SB 359 refinish

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Doug K
Master Guide
Posts: 511
Joined: 09/10/14 17:23

SB 359 refinish

#1

Post by Doug K »

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This is the first cane rod I have ever handled.. cost $10 plus shipping from auction, not sure how/why the price was so low. Cosmetically it was fairly awful, black handle, rusted guides, missing guides, loose ferrules, and so on: but the cane itself is sound and the finish near perfect. I cut off the guides and gave it another couple coats of spar varnish thinned with naptha 1:3, just for luck. The stripping guide was still OK, cleaned up and reused.

The ferrules gave some trouble. Bottom one is fine, pops nicely. Top female had some corrosion, but even after cleaning with steel wool and alcohol the fit of the second tip was far too stiff. I don't understand how this came to be - maybe that tip was never fished/fitted ? Slow polishing with 0000 steel wool took some time to get a decent fit.

Tried cleaning the handle with Mr Kleen Magic Eraser which was a disaster. The cork was certainly clean, but it also looked like the raw bark of a cork tree, pitted ridged and carunculated. Some 1000grit sandpaper knocked the edges off the worst of it. I quite like the marbled plastic of the reelseat, looks exactly like a lump of honey agate I picked up and backpacked out of the high mountains of Lesotho many years ago.

The new guides are Snake Guides, very nice indeed, a pleasure to work with. The large wire loop on the second tip was a mistake, looks ugly to me. Another mistake was to replace guide-for-guide, the tips could probably have used four instead of three. The silk is YLI 50wt 841 (golden brown). The golden disappeared in the varnish, leaving only brown, but I still like the looks of the varnish over silk.

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Thanks to Idahoan in this thread,
viewtopic.php?f=66&t=84541
I was able to salvage my fuzzy wraps with 1500 grit sandpaper and linseed oil for the wet sanding. I still see many mistakes but at least don't have to wince at it.

I left the original wraps where they were still tight - the hook keeper, one intermediate wrap, and two ferrule wraps. It looks like the original was nylon thread, so the silk is an upgrade like the guides.

Here in Denver the snow is slowly melting. I have a Langley Riffle for this rod with a level line, and a selection of 5 and 6wts to try out to see which makes the rod happiest. It was an enjoyable project. Now I'm looking out for a 9' 7wt cane project for bass..

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Last edited by Doug K on 12/30/21 10:41, edited 1 time in total.

crowebeetle
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Posts: 1340
Joined: 08/03/13 22:51
Location: Chapel Hill, NC & central Penna

Re: SB 359 refinish

#2

Post by crowebeetle »

Great job ! It should fish as well as it looks. If you hadn't done it it likely would have been a tomato stake.

jeffkn1
Bamboo Fanatic
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Joined: 06/08/05 18:00

Re: SB 359 refinish

#3

Post by jeffkn1 »

Doug K wrote:Now I'm looking out for a 9' 7wt cane project for bass..
You're in luck. The world is awash in South Bend 59's in the 9' length.

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Shrimpman
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Joined: 06/28/14 15:38
Location: Wet Coast of Canada

Re: SB 359 refinish

#4

Post by Shrimpman »

The first cane rod that you have handled... and such a nice refinish! Lucky for you that it is a fantastic taper and will, for better or worse, sell you on bamboo rods. Is it a nine foot or eight and a half?
Shrimpy

Doug K
Master Guide
Posts: 511
Joined: 09/10/14 17:23

Re: SB 359 refinish

#5

Post by Doug K »

it's the 8.5' and the Langley balances it well. Yes, I might be getting myself in trouble here.. first regressed from graphite back to glass and enjoyed that so much, thought it was worth it to try cane.. greenheart is next, then a nice alder pole for tenkara..

Doug Murdoch
Master Guide
Posts: 508
Joined: 01/31/15 20:18
Location: Ormstown, Quebec, about 20 miles North of the NYS border and the Adirondacks.

Re: SB 359 refinish

#6

Post by Doug Murdoch »

Beautiful. Thank you.
'Study to be quiet'.

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