Although I have 6 B James MK1V rods I have not learned yet how to date each rod. What is the secret?

[Old fisher]

Can any member help me in dating B James MK1V rods SU/Avon/Carp Thanks

 

[barbelboi]

James Bruce Snr’s shop (B James and son, Ealing) was my local tackle shop whilst a kid in the 50’s. The first version of the MK1V (1952) is easily spotted by the trumpet handle and transfer ‘B James & Son, Ealing, London’. The second version (1955) by the onion handle and transfer ‘B James & Son, Ealing, London’. The third, 1956/7 by the onion handle and transfer ‘B James & Son, London, England’, The fourth (1958) by the bulbous handle and transfer 'B James and Son, England’. There were many other differences but that is the easiest way to date them.

I believe that the MK1V SU carp rod was produced from 1958.

 

[Old fisher]

Hi barbelboi Thank you for the info on B James rods. One of my Avon rods has the London England decals and the original bag. The others are all just marked as the later models including the SU. I also have the price list that you have which gives details of each rod. It's this list that states the SU is a pike rod and that SU is scaled up and not stepped up.
Again thank you for the info.

 

[barbelboi]

I believe that the SU pike rod and SU MK1V carp rod were two different projects. The pike rod was an earlier design specifically for 'taming' large pike. The SU MK1V carp rod came later with an increased diameter to the original design to compensate for the inferior cane that was then available for rod building.

 

[Old fisher]

I have 2 other SU MK1V rods that were home built and were not particularly well built and so I rebuilt them myself The B James SU is very much thicker than the these 2. This rod is made from a very much darker coloured cane. One of the other SU rods stated on the rod, " Southwell blank" and is also quite dark in colour. I was talking to the seller of this rod and who advertised it as a Southwell blank. I asked him how he new it was a Southwell blank and he said he knows the guy from the shop sold this blank to the original builder of it ( not the maker of the blank). This guy said his shop sold a number of these blanks for home completion. After being told this I made some searches for info on Southwell blanks and a number of them said the Southwell blanks are darker in colour than later blanks. So I wonder but will never know if the B James SU I have being very dark in colour and also much heavier than the other 2 may also be a Southwell blank. The ferrule on this B James rod is nearly twice the thickness of my 3 B James MK1V carp rods. This rod has an onion handle

 

[Old fisher]

Hi again barbelboi.
I have just re read your last reply to me and perhaps as you said later SU rods were made thicker to compensate for poorer cane available, that my rod could actually be a later model. Thanks

 

[steve2]

I had some lovely cane carp rods in the 1960's, just wish I still had some of them.

 

[Old fisher]

I had some lovely cane carp rods in the 1960's, just wish I still had some of them.

I had some lovely cane carp rods in the 1960's, just wish I still had some of them.

Hi steve2
I still have 2 split cane rods that were given to me by my parents in the late 50s early 60s a Rodrill Tench rod and a Milbro float rod. Both these rods I have rebuilt with new corks, rings and ferrules. Both are 3 piece rods. My wife makes new bags for all the rods i have rebuilt (9) so far. I also have kept my 3 Mitchell 300 reels from the same period and these reels are part of my 58 Mitchells.. Every so often I like to take a couple of the Mitchells and pair them up with a B James MK1V Carp or SU rods and give them an airing. Thanks for replying to me, very much appreciated.

 

[steve2]

The only cane rods I still have are a Wallis wizard, a light caster, and a couple of fly rods. There are a couple of carp/ avon rods that I keep looking at and will one day push the buy button.

 

[Old fisher]

The only cane rods I still have are a Wallis wizard, a light caster, and a couple of fly rods. There are a couple of carp/ avon rods that I keep looking at and will one day push the buy button.

The only cane rods I still have are a Wallis wizard, a light caster, and a couple of fly rods. There are a couple of carp/ avon rods that I keep looking at and will one day push the buy button.

Hi Steve2
I think my collecting of items is near the end and it has crossed my mind that although I've got 11 Grandchildren if I pass my cane rods onto them they will probably sell them on eBay for peanuts. So I may even take them with me when I go. They are made of cane so they will burn OK and I will know what's happened to them. ha! ha! ha!