North Western Blanks Brochure Circa 1985

[Crystal Bend]

I recently watched Barbel Fishing with Ron Lees Video on FaceBook and I was that impressed with it I've decided to have a Rod like Ron's built.
I found a similar Glass Fibre NW 9' 6'' Blank online and I'm excited to say the Rod is in the final stages of planning.
With this, I also found & bought the above Brochure from eBay & I thought I'd share it as other members might find it of use\interest.

John

 

[Crystal Bend]

 

[mikench]

Des Taylor has never lost the Jeremiah Johnson look or wild man of the woods if you prefer.

 

[Crystal Bend]

Des Taylor has never lost the Jeremiah Johnson look or wild man of the woods if you prefer.

The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams

 

[mikench]

That same look. I'm sure he would prefer comparison to Robert Redford. Both great films by the way.

 

[108831]

Blimey,some old bumph there mate,including Grizzly...

 

[Crystal Bend]

The scans uploaded to be massive on screen but it's done now and hopefully somebody gets a use out of it ?

 

[seth49]

Looking at the list of stockists of there blanks, I see Geoff Dunn’s tackle shop in Blackburn is mentioned, long gone now, I have a 1 3/4lb barbel rod built by Geoff years ago, still use it occasionally for carp, had plenty of barbel with it, and it was the rod I used most for trotting a shrimp, and fishing worms for salmon, it’s a cracking rod, I wouldn’t part with it.

 

[Crystal Bend]

That's brilliant to hear @seth49
Hopefully others will add their stories & rods.
Dave Kelly from Trafford Tackle Repairs is building my rod and has more blanks & other items for sale on eBay:

LEGER SWINGTIP GLASS ROD BLANKS North Western, Fibatube, DAIWA, Rod Building DIY | eBay

FIBATUBE LEGER / SWING TIP. LEGER SWINGTIP FIBRE GLASS ROD BLANKS. Fit modern light single leg ring to these blanks and you will make a cracking leger. DAIWA 10FT Leger / CARP (Fibreglass). North Western Blanks ST1PB (Fibreglass).

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[steve2]

Brings back memories of when I use to build all my own rods. Bought the blanks from either Simpsons of Turnford or Going Brothers in Southend.
Found one of my rods in the loft at the in laws house a 3 piece avon type will be giving it a try out soon the action is so different to my carbon avons. Also a unused from years Shakespeare International as new.

 

[nottskev]

It's clear lots of good rods were made on these blanks. I must have been unlucky. I ordered a leger blank to make up a swingtip rod. I thought it would be the same as a friend's which I envied. The blank when it arrived was very slow taper, rather heavy in the hand, and had a ponderous Avon action. I went ahead and ringed it but I never took to it. Steve mentioned a Shakespeare International. That was the last glass match rod I bought. For some reason I couldn't fathom, it creaked suspiciously when flexed. Shakespeare were good enough to take it back. Even though I'd plastered it in fashionable matt black paint by then. I put the refund towards an outrageously expensive (for me) Bruce and Walker in the new carbon fibre material. That was already jet black.

 

[rayner]

Back in the 70s, I made a couple of North-Western blanks up. 12' 1/34 lb test curve. Had some big bream from Clumber Park, I never had a double-figure fish but saw one or two caught by other anglers. I spent far too much time trying for a double it cured me of having targets in fishing.

 

[fishingcarpenter]

what a brilliant find,buit many north western and conoflex blanks ,it was the only way to get what you wanted at a very good price. still have a few. conoflex were very helpful as they would make 2lb test curve blanks in three peices and put 1/3 ounce quiver tips into trout rod blanks . about 8 years ago they made me a pair of cod 6 s in carbon 3 pieces blanks for £117 each , they closed not that long after that as they were getting on a bit . bloody good days when you can phone a major rod manufacturer and get that service,sadly we will never see the likes of again.long live ebay with great finds , strange how the modern angler doesn’t see what they are missing,a good glass blank is stronger than a carbon cheapie and it is great to think what the previous owner caught on them .i also have a love of intrepid super twins , can keep them in service for ever for pennies

 

[Crystal Bend]

Cheers @fishingcarpenter
I'm following all of Dave Kelly's advice re my rod. The rod is being built on a Fibre Glass 9' 6'' NWB with a Semi Fast Taper (Action B) from the '70s.
It's in very good condition & will stay the original brown colour. It's having 3'' taken off the Top & Bottom of the Blank with a Seymo 244St Hardlon Swing Tip Eye as the top eye.
It will have double legged Fuji BMNOG Intermediates tapering down to a 20mm eye 300mm from the 5'' Foregrip.
The Rear Cork Handle is 11.5'' long with a 130mm Screw Down Fuji DPS type reel seat.
Fold down Hook Retainer & gold aluminium trim ring on the Foregrip & gold aluminium butt cap.
The whippings will be PacBay grey with metallic old gold trims.
A White NWB Fibre Glass Decal & another White Decal reading:
"Ron Lees Meat Master Rod 8ft 9in by Dave Kelly".
Looking forward to seeing the end product.

 

[108831]

You will have to forgive me,but it's a long cast to the Severn from Australia???

 

[Mark Wintle]

Still got a SS5, SS7 and AC2. Always liked the Avon rod and had a couple of PBs on it.

 

[Crystal Bend]

You will have to forgive me,but it's a long cast to the Severn from Australia???

It sure is Whitty but I hope to get closer to the water when we're able to fly up to the Northern Hemisphere again?

 

[fishingcarpenter]

good choice of rings,crystal bend , fuji have never never ever let me down , fuji are expensive but very strong. the match type float patern are brilliant,the only other rings that are equal are seymo. the only thing stopping people getting the best rod for the way they fish is they don’t make it themselves. conoflex would make whatever blank you could think up at very reasonable price. hope the rod works for you , i love swing tipping with thin cane swing tips as they can be made very thin so less air resistance and light so more sensitive, long ones for bream and short for roach and perch .

 

[steve2]

After reading these posts and looking at the brochure it made me want to buy some blanks and builds some rods. The old nostalgia thing is back again I might even get out fishing again soon. I might even dig out my swing tips.