Green fly rods?

[Bethabara]

I got another interesting email about a green bamboo fly rod and he wishes to know if any old maker did this.

OK, I know of only one green rod offered by Ed Cummings ( Greenleaf) made by Heddon. The varnish was most likely tinted but some of it leached into the wood after a time, I've seen several of them.

But the rod I'm asking about is from the turn of the 1900 century.
So, did anyone tint Calcutta cane from 1890 to 1910?
Maybe one of you can roll cast a hint in my direction?
Somethings books just don't cover.

[bamboocollector11]

Several rod manufacturers tinted their rods green, Divine, Montague, and I believe HI besides Ed Cummings to name a few.

[OldCane]

There's several old posts regarding green rods. Here's a link to one: viewtopic.php?f=64&t=113946&hilit=green+gnome

There's a link in the above that takes you to a 2nd thread for Montague green rods.

[Bethabara]

Several rod manufacturers tinted their rods green, Divine, Montague, and I believe HI besides Ed Cummings to name a few.

Well, I found out the hard way with Fred divine but never knew that Montague did green rods. Probably trying to be on top of the game with trendy ideas at the time, however, I never saw pics until now, it will be here soon.

I never got a PHD either. I graduated from the US Navy and majored in three subjects; Been there, Done that, and Can-do.
Thank you to bamboocollector11, oldcane, and wrong66 for that help & info.
Now I know what to prepare for when it gets here in March.

[DireWolf53]

I recall that M V Brooks occasionally made green impregnated rods.

[czkid]

Mike's rods were made from a green cane that he got thru the bamboo botanical group in Oregon IIRC. I'm the proud owner of one, and it's a gem. He used a special taper for them to accommodate the peculiarities of the green cane.

Ralph

[dshx]

Ralph's comments jogged my memory about Mike's green cane. I couldn't recall the details but found this comment from Mike about the bamboo:

"I have used locally grown U.S. bamboo for years. It isn't my main source. That is still imported Chinese cane. But there are several excellent species you can get from your local Bamboo Society. Some are just plain lousy, but I have run into a few that are much much better than Tonkin, both for power fiber density and for straightness and ease of working it. Steve Kiley and I got some incredible pale green bamboo from his neighbor, that would simply blow your mind. It was small, culm size about 1-1/2" in diameter, but everything under the enamel was power fibers...tiny, extremely dense, straight, power fibers. I made one midge rod from the piece I got and it was the best (*)#@$_ midge rod I have ever made. I have made rods out of other bamboo, from time to time. You have to look and experiment. There is nothing sacred about Tonkin (and Tonkin doesn't just grow in some tiny region of China - you can get it from Northwestern Thailand and the hill country in Burma, too)."

Mike's rods were made from a green cane that he got thru the bamboo botanical group in Oregon IIRC. I'm the proud owner of one, and it's a gem. He used a special taper for them to accommodate the peculiarities of the green cane.

Ralph

-Dwight

[snorider]

Our resident Gnome knows a thing or two about green rods. The Malachite green on this rod is stunning to look at in the light...

[Bethabara]

I recall that M V Brooks occasionally made green impregnated rods.

True, true; but I suspect a few golfers made it to the river as I can hear similar language after a back-cast boo-break!

[Bethabara]

Ralph's comments jogged my memory about Mike's green cane. I couldn't recall the details but found this comment from Mike about the bamboo:

"I have used locally grown U.S. bamboo for years. It isn't my main source. That is still imported Chinese cane. But there are several excellent species you can get from your local Bamboo Society. Some are just plain lousy, but I have run into a few that are much much better than Tonkin, both for power fiber density and for straightness and ease of working it. Steve Kiley and I got some incredible pale green bamboo from his neighbor, that would simply blow your mind. It was small, culm size about 1-1/2" in diameter, but everything under the enamel was power fibers...tiny, extremely dense, straight, power fibers. I made one midge rod from the piece I got and it was the best (*)#@$_ midge rod I have ever made. I have made rods out of other bamboo, from time to time. You have to look and experiment. There is nothing sacred about Tonkin (and Tonkin doesn't just grow in some tiny region of China - you can get it from Northwestern Thailand and the hill country in Burma, too)."

Mike's rods were made from a green cane that he got thru the bamboo botanical group in Oregon IIRC. I'm the proud owner of one, and it's a gem. He used a special taper for them to accommodate the peculiarities of the green cane.

Ralph

-Dwight

Wait, local bamboo society? I'm in Michigan, we don't even have a local fiberglass society!
Bamboo grows in Oregon? And I thought their cash crop was Canibus!
Can't made a fly rod out of wacky weed, the rod won't care where the fly lands.

[Tommasini]

I had an 8' 3/2 Divine at one time painted black and wrapped yellow
. It was marked "THE RAVEN" in yellow ink.

[Bethabara]

Are you sure that Divine was original? Painted black?
That's a first for me, I thought only Japanese lacquered their rods black.
I gotta check my Divine book and others for a rod named Raven.
Now you have my curiosity peaked.

[uniquafly]

Are you sure that Divine was original? Painted black?
That's a first for me, I thought only Japanese lacquered their rods black.
I gotta check my Divine book and others for a rod named Raven.
Now you have my curiosity peaked.

Yes, the “Raven” is an original offering, painted black, from Divine.

[Bethabara]

Fortunately, I'm ambidextrous, I can wet or dry and I do carry a net on my back for the other side of the boat.

I'm a simple man, much like Christ, requiring only a loaf of bread, a bottle of wine, and a trout to share with others.

[Dr. Heller]

Before the war Allcock and Cummins made cane rods stained light green, not laquered or varnished green. who knows how that was done?

[wrong66]

Are you sure that Divine was original? Painted black?
That's a first for me, I thought only Japanese lacquered their rods black.
I gotta check my Divine book and others for a rod named Raven.
Now you have my curiosity peaked.

Yes, the “Raven” is an original offering, painted black, from Divine.

South Bend even painted one of their models black.

[16parachuteadams]

Divine also had a green painted rod the INVISIBLE. Drab and looks like it wants to be overlooked.

[crowebeetle]

Has anyone tried to make a rod of black bamboo? It would make a stunning rod if it has enough power fibers.
https://lewisbamboo.com/product/black-bamboo/

[Bethabara]

Yes, I think a black cane fly rod is very possible.
There are indelible color stains that can not be removed.
Die marker is nasty stuff. Food dye is not permanent and can be neutralized.
But there is an India Ink extracted from an octopus.

There really is no reason why someone could not impregnate all segments with black painters' enamel pigment but a vehicle like paint thinner or acetone would be needed to penetrate under pressure.
After the segments are assembled using dark resorcinol, a tung oil finish can be rubbed in, then topped off with two coats of Tru-oil, then hand polished.

Another way is to completely wrap an entire rod (Silken wrap) with black #000 silk using a cut 50/50 spar, then cut 30/70, then 100 % spar varnish to top it off. Finish the rod off with a #000 gold #7 silk wrap, gold guides & tip tops with an engraved mahogany grip and reel seat with gold cap & ring. Either wrap the ferrules black or blacken or plane in an intrinsic wood ferrule wrapped over with black-tipped with gold. Might be a stunning rod.

Finish the job with a gold bag and black aluminum case with a polished brass cap. I should have done that ten years ago.