it up properly, but you would have a very useable rod eithed as a carp rod, spinning rod or general medium / heavy river rod to enjoy. You could cut the cost a bit by looking for a cheap donor rod to strip as I did recently to do up a cane Avon. But essentially only you can decide whether to invest the time and money to restore it.

Thanks. Quite like the idea of looking for a donor rod or possibly even another B and W in worse condition. That way I could try the development option without losing the possibility of a full restoration.

 

[@Clive]

I have seen that model rod in good usable condition sell for £80 so I wouldn't recommend spending a fortune on it.

 

[nottskev]

Do you have a good independent tackle shop in your area? The manager at one I use is a waste-not-want-not type of bloke, and after decades of stripping rods/sections for repairs, breakages, rods being scrapped etc has a giant box of perfectly good rings of all shapes and sizes that have let me re-ring a couple of rods at minimum cost.

 

[Blue Fisher]

Do you have a good independent tackle shop in your area? The manager at one I use is a waste-not-want-not type of bloke, and after decades of stripping rods/sections for repairs, breakages, rods being scrapped etc has a giant box of perfectly good rings of all shapes and sizes that have let me re-ring a couple of rods at minimum cost.

I think you are lucky to have a resource like that, but worth an ask.

 

[no-one in particular]

I agree with Clive, it depends on personal choice, how much do you want to spend, how much are you going to use the rod. But there is an added factor, I have found any piece of angling gear is always more enjoyable to use when you have made it yourself or put your own efforts into it, even an old home made float somehow is more pleasurable to use than a shop one.
I am in the middle of a cane rod revamp, not restoration as I am not trying to restore it to original specs, I have spent about £8 on rings, £3.5 on paint, maybe 50p on varnish and £2.50 on whipping thread and shrink tube. The rod may have cost me less than a tenner, it will be a rod that cost about £25 but the real pleasure will be in using it, its my rod if you see what I mean, it may be a horrible rod to most people and it may yet be to me but having spent so little it wont matter.
So, you have to decide but I would go for cheaper restoration personally if it is not a rod your wanting to sell anytime, just make it a good usable rod that you will enjoy using.
Ps, I bought two packets of these rings, 14 in all, look perfectly good at £4.06 each https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/195244610225

 

[Kevin Perkins]

Another one from the archives in a similar vein to the OP.......

Restoration or Ruination.......?

If you buy a complete wreck of a property and then gut the insides, fit new walls, floors, roof, put in all new services and remodel the kitchen, bathrooms etc, you have Renovated the property. Having completed this transformation you will have made it fully liveable and no doubt your efforts will have greatly increased its value too.

If you save a classic car from the scrap yard, strip it down to every last nut and bolt, re-build using a mix of new and second hand parts, repair the bodywork, including re-spraying, rebuild the engine, re-upholster etc. Putting it back to a presentable condition and making it fully roadworthy again you will have Restored it, and greatly increased its value.

Now, if you own a split cane rod of some note, and you so much as look at it, in some eyes, you will have probably devalued it. This is because if you do anything, and by that I do mean anything that in any way detracts from the rod’s pristine condition, its value will be decimated. Heaven forbid you should carry out such a heinous act as to fit one or more new rings, repair a cork handle, re-varnish or commit the ultimate (apparently) crime of touching the makers’ transfer you will have been found guilty of perpetrating the Ruination of the rod.

Even though these actions will have in all likelihood improved the rod, its perceived value will have plummeted, which appears in complete contrast to what happens if you improve a home or car. But why should that be? And curiously this obsession with using (or at least owning) pensionable age equipment seems confined to angling. You won’t find any wooden Dunlop Maxply racquets in use on any tennis court these days. No old brown leather footballs with forehead shredding laces grace our playing fields any more. Bamboo or hickory shafted golf clubs and feathery balls, err… I don’t think so.

So is it just that cane rods are seen as an investment? The obsession with pristine condition smacks of antique status, and quite rightly you wouldn’t cook a casserole in a Ming bowl, but a fishing rod? If you have to keep your rod wrapped up in cotton wool for fear of damaging it (and probably more importantly, damaging the price) then what’s the point? If it is a pure investment, one that you daren’t use in case you devalue it as a family heirloom, then there are probably much better appreciating assets you could buy.

And if that is the reason for you buying it, when your kids prise it out of your cold dead hands, will they know what it’s worth, or even where to sell it, or do they just keep it wrapped up in its cotton wool lined bag and pass it on to their kids?

By now you may think I am completely adverse to ownership of split cane rods, but that isn’t the case, although I have to say I have profited from ownership of one. Back in the late seventies, I bought a split cane carp rod kit from JB Walkers (older readers may well remember this emporium with some affection) I glued on all the single corks and carefully rubbed them down to make the handle, and the reel fittings and alloy butt cap with rubber button were carefully affixed. The brass ferrules were attached and the rod was given a coat of varnish before the agate lined rings were whipped on with a dark ruby thread as well as close-whipping the entire rod. The whippings were then fixed and a further two thin coats of varnish were applied. All in all a proper job, even if I do say so myself.

Anyway, having gone to all this trouble, I used the rod about twice, then moved home and in the confusion the rod got stuck in the back of a cupboard at the new house and I sort of forgot all about it. A dozen or so years on, I decided that I might as well sell it as I was probably never going to use it again. An ad went into one of the angling weeklies stating ‘JB Walker built cane MKIV S/U carp rod hardly used – offers’ and I got my first offer at 6.30am on the day the paper came out.

The gentleman on the other end of the line was very keen to offer me £75 sight unseen, which seemed OK to me as I seem to remember I only paid about £12 for the rod in the first place, so that was a result! The caller then explained he was going away for the weekend that day, but was desperate to get his hands on the rod. I found out he only lived about twenty miles away so I offered to drop it round to his house. He thanked me profusely and said the cash for the rod would be waiting, along with an extra tenner towards my petrol costs. The rod was duly delivered to his half-asleep teenage son (well it was only 11.30 am when I arrived) and an envelope full of cash was handed over, job done. Well, not quite…

The following Tuesday my oh-so-keen buyer was on the phone, back from his weekend away and sounding not a little perplexed. His first concern was that although the rod was indeed in excellent condition (I mentally patted myself on back about that) there was no marking of any kind on the rod to state what it was and/or who the maker was. I explained that the maker (in truth the assembler of parts) was in fact myself, the components coming from Walkers in Kent. You may have twigged by now that it was at this time that my purchaser seemingly realised he got his JB Walkers/Kent mixed up with R Walker/Hitchin.

I broke the long silent pause on the phone that followed my revelation by offering to take the rod back if he didn’t think it was ‘as advertised’, but after a prolonged sigh, he said that it was quite alright and he was sorry to have troubled me (I bet it wasn’t though…)

So you might think that would be my last dalliance with cane, but no. I am currently the proud possessor of a delightful little two piece 7’ Sealey Octospin rod.

It appears to be in excellent condition, straight as a die, with the original rings, varnish, rod bag and’ most importantly’ maker’s label. It gets teamed up with a well used but sound, and I think period, Mitchell 324. It actually gets used quite often, and is more than happy chucking small plugs and Mepps spinners around.

If I scratch the varnish, tear the rod bag, have to replace a ring or, heaven forbid, deface the label, I won’t feel the need to go into therapy to cope with the terrible loss in value I might suffer.......

 

[Blue Fisher]

I agree with Clive, it depends on personal choice, how much do you want to spend, how much are you going to use the rod. But there is an added factor, I have found any piece of angling gear is always more enjoyable to use when you have made it yourself or put your own efforts into it, even an old home made float somehow is more pleasurable to use than a shop one.
I am in the middle of a cane rod revamp, not restoration as I am not trying to restore it to original specs, I have spent about £8 on rings, £3.5 on paint, maybe 50p on varnish and £2.50 on whipping thread and shrink tube. The rod may have cost me less than a tenner, it will be a rod that cost about £25 but the real pleasure will be in using it, its my rod if you see what I mean, it may be a horrible rod to most people and it may yet be to me but having spent so little it wont matter.
So, you have to decide but I would go for cheaper restoration personally if it is not a rod your wanting to sell anytime, just make it a good usable rod that you will enjoy using.
Ps, I bought two packets of these rings, 14 in all, look perfectly good at £4.06 each https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/195244610225

My sentiment exactly, it adds to the enjoyment to catch something using gear you have built yourself.

 

[no-one in particular]

Another one from the archives in a similar vein to the OP.......

Restoration or Ruination.......?

If you buy a complete wreck of a property and then gut the insides, fit new walls, floors, roof, put in all new services and remodel the kitchen, bathrooms etc, you have Renovated the property. Having completed this transformation you will have made it fully liveable and no doubt your efforts will have greatly increased its value too.

If you save a classic car from the scrap yard, strip it down to every last nut and bolt, re-build using a mix of new and second hand parts, repair the bodywork, including re-spraying, rebuild the engine, re-upholster etc. Putting it back to a presentable condition and making it fully roadworthy again you will have Restored it, and greatly increased its value.

Now, if you own a split cane rod of some note, and you so much as look at it, in some eyes, you will have probably devalued it. This is because if you do anything, and by that I do mean anything that in any way detracts from the rod’s pristine condition, its value will be decimated. Heaven forbid you should carry out such a heinous act as to fit one or more new rings, repair a cork handle, re-varnish or commit the ultimate (apparently) crime of touching the makers’ transfer you will have been found guilty of perpetrating the Ruination of the rod.

Even though these actions will have in all likelihood improved the rod, its perceived value will have plummeted, which appears in complete contrast to what happens if you improve a home or car. But why should that be? And curiously this obsession with using (or at least owning) pensionable age equipment seems confined to angling. You won’t find any wooden Dunlop Maxply racquets in use on any tennis court these days. No old brown leather footballs with forehead shredding laces grace our playing fields any more. Bamboo or hickory shafted golf clubs and feathery balls, err… I don’t think so.

So is it just that cane rods are seen as an investment? The obsession with pristine condition smacks of antique status, and quite rightly you wouldn’t cook a casserole in a Ming bowl, but a fishing rod? If you have to keep your rod wrapped up in cotton wool for fear of damaging it (and probably more importantly, damaging the price) then what’s the point? If it is a pure investment, one that you daren’t use in case you devalue it as a family heirloom, then there are probably much better appreciating assets you could buy.

And if that is the reason for you buying it, when your kids prise it out of your cold dead hands, will they know what it’s worth, or even where to sell it, or do they just keep it wrapped up in its cotton wool lined bag and pass it on to their kids?

By now you may think I am completely adverse to ownership of split cane rods, but that isn’t the case, although I have to say I have profited from ownership of one. Back in the late seventies, I bought a split cane carp rod kit from JB Walkers (older readers may well remember this emporium with some affection) I glued on all the single corks and carefully rubbed them down to make the handle, and the reel fittings and alloy butt cap with rubber button were carefully affixed. The brass ferrules were attached and the rod was given a coat of varnish before the agate lined rings were whipped on with a dark ruby thread as well as close-whipping the entire rod. The whippings were then fixed and a further two thin coats of varnish were applied. All in all a proper job, even if I do say so myself.

Anyway, having gone to all this trouble, I used the rod about twice, then moved home and in the confusion the rod got stuck in the back of a cupboard at the new house and I sort of forgot all about it. A dozen or so years on, I decided that I might as well sell it as I was probably never going to use it again. An ad went into one of the angling weeklies stating ‘JB Walker built cane MKIV S/U carp rod hardly used – offers’ and I got my first offer at 6.30am on the day the paper came out.

The gentleman on the other end of the line was very keen to offer me £75 sight unseen, which seemed OK to me as I seem to remember I only paid about £12 for the rod in the first place, so that was a result! The caller then explained he was going away for the weekend that day, but was desperate to get his hands on the rod. I found out he only lived about twenty miles away so I offered to drop it round to his house. He thanked me profusely and said the cash for the rod would be waiting, along with an extra tenner towards my petrol costs. The rod was duly delivered to his half-asleep teenage son (well it was only 11.30 am when I arrived) and an envelope full of cash was handed over, job done. Well, not quite…

The following Tuesday my oh-so-keen buyer was on the phone, back from his weekend away and sounding not a little perplexed. His first concern was that although the rod was indeed in excellent condition (I mentally patted myself on back about that) there was no marking of any kind on the rod to state what it was and/or who the maker was. I explained that the maker (in truth the assembler of parts) was in fact myself, the components coming from Walkers in Kent. You may have twigged by now that it was at this time that my purchaser seemingly realised he got his JB Walkers/Kent mixed up with R Walker/Hitchin.

I broke the long silent pause on the phone that followed my revelation by offering to take the rod back if he didn’t think it was ‘as advertised’, but after a prolonged sigh, he said that it was quite alright and he was sorry to have troubled me (I bet it wasn’t though…)

So you might think that would be my last dalliance with cane, but no. I am currently the proud possessor of a delightful little two piece 7’ Sealey Octospin rod.

It appears to be in excellent condition, straight as a die, with the original rings, varnish, rod bag and’ most importantly’ maker’s label. It gets teamed up with a well used but sound, and I think period, Mitchell 324. It actually gets used quite often, and is more than happy chucking small plugs and Mepps spinners around.

If I scratch the varnish, tear the rod bag, have to replace a ring or, heaven forbid, deface the label, I won’t feel the need to go into therapy to cope with the terrible loss in value I might suffer.......

Ha, so much of that is true or at least rings a bell with me. It can become a silly world with old rods. My own take if it is worth a lot of money best to keep it worth a lot of money. However, it is just for my own use and not worth a lot of money I have no problem doing it up as I see fit, mainly to suit my pocket, I will use new cheap rings, shrink tube because it is easier and quicker, paint the ferrules and paint the cork with cork paint, not sure about this one yet but I ordered a bottle for £3.50 with postage. All sacrilege but if I end up with a perfectly good rod to use, I will be happy.
In my last HDYGO post you can see a rod where I done most of that except the handle, I did use a new one off ebay that cost £6, not only that it is greenheart, who wants to buy greenheart these days however, best rod I own, used nothing else for the last 3 years.
It is all down to individual taste's, what it is for, does it do the job and ultimately do you enjoy using it, aesthetically, does it work and even better still you haven't broken the bank getting it. To be honest, I couldn't fish and relax with rods and reels that cost a bomb or were so antique/rare and expensive.

 

[@Clive]

Another one from the archives in a similar vein to the OP.......

Restoration or Ruination.......?

If you buy a complete wreck of a property and then gut the insides, fit new walls, floors, roof, put in all new services and remodel the kitchen, bathrooms etc, you have Renovated the property. Having completed this transformation you will have made it fully liveable and no doubt your efforts will have greatly increased its value too.

If you save a classic car from the scrap yard, strip it down to every last nut and bolt, re-build using a mix of new and second hand parts, repair the bodywork, including re-spraying, rebuild the engine, re-upholster etc. Putting it back to a presentable condition and making it fully roadworthy again you will have Restored it, and greatly increased its value.

Now, if you own a split cane rod of some note, and you so much as look at it, in some eyes, you will have probably devalued it. This is because if you do anything, and by that I do mean anything that in any way detracts from the rod’s pristine condition, its value will be decimated. Heaven forbid you should carry out such a heinous act as to fit one or more new rings, repair a cork handle, re-varnish or commit the ultimate (apparently) crime of touching the makers’ transfer you will have been found guilty of perpetrating the Ruination of the rod.

Even though these actions will have in all likelihood improved the rod, its perceived value will have plummeted, which appears in complete contrast to what happens if you improve a home or car. But why should that be? And curiously this obsession with using (or at least owning) pensionable age equipment seems confined to angling. You won’t find any wooden Dunlop Maxply racquets in use on any tennis court these days. No old brown leather footballs with forehead shredding laces grace our playing fields any more. Bamboo or hickory shafted golf clubs and feathery balls, err… I don’t think so.

So is it just that cane rods are seen as an investment? The obsession with pristine condition smacks of antique status, and quite rightly you wouldn’t cook a casserole in a Ming bowl, but a fishing rod? If you have to keep your rod wrapped up in cotton wool for fear of damaging it (and probably more importantly, damaging the price) then what’s the point? If it is a pure investment, one that you daren’t use in case you devalue it as a family heirloom, then there are probably much better appreciating assets you could buy.

And if that is the reason for you buying it, when your kids prise it out of your cold dead hands, will they know what it’s worth, or even where to sell it, or do they just keep it wrapped up in its cotton wool lined bag and pass it on to their kids?

By now you may think I am completely adverse to ownership of split cane rods, but that isn’t the case, although I have to say I have profited from ownership of one. Back in the late seventies, I bought a split cane carp rod kit from JB Walkers (older readers may well remember this emporium with some affection) I glued on all the single corks and carefully rubbed them down to make the handle, and the reel fittings and alloy butt cap with rubber button were carefully affixed. The brass ferrules were attached and the rod was given a coat of varnish before the agate lined rings were whipped on with a dark ruby thread as well as close-whipping the entire rod. The whippings were then fixed and a further two thin coats of varnish were applied. All in all a proper job, even if I do say so myself.

Anyway, having gone to all this trouble, I used the rod about twice, then moved home and in the confusion the rod got stuck in the back of a cupboard at the new house and I sort of forgot all about it. A dozen or so years on, I decided that I might as well sell it as I was probably never going to use it again. An ad went into one of the angling weeklies stating ‘JB Walker built cane MKIV S/U carp rod hardly used – offers’ and I got my first offer at 6.30am on the day the paper came out.

The gentleman on the other end of the line was very keen to offer me £75 sight unseen, which seemed OK to me as I seem to remember I only paid about £12 for the rod in the first place, so that was a result! The caller then explained he was going away for the weekend that day, but was desperate to get his hands on the rod. I found out he only lived about twenty miles away so I offered to drop it round to his house. He thanked me profusely and said the cash for the rod would be waiting, along with an extra tenner towards my petrol costs. The rod was duly delivered to his half-asleep teenage son (well it was only 11.30 am when I arrived) and an envelope full of cash was handed over, job done. Well, not quite…

The following Tuesday my oh-so-keen buyer was on the phone, back from his weekend away and sounding not a little perplexed. His first concern was that although the rod was indeed in excellent condition (I mentally patted myself on back about that) there was no marking of any kind on the rod to state what it was and/or who the maker was. I explained that the maker (in truth the assembler of parts) was in fact myself, the components coming from Walkers in Kent. You may have twigged by now that it was at this time that my purchaser seemingly realised he got his JB Walkers/Kent mixed up with R Walker/Hitchin.

I broke the long silent pause on the phone that followed my revelation by offering to take the rod back if he didn’t think it was ‘as advertised’, but after a prolonged sigh, he said that it was quite alright and he was sorry to have troubled me (I bet it wasn’t though…)

So you might think that would be my last dalliance with cane, but no. I am currently the proud possessor of a delightful little two piece 7’ Sealey Octospin rod.

It appears to be in excellent condition, straight as a die, with the original rings, varnish, rod bag and’ most importantly’ maker’s label. It gets teamed up with a well used but sound, and I think period, Mitchell 324. It actually gets used quite often, and is more than happy chucking small plugs and Mepps spinners around.

If I scratch the varnish, tear the rod bag, have to replace a ring or, heaven forbid, deface the label, I won’t feel the need to go into therapy to cope with the terrible loss in value I might suffer.......

I think that post is a very narrow one not shared by many vintage tackle enthusiasts. Look at the Traditional Fishing Forum posts and you will come across many examples of members having their built cane rods sympathetically restored. In some cases by other member with the skills to dismantle and re-build an old classic.

I bought an Allcocks Wizard from an estate auction. The rod is from the early fifties and there was a letter included. In 2002 a gentleman from Huntingdon purchased the rod from a professional restorer at a cost of £600. It had been totally restored to the extent of having had ferrules and other parts especially made for it. When I bought it last year for a third of the restorer's price it had not been used since the restoration. It was and still is better than new. A used, poor condition Wizard would barely make £100.

Regards the JB Walker issue; that is down to ignorance or a misunderstanding on the part of the buyer. JBW never made complete Mk. IV rods. They planed the bamboo, assembled the blanks and supplied them with cork shrives, ferrules, guides and other bits and pieces so that the rod could be assembled by the purchasor or a rod maker acting for the purchasor. It was Bruce & Walker who had the great man's permission to sell Mk. IV rods endorsed by his signature on them. RW and friends used rods made from blanks and kits supplied by JBW when he caught the record carp, but latterly used and gave away several rods made by B&W.

These are both kit rods made up from JBW blanks and fittings. They were available until the mid 70's and sell for around £200.

 

[The Source]

B. James built the original MkIV cane carp and avon rods not Bruce & Walker.

 

[Keith M]

I have a B.James & Son MKIV Carp rod. I caught my very first Barbel on it back in 1975 from the river Kennet; and I also had my very first double figure Carp on it from a small Hertfordshire pool.

Keith

 

[@Clive]

B. James built the original MkIV cane carp and avon rods not Bruce & Walker.

Yes, my mistake. It was B James.

The first Mk IV rods used by Richard Walker and friends were made up from blanks and fittings supplied by J B Walker as described in the 1952 letter. RW also wrote a letter to another angler around thirty years later that confirmed the rods used in the early years were J B Walker's and intimated that Bob Southwell built the blanks for J B Walker, but Southwell is also alledged to have denied this.

It has been said that only the early B James rods were made to the Mk IV tapers stipulated by RW. Later rods did not have the fine tips.

 

[Blue Fisher]

Just to let you know I have decided on a fix my fibreglass b&w rod and quickly get it fishing route. This way I get to use it again to find out if it really is a fun rod to use, or am I remembering the past with rose tinted spectacles. It’s also maintains the possibility of an easy restoration should I ever want to, rather than the more invasive options I originally suggested.
thanks for the suggestions made, particularly for alternative sources of rod rings.

 

[no-one in particular]

Those rings look fine to me bluenose although I needed two packets for this 12ft rod. Drying out now, might put another coat of varnish on the whippings. Pleased how the handle turned out considering it had holes in it and was going a bit powdery. kept the top ring and reel fittings. Not perfection and a few cheats but this will do me for a bit of float fishing for rudd and roach on some small streams, Hope the tip sections holds out if I hook a big tench, carp or even a mullet however, it has been going for maybe 50-70 years so should see me out.. The good thing is the extra couple of foot as my other rod is 10ft. Maybe cost me about £15 in bits and pieces and less then £10 for the rod so a £25-ish rod. See how it fishes, I will let you know in the HDYGO thread some time.

 

[jemesneesham]

Just rescued my fibreglass Bruce and Walker MKIV G carp rod from my parents shed where it has laid forgotten for over 30 years. It’s in a bit of a state but really not too bad. One ring has certainly rusted, and others may not be at their best. The cork is a bit degraded and the spigot whipping needs replacement. But I flexed the top section and thought this looks and feels great, I must use it again.
The tip ring has already been replaced with a Fuji ring so it’s already not original, but what approach should I take to get it ready to use again?
Do I :
Do the minimum and get it fishing again
try to find original rings and replace damaged cork to get the rod back to original.
Or do I replace all the rings with modern guides and put a screw fitting reel seat on the rod, it may feel even better.
Or even say, “the bit I like best about this rod is the blank“, so strip it totally and start again.

Although this time the question is specific to the B and W rod, there are some other very good fibreglass blanks out there hiding under degraded rod rings and cork.

If you follow these approaches you could consider to get it ready for use again:

1. You can quickly get your fishing rods ready if you make small fixes. If it still works but has some rust or worn cork, you can clean and replace those parts. This keeps the rod's look and feel the same but makes it work better. You'll fix the main issues and keep fishing fast.
2. To keep the rod's original value and age, you'll want to find the exact parts it had before. Look for the same rings and cork to restore it fully. Making these replacements brings the rod back to how it was brand new. The vintage look stays preserved this way.
3. Replace worn-out rings with new guides. Add a screw reel seat. These upgrades boost casting distance, accuracy, and feel. Transforming your rod, potentially surpassing its original performance.
4. You can strip the rod. Start fresh with a blank canvas. Rebuild it using parts you choose yourself, made to fit your preferences exactly. Guide, reel seat, handle - customize everything to create your ideal fishing companion.

Each approach has its merits, so it ultimately depends on your priorities and how you envision using the rod. If you value authenticity and sentimentality, restoring it to its original state might be the way to go.

 

[Old fisher]

I myself, actually look for old split cane rods that to me look worth restoring. I only go for unnamed rods or original rods that were sold in kit form. I completely strip them down to the to the bare blank, and fit new corks, reel fittings, eyes and as these old cane rods used metal ferrules, I also replace these as well if needed. I've rebuilt 14 rods to date. I have all kinds of modern rods and reels etc. But I also like using these old rods as they are for me great when handling fish. I know the old cane rods are heavier than modern carbon/glass ones, but they feel so much better in the hand and as long as You don't ask them to say, cast a four ounce lead to the horizon, handle the fish much better than modern rods. Most of the time though, I use my modern rods so I'm not a traditional angler, but just enjoy using them from time to time. And you can rebuild old rods exactly how you want them.

 

[no-one in particular]

I myself, actually look for old split cane rods that to me look worth restoring. I only go for unnamed rods or original rods that were sold in kit form. I completely strip them down to the to the bare blank, and fit new corks, reel fittings, eyes and as these old cane rods used metal ferrules, I also replace these as well if needed. I've rebuilt 14 rods to date. I have all kinds of modern rods and reels etc. But I also like using these old rods as they are for me great when handling fish. I know the old cane rods are heavier than modern carbon/glass ones, but they feel so much better in the hand and as long as You don't ask them to say, cast a four ounce lead to the horizon, handle the fish much better than modern rods. Most of the time though, I use my modern rods so I'm not a traditional angler, but just enjoy using them from time to time. And you can rebuild old rods exactly how you want them.

There is a lot of pleasure in restoring old rods, I have only tried it twice but enjoyed it, one I use a lot the other still trying out, they are probably worth nothing, no name or anything and my amateur workings wouldn't have changed that but its not all about there worth, taking something useless and making it useful, lot to be said for that.

 

[Old fisher]

Yes I quite agree. I probably wouldn't strip a famous makers rod down, but just try and replace any broken eyes etc. I have a hobby of collecting old cane rods and old reels. I also repair vintage Mitchell reels and have made a large collection of Mitchell reel spares.