Impregnated vs varnished by Cane Head

Originally written by me and some friends 2002-04 for the Virtual Fly Shop, Flyfisherman Magazine Online. The Cracker Barrel has been published in book form with the limited first edition hard cover sold out and a paperback version will be available early 2011.

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fishnbanjo
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Impregnated vs varnished by Cane Head

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<span style="">     </span>Welcome to this weeks Crackerbarrel which is Week 9. Last week we took a bit of a departure from the series in that I explained what pushes me more and more into bamboo and how that came about. I hope you enjoyed that aspect of bamboo since it is not one that is spoken about and I don’t know if it’s fear of opening oneself to the world or just that folks can’t or won’t express that side of themselves to the public. As you can see I am not fearful or ashamed for having those feelings and experiences. When we took the poll many of you gave us some valuable input and one of the topics requested was the differences between and impregnated rod vs. one that is varnished. Knowing Cane head (aka Ken Smith) has a very good background on both I asked if he’d mind bringing that topic to us. Ken told me that his work schedule was horrific and the holidays fast approaching but would be happy to after the holidays have passed. I did not hear from him again until late last week and his battles with his ISP were the reason for his absence. I’m happy to report Ken has changed ISP’s and has fulfilled his mission as Part 1 of a 2 part series on impregnated vs. varnished rods. Well I’ve already stoked the old stove, the coffee’s ready and I got a big old pot of venison stew atop the stove I’ll tend to while you folks enjoy the Cracker Barrel.

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<span style="">                  </span>Impregnated vs. Varnished Rods

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 <span style="">   </span>First I'd like to start off by making an observation on how lucky I think we are in being able to garner and share information on cane rods via the net.<span style="">  </span>It wasn't all that long ago that someone interested in cane rods either had to personally know someone who fished them, do a lot of research via the limited number of bamboo related books at the time, or just resort to the old hands on manner.<span style="">  </span>With the latter, it often involved considerable risk to the wallet. I was lucky in that I was in the right place at the right time to stumble across someone with considerable knowledge of cane rods who didn't mind taking on the task of being a mentor on the subject.

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<span style="">     </span>With the advent of the internet and especially the Virtual Fly Shop, there has been a meeting place for users of cane and those wanting to know more about them to get together for numerous years.<span style="">    </span>Over the past weeks the Cracker Barrel has been just another reason why this site has been on top for years.

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<span style="">    </span><span style=""> </span>In the past installments of the Cracker Barrel, a considerable amount of information has been passed along about selecting a cane rod, what to look for, how they're made, and other good stuff.<span style="">   </span>In this installment, I'd like to pass along some information on impregnated cane rods.<span style="">  </span>

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<span style="">     </span>Impregnated rods are one of those animals that can quickly stir up a heated discussion in cane circles. If you think the banter from cane users over graphite rods sounds highbrow or snobbish - well it can be a petty affair compared to discussions over impregnated rods. They often get referred to as "plastic" rods from hard-core cane lovers. By now some of you are probably wondering what the heck an impregnated cane is and why the fuss over it and there are some of you who know exactly what I'm referring to. 

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<span style="">     </span>For those of you scratching your head, an impregnated cane rod is a cane rod that has been impregnated with a resin to make the bamboo itself waterproof or at least moisture proof. Unlike a traditional cane rod that has a varnished finish on the outside of the cane as protection layer from moisture/water, an impregnated rod has the protective finish inside the bamboo or at least several inside the surface of the bamboo. The resin can be applied to the cane rod by soaking the glued sections of cane in it and curing them, like Orvis does, or by forcing it into the bamboo via a vacuum method. The result is a cane rod that literally has the finish inside the rod instead of outside it making the cane impermeable to water - basically a water proof rod. Since moisture is the number one enemy to bamboo rods next to clumsiness, you'd think such an idea would be well received. It ain't.

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<span style="">   </span><span style="">  </span>A lot myths cast about within the cane world and the subject of

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impregnated rods has its share. The biggest two center on the idea that

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impregnated rods are heavier than traditionally varnished rods and that

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their actions are deadened when compared to traditionally finished rods. That can be true if a rod isn't designed with impregnation process in mind from the beginning.<span style="">  </span>If a rod maker approaches the idea of impregnating rods from the get-go, the results can be just as fruitful as the rod maker that makes traditionally finished rods. There are dogs that lie on both sides of the fence. Wes Jordan and The Orvis Company are big examples of a rod maker and a rod company going about things in the right manner concerning impregnated rods.<span style="">  </span>

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<span style="">    </span><span style=""> </span>I like using Orvis rods as an example of an impregnated rod done right. I've fished them for years and after owning and fishing both varnished rods of numerous makes and impregnated rods, I tend to like most of the Orvis rods.<span style="">  </span>The reason I use Orvis as an example is two-fold. One, they made some of the lightest cane rods ever made and second is that they're the longest remaining rod company to date.<span style="">  </span>You can't stay in the rod making business as long as Orvis has if you make heavy, dead rods.<span style="">  </span>I have some 8 ½ ' 6 WT Orvis rods weighing 4 1/8 oz that are lighter than many traditional rods of the same length and line weight and close to the weight of some of the multi-piece graphite rods in the same length and line weight category.

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<span style="">     </span>Orvis was also noted for their big rods like the 8 WTs & 9 WTs that compared in rod weight to other companies' 6 WTs.<span style="">  </span>Wes Jordan who was hired as Orvis' rod maker in the late 30's came up with a method of impregnating cane rods when he told it couldn't be done. By 1946 - 48, Orvis had phased out their varnished rods and replaced their entire line up with impregnated rods - they've been making them since then.<span style="">  </span>The impregnated rods that Jordan design for Orvis made the company a household name. 

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<span style="">     </span>Besides Orvis, Bill Phillipson, of the Phillipson Rod Company, produced impregnated canes in the later part of that company's life.<span style="">  </span>One only has to spend some time on the water with Phillipson's 7 ½' impregnated "Peerless" to realize that impregnated rods cane be made with an action every bit as crisp and fast as any rod made in the Catskill tradition of short, fast dry fly rods suited for pinpoint casting dries on a pocket water stream.<span style="">   </span>

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<span style="">     </span>A host of rod makers got on the impregnated bandwagon when Orvis rods started getting praises from anglers - and garnering more than their share of the rod market. Wright & McGill, who re-introduced the Granger rods in the 40's, produced a couple of impregnated rods in the later part of their cane building history - these were called the Water Seal models and compared to other impregnated rods they were a little heavier.<span style="">  </span>Nathan Uslan who made 5 strip rods offered his rods in either impregnated versions or varnished versions.<span style="">  </span>The famed H.L. Leonard Company introduced a line of impregnated rods called the "Duracanes" that were well received and used ones have gotten quite pricey over the past handful of years.<span style="">  </span>What a lot of anglers fail to realize is that the Duracane rods were actually built in Scotland by Sharpe and not in the Leonard rod shop. 

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 <span style="">    </span>When Thomas Dorsey and Thomas Maxwell started producing rods under the Thomas & Thomas moniker in the 70's, their first offerings were impregnated and today T&T still offers an impregnated line of rods along side their traditionally varnished models.<span style="">  </span>Thomas & Thomas is another one of those rod companies that fly in the face comments about impregnated rods. Along with Orvis, they offer a selection of some of the lightest canes rods made and their actions aren't exactly what you'd call "dead."<span style="">  </span>

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<span style="">     </span>When you get into the salmon class of rods, you really start getting into what even cane folk will refer to as "rods with heft", but T&T made some impregnated salmon canes less than 5oz.<span style="">   </span>If you want to compare apples to oranges or other words, cane to graphite, in the weight category, it's not uncommon for a 9' 8 WT graphite rod to approach 5oz, the Orvis 9' 8 WT graphite TLS runs 4 7/8oz and Thomas &

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Thomas impregnated 8 ½' 8 WT salmon rod runs about the same weight.

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<span style="">     </span>Today there are some contemporary rod makers who are turning out impregnated rods. Mark Ruhe who is gathering quite a fan club offers impregnated blanks as well as Terry Ackland from Montreal.<span style="">  </span>Gary Dabrowski of the Brookside Rod Company also offers an impregnated line of rods as well as Ron Kusse. At Ron's website "[url=http://www.ronkusse.com]www.ronkusse.com[/url]" he discusses some historical info on the impregnation process that is worth the reading for anyone wanting to know more about the subject.<span style="">  </span>

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<span style="">    </span><span style=""> </span>The bottom line is that if some of the myths about impregnated rods were true, then Orvis wouldn't have become such the successful rod making company it is, nor would have Thomas & Thomas.<span style="">  </span>Thousands of Orvis impregnated rods have been turned out since Wes Jordan first introduced them and when they show up in used rod catalogs, they get snatched up rather quickly. The same happens on eBay. A host of other rod companies that offered impregnated rods wouldn't have done so if the idea didn't have merit as well as a few contemporary rod makers.<span style="">   </span>You can either go with the flow and buy into the myths about impregnated canes or you try one first hand and formulate an

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opinion of your own.

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<span style="">     </span>In a second part to this rambling on of impregnated rods, I hope to provide some information on the care and feeding of impregnated rods.<span style="">  </span>Thanks for putting up with yet another angler hooked on grass.<span style="">  </span>

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<span style="">     </span>Ken 

Each and every Crackerbarrel posting brings me closer and
closer to the time I can really wet a line again. After having surgery last
year and only getting 2 chances to fish and that being at the club C&R pond
it will be a triple pleasure to be able to do it on a good knee. Last week Ken
Smith (Canehead) gave us part 1 of a 2 part series on Impregnated vs. Varnished
Rods. Ken has a wonderful grasp of the nuances of each and experience with both
most does not have. I got a nice Costa Rican Shade Grown Organic Blend in the
coffee pot and can't wait to pour the first cup so as I give the old stove one
last stoke and pour myself a cup let's get on to the Cracker Barrel.

 

     Last week I
introduced impregnated rods into the Crackerbarrel series and briefly discussed
how they differed from their traditional varnished counterparts in the world of
cane.  One of the highlights of that
discussion was that, for the most part, impregnated cane rods are waterproof
through the impregnation process involving some type of resin.  Seeing that these rods are pretty much
impervious to water, you might get the idea that caring for them is pretty much
a trouble free task.  Well, any rod worth
your time to fish deserves a modicum of care - some more than others.

 

      It’s been the
viewpoint of a few that cane rods are a troublesome lot when it comes to the
care and feeding of them.   I’ll agree
and say they require perhaps a tad more care than graphite.  The boundary layer between a cane rod and
water, which will eventually ruin the bamboo, is a layer of varnish - hopefully
a spar varnish or a modern urethane. 
With a varnished rod, if the varnish finish develops a few over looked
chips then the protective finish is breached at that point. After a while of
use, small chips often develop into bigger ones. After a few seasons of hard
use the rod might wind up needing a refinish. If you’re the sort that can
tackle that project, then it isn’t such a big deal.  To those who can’t pull off a restoration or
re-varnish - then it’s off to a restorer/refinisher to set things
straight.  Often times a complete re-do
can be a nice chunk of change depending on who‘s doing it.  With an impregnated rod, that type of problem
doesn’t exist.  Because you don’t have to
worry about a refinish, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t invest some time in up keep.

 

      While moisture
from habitually putting the rod away damp after a day’s fishing might not spell
doom to impregnated rods, some, especially older impregnated models have
tungsten guides instead of modern chrome plated ones and tungsten guides will
rust and eventually need replacing.    If
you can wrap one of graphite, then you can replace those guides on an
impregnated rod with little effort - remember the finish is in the rod and not
on it.  The only finish you need to worry
about is what goes on the guide wraps.

 

      Impregnated rods
will also develop a set like a varnished model and under the same
conditions.  The big difference between
the two is that removing a set from an impregnated rod requires more work than
the traditional rod. The same application of dry heat will do the same job, but
it’ll take a little longer. Notice I said a little longer - that doesn’t mean a
little hotter.  You can ruin an impregnated
rod with too much heat just as easy as you can a traditional rod.  But the big difference between the two is
that unless the area involving the set includes a few guide wraps, you don’t
have to strip the protective layer of varnish in order to remove the set.   

 

     Like a varnished
rod, the time will come when an impregnated rod needs a little polishing to
look spiffy again. Unlike the varnished rod, which will require a polish medium
like rottenstone or some other very fine grit polish, an impregnated rod only
requires a “buffing” to bring back that brand new shine.  I use an old cotton diaper and run the rod
shafts through it while holding the cloth tightly.  In just a few minutes the glow returns to the
cane and all types of gunk can be seen on the cloth - pretty much the same gunk
that‘s on your fly line.  The guide wraps
can be polished with the same cloth; most times it only takes an application of
moisture from your breath and some rubbing with the cloth to return the shine
to the wrap varnish. Tougher jobs might require the use of a polish and I
generally use the old “Turtle Wax” paste wax that comes in the green can.  I’ll get a finger wet and dab a bit of the
polish on my finger and polish the wraps that way. Then I’ll wipe it off with a
soft cotton cloth and things are back to new again. 

 

      One of the big
bonuses of an impregnated rod and especially an impregnated blank is that the
guy who wants to get that first cane without a big initial investment is though
getting an impregnated ferruled blank and finishing the rod out himself.   The whole thing involves nothing more than
mounting the reel seat, grip, wrapping the guides, and applying finish to the
guide wraps.   No dip tanks, spray booth
set-ups, and polishing between coats of finish.   Five to 6 thin coats of a spar varnish with
at least 72 hrs drying between coats is al it takes to finish out the rod.  Some of the urethanes dry quicker and the job
can be done quicker.

I have seen a few canes where the wraps have been expertly
done with Flex Coat Lite and you couldn’t tell the difference between varnished
wraps and the Flex Coat.   

 

 

      You can get a
good 1 tip impregnated blank with ferrules mounted from a noted dealer for
$200. Some dealers sell them for around $400 - $450 for a 2 tip ferruled
impregnated blank.   With an outlay of
cash no more than what is involved with graphite blank from a big rod company,
you can be fishing a cane rod - a rod you finished out yourself.    Go for it!

 

 

Ken

 

     Once again I'd
like to thank Ken for volunteering to do this segment for us. In the coming
weeks we'll be presenting a look at tapers, both vintage and contemporary, how
they are arrived at and tweaked etc. This segment will be given by Streamer who
has been rather busy with his rod business which if you haven't checked out his
website you might want to at http://www.housatonicrods.com/ 

 

     Well the old
coffee pot is empty, as Bob Corsetti says in his catalog which means it's time
to let the stove die down and pack up a pipe while we await your responses and
questions. Thanks for joining us and we'll see you next time with another
Crackerbarrel.

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