From Outing Magazine, Feb 1918:
This is probably the most helpful and thorough discussion I've come across regarding the merits of the various woods used for rod making. Just thought some of you who collect old wood rods might find it interesting. I doubt anyone besides Gnome is working with wood all that much....Bethabara is commonly considered to head the list of desirable woods, with greenheart a close second, and lancewood as the third choice. Bethabara makes a fine rod, but is a hard, gummy wood, difficult to work, and is prone to warp in the process of manufacture. Greenheart is about the equal of bethabara in strength and elasticity, is a bit easier to work, but very straight grain and first quality stock is very hard to get. The[Stillman Taylor] has tried out all available materials, to discover that dagama or washaba is, for many reasons, the best choice of the amateur rod maker. This wood is very strong, very elastic, of medium weight, and having a straight grain, quite clear of knots, it is easily worked, and does not warp very much; moreover select quality stock is easily procured at a reasonable price. Lancewood is satisfactory, especially for rods of large caliber, but it is a softer wood, full of knots, and as it costs about the same, dagama is the better selection."
If anyone would like a copy of the article, let me know - it's pretty interesting.
