Checking rod bend method, why?

[slipperybob]

The other day I was at Cabela's and saw somebody checking the rod bend curve. He just turned the rod tip down on the floor and apply pressure. I'm wondering, "What the ???"

Why would you do this? I don't think he was checking the spline. You could simply just read what rod power and what action. I generally hold the tip lightly to check for sensitivy. If I was curious enough about the bend curve, I'll get various weights and check that from the tip with line running through the line guides.

[Bushwacker]

That's way I check a rod's action. Every company has a different definition of action. Some fast actions are the same as medium fast for others. I was "taught" to check that way at a sportsman's show someplace and I am sure hundreds of others were shown that too. It is the best way I have found to check a rod. It is important when doing this to make sure you bend the rod the way it was meant to bend. I have seen tons of guys bending the rod the opposite way it was meant to bend. That will mess up the action. The action of the rod is probably the most important factor I use when buying a rod.

[slipperybob]

Wow? I wasn't ever shown that way. Personally I don't quite understand though. Wouldn't the pressure angle be inapplicable in this check? You have pressure on the tip. I was told to never lift the rod by it's tip the same as pointing a rod upside down. It doesn't account for the line through the line guides. I suppose if no other method is avail it would be one way of checking rod bend. But what happens to the guy who buys the rod only to fail to check the damage on the tip of the rod.

[Lotwfisher]

The proper way is to check the action with the line spooled on, but when you are in the store I think it is just fisherman nature to bend the rod on the ceiling or floor....Its not the proper or right thing to do but I am guilty of doing it too. In the winter I just use my hands to bend it. I like to feel the tip action and see the curve and action of the rod.

[Bushwacker]

Are you saying that the person checking was holding onto the tip when they were doing this? Or did they have the handle in their hand? I was shown with handle in my hand and tip on a carpet so there is no damage to the rod whatsoever. I am kind of a fishing rod addict and have 60-something open water rods, and they have about 60-something different actions. From very subtle difference to extreme difference. I am on the pro-staff of a couple custom rod makers and show my rods to a lot of are people who are interested in buying rods from the makers that are out of state. This is how I always demonstrate the action to them. It is very apparent on different models the difference actions. When I am referring to action I am talking how "aggressive" or "fast" the bend is. So if someone is looking for a Carolina rig rod I show them slower action rods, if they are looking for jigging rod I show them faster rods..ect.. To do this method it only needs to be done gently to the rod and there should be no damage done at all and no undue stress put on the blank either. Try it out on a rod and you will see what I mean, but definitely make sure you are doing it on carpet. If some yahoo was doing it on hard floor I can definitely see how it bothered you. The next poor guy would buy a rod with scratched up eyelets or worse.

On a side note, just last night I was looking at a fairly higher end "custom" ice fishing rod at one of the big box stores. They were hung with the plastic tie deals through the tip so it was easy to check the actions. The first one I picked up had the worst "spine" placement I have ever seen. The rod literally jumped at a certain point in the bend over to the left side and not straight with the eyes like it should have. The poor person that buys that rod will probably not be a big fan of that company. I picked up 5 more of that same model and they all felt perfect. So it does pay to check individual rods before buying.

[hanson]

Quote:

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On a side note, just last night I was looking at a fairly higher end "custom" ice fishing rod at one of the big box stores. They were hung with the plastic tie deals through the tip so it was easy to check the actions. The first one I picked up had the worst "spine" placement I have ever seen. The rod literally jumped at a certain point in the bend over to the left side and not straight with the eyes like it should have. The poor person that buys that rod will probably not be a big fan of that company. I picked up 5 more of that same model and they all felt perfect. So it does pay to check individual rods before buying.

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Thats sound advice that I've been preaching for a little while now. If you get a mass produced rod that actually has the spine in the right spot, you'll be pretty happy with the rod. If not, and it doesn't take much....

I just picked up an ice rod last Friday as a matter of fact from Cabelas from a "high end" manufacturer. I checked every single rod they had to make sure I was happy with the spine location and the overall quality of the rod. Well... used her one time and the blank seriously has a bend/kink in it at the first eyelet back from the tip. This was not evident when I was checking the rod out in the store and i can only imagine that guide was wrapped and epoxied onto the blank wrong or whatever.

I'm going to take a pic of the rod against a steel ruler and send it to them as I have not been happy with a single ice rod I've bought from them. From what I've read on here, their awesome customer service stops with their ice rods so this could be interesting.

[Ufatz]

Well fellas, there is no harm in GENTLY flexing a rod to see how it bends and where the bend starts. Spine checking is done best with your fingers, gently rolling the rod against them. If you do any SEVERE bending of a rod blank, beyond its designed capacity, you WILL overstress it. The old "flexed against the ceiling or carpeted floor" trick is fine-as far as it goes. A lot of this is silly of course, since most manufacturers clearly and correctly label the "actions" of their rods. The "action" is simply a description of how and where the rod begins to "load" (bend) when in use. You will ordinarily NEVER load a rod with a fish on as much as you can with you hands.

Incidentally.....rod guides are rod guides. GUIDES.....not eyelets. Jeeeeze boys. You have a top, or tip-top, then rod GUIDES, then perhaps a FERRULE and then a GRIP. The grip may have a BUTT CAP on it. There will often be a HOSEL in the very front of the FORE-GRIP. Where the reel attaches is a REEL SEAT.

Been in the biz. You're welcome.

[upnorth]

Quote:

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I'm going to take a pic of the rod against a steel ruler and send it to them as I have not been happy with a single ice rod I've bought from them. From what I've read on here, their awesome customer service stops with their ice rods so this could be interesting.

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Not sure just how bad that bend or kink is, but there really is no such thing as a straight rod blank. I built on a few that were close, but there is always a little bit of crookedness to blanks.

There is quite a bit of controversy in the rod building community as to whether the spine is really the issue that it was thought to be. Most of the real high end builders are building on the straightest axis on the blank instead of the spine. I do spine all the rods I build and truth be told in most cases the spine aligns with the straightest axis of the blank, but if there is a discrepancy I build on the straightest axis.

And as for this "custom rod" thing, if you are buying off the shelf it is not a "custom rod". A custom rod is where you call the builder and describe to him/her exactly what kind of a rod you want. You specify the weight, the action, the handle style, the real seet or not, the type of guides, the color of the thread, and whether or not there are decorative butt wraps and what design you would like. Other than that they are just high end production rods.

[Northlander]

When I rod shop I bring a big paper clip and about 6' of 10# mono. Tie the mono to one end of the clip then clip the paper clip on the tip eye. Hold the handle like you normally would and have the line in the other hand. Then just pull back with one hand and down on the line with the other. This will give ya a idea of what action you have. Fast and easy to do many rods in a short time.

[upnorth]

That is a very good idea

[slipperybob]

I think what bothered me the most was the audible sound of rod tip hitting carpet and I'm about 20 feet away, plus I'm hard of hearing. The holding of the handle, but not at a gentle angle but like almost 90 degrees to the ground. Wasn't even holding the handle like fishing, more like a javelin grip and sticking rod to the ground.

I totally understand a gentle method. What I just saw wasn't anything near gentle.

[Ufatz]

Ah yes....you were watching the all-too-common species Lard Neck Bone Head doing some "rod testing". They can sometimes be seen flipping revolver cylinders open and closed violently with one hand and throwing young dogs off docks to make them swim.

They used to be a vanishing species....but lately I dunno.

[slipperybob]

LOL's don't even get me started on their car driving methods...