Russ Peak Solid Blank Graphite

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WCPVJr	Russ Peak Solid Blank Graphite	Lead	[-]
Sport Posts: 20 (01/28/09 14:00:58) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	I know this has nothing to do with fiberglass flyrods, but I don't know of any place better for information about rods than the members of this board. Also, I don't know of any graphite rod boards of equal nature to this one. So here is my information and question: I recently posted pics of a Russ Peak fiberglass midge rod that I acquired from Doug Swisher. I also acquired four other Russ Peak rods from Doug, including one PGG and 3 graphite rods. Two of the graphite rods, according to Doug, are built on an experimental blank that Russ was playing with at the time. They are SOLID graphite. I have x-rayed them, and they are indead solid and have no hollow core and no traces of any wire or other metalic core. I have already discused these blanks with one of our very knowledgeable board members, but would like to present the info. along with a few pics to the rest of this board in hopes of getting some information in return. I have heard of solid glass blanks, but this is the first I have ever heard of a solid graphite blank. Any and all thoughts and information about this subject would be appreciated. Top rod is solid graphite. 6'3" 2pc nickle silver ferrule 2.25oz Marked: "Berkley Graphite" with "X2" beneath the Berkley graphite. The middle rod is also solid graphite 7'0" 2pc nickle silver ferrule 3.05oz Marked the same as top rod, and the bottom rod is a standard Russ Peak hollow blank graphite rod at 7'9" 2pc tip over butt ferrule and 2.5oz. It is easy to see the difference in blank diameter in the pics. According to Doug, the decreased blank diameter made a distinct advantage when casting into a stiff wind. Any thoughts on that concept??
mdwwhw		#1	[-]
Master Guide Posts: 394 (01/28/09 19:42:15) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Fascinating, I've no knowledge of the rods but I can't help but speculate that a solid graphite blank would be very fragile relative to a hollow blank. Perhaps so fragile as to render them impractical. A curiosity for sure, but I'd rather fish the midge rod. "Everything's better when wet...." Steve Miller Band
Riffling Hitch		#2	[-]
Master Guide Posts: 437 (01/28/09 21:00:17) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	I do not know anything about them but you might want to email Kerry Burkheimer to see if he has more info about them. He worked with him and has the remainder of his inventory so might be able to help. burkheimer How do they cast? You own how many peak rods Russell
16 pmd		#3	[-]
Sport Posts: 13 (01/28/09 22:51:13) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Jim Green, the great rod designer for Fenwick and Sage (among others) built solid graphite rods after he had retired to Asotin WA on the Grande Ronde. He made them in his garage and helped some of his friends build their own as well. Almost all were two handed rods used for speycasting for steelhead. They were often made with graphites of different modulus in the various sections and everyone seemed to have their favorites. Not sure if any two were alike. They actually had a heavier feel than hollow rods for the same line weight, but were, like most Jimmy Green rods, outstanding casters. Those rods were obviously very slender in profile for their line weights, but were definitely not fragile. Don't know the process he used for making the rods, but some of the avid and prominent Washington steelheaders who hung out at Jimmy and Carol's house and made rods with him probably do. With solid rods, if Jim wanted to modify the action, he could sand it down here and there until he got the action he wanted. Jim Green made rods out of every material - bamboo, glass, graphite, boron, graphite/boron composite - and tried almost every technique for making blanks, pioneering many of them. He invented the glass-to-glass tip-over-butt ferrule, produced the first commercial graphite rods (for Fenwick) and was a world class caster who was the first to use shooting heads and mono. When he couldn't get any mandrels, he actually rolled round graphite blanks around lengths of balsa wood that were square in cross section. He was truly an innovative genius and probably the greatest rod designer/builder of all time.
Winglas		#4	[-]
Sport Posts: 55 (01/29/09 17:29:05) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	When I fished with Doug in the early 70's he showed me a solid graphite rod that was built by, I believe, Berkley. Doug was working for Berkley at the time and tested many different types of their rods. He later sent me one of the solid blanks however it was lost in a move and was never completed. I recall that Doug spoke very highly of them. winglas
jgestar		#5	[-]
Posts: 3212 (01/29/09 23:35:46) ezOP Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	The only Peak rods I've seen have been photos on the Internet, so I'm certainly not an expert. But I don't ever recall a Peak rod with a builder name other than Russ Peak inscribed on the blank. The "Berkley" inscription is very interesting. As usual, Mr. Peak's rod finishing technique is superb. Thanks for posting those photos. Those are beautiful rods. Tom
davelrods	Yes interesting stuff. I'll have to shoot a couple shots of my Don Philips	#6	[-]
Master Guide Posts: 224 (02/04/09 19:58:53) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	jgestar wrote: The only Peak rods I've seen have been photos on the Internet, so I'm certainly not an expert. But I don't ever recall a Peak rod with a builder name other than Russ Peak inscribed on the blank. The "Berkley" inscription is very interesting. As usual, Mr. Peak's rod finishing technique is superb. Thanks for posting those photos. Those are beautiful rods. Tom solid boron blank rod I built maybe ten years ago. Don was an aerospace engineer working with various exotic fibers and always thought the boron ones could be used to make fly rods. The shaft is quite slim and has a very cane feel to it. He told me he could taper the shafts by subtracting the fibers, which were really tiny straight rods, along the way, effectively duplicating the various well know cane tapers of 30 years ago. I was pleased to get the blank from him. He traded the blank and some money to me for one of my graphite rods. Concerning the Russ Peak builds in the picture. I could surely differ with you on the quality of the builds, though much of what I would nit pick would be style considerations like a wrap the full length of a ferrule and well beyond, where only a small reinforcing one is necessary, Then the length of his wraps and the bulges in the varnish at the ends rather than nice tapers, then there is that sloppy varnish up on the cork. All of that is of course subjective and weighed in by my own parameters. I'm pretty demanding when it comes to cosmetics. Getting back to that Don Philips solid boron blank rod, I've wondered what I should do with it in the long term. I'm going to be passing probably sooner than I would like given my family heritage, and honestly that rod should go into some kind of fly rod historic archives somewhere. Any idea of where I could leave it when I go. I have no need to be paid anything for it. I just think my craft and that extraordinary blank ought to fall into the right hands so the heritage of our sport could benefit from two craftsman's fairly legendary work. I finished it out with nice components so it is a worthy piece. Don's book is: The Technology of Fly Rods He has a web site: http://www.cyberisle.com/tropical/angler.htm Some of you might find getting to know something about him to be worthwhile in spite of his not working with glass. I think probably copies of his fly rod book are still floating around too. It is a good technical read. I was particularly amused by his total debunking of Lefty Kreh's contention that large guides on saltwater rods will greatly enhance your casting distances. Don is, above all else, an authority on the engineering and performance aspects of fly rod design. dave [Yuku sometimes muddles up links and it got this one. I've got it working again. Tom] Last Edited By: jgestar 02/04/09 22:06:37. Edited 1 times.
TXTrout		#7	[-]
Guide Posts: 217 (02/04/09 21:29:18) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	davelrods wrote: "I would nit pick would be style considerations like a wrap the full length of a ferrule and well beyond, where only a small reinforcing one is necessary" Dave, While I agree this is not needed from a structural standpoint, this is common practice in the bamboo world, Winston did it,Gary Howells did it, I do it sometimes. It is used to reduce ferrule flash. You could say just oxidize the ferrule, but this is actually a much more permanent solution. This doesn't get knocked off like bluing will, even with a top coating and doesn't have to be touched up later. Since Peak was a west coast person, He may have over-wrapped it for other reasons. You can also cover up a cheap ferrule by over-wrapping, or use it to strengthen a weaker aluminum ferrule. From the picture I can't tell if they are machined, drawn or drawn ferrules that have had some machining. I'd like to see the Phillips rods. You might consider a donation to The American Museum of Fly Fishing. Robert. "Some paths are best not taken alone" John W. Barfield
jgestar		#8	[-]
Posts: 3244 (02/05/09 00:09:56) ezOP Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Personally, I like the aesthetic choices that Russ Peak made on his rods. There is always something that catches my eye. Mr. Peak's technique was pretty good if we recall the epoxy finish of 30 years ago was evil stuff only one step better than rod glue. Those impossibly small blank diameters magnify any imperfections too. And echoing on what TXTrout said, in the bamboo world grip check windings are traditionally varnished up onto the cork. Overall I would be proud to own or fish any of those rods. Of course Dave, your rods are pretty darn nice too! Don Phillips and his unique solid boron rods got a lot of space in Schwiebert's Trout Tackle Two. Dave is right that Phillips book The Technology of Fly Rods is a good read and reference. Unfortunately it is out of print and a little hard to find. I've never handled a Phillips rod, but I certainly would like too. I agree that it would be nice to see that Phillips land in a suitable collection. Along with The Americal Museum of Fly Fishing, I would also suggest considering The Catskill Fly Fishing Center and Museum. Tom
bulldog1935		#9	[-]
Posts: 4603 (02/05/09 08:09:13) Administrator Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	mdwwhw wrote: I can't help but speculate that a solid graphite blank would be very fragile relative to a hollow blank. Perhaps so fragile as to render them impractical. no offense, but it would not affect the toughness of the rod at all, except probably to make it much tougher. You make rods hollow to make them lighter. But you can achieve the same bulk modulus in a round solid rod that you can in a hollow rod by controlling the diameters. the rods are never obsolete - the marketing is.
davelrods		#10	[-]
Master Guide Posts: 231 (02/05/09 17:04:47) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	jgestar wrote: Personally, I like the aesthetic choices that Russ Peak made on his rods. There is always something that catches my eye. Mr. Peak's technique was pretty good if we recall the epoxy finish of 30 years ago was evil stuff only one step better than rod glue. Those impossibly small blank diameters magnify any imperfections too. And echoing on what TXTrout said, in the bamboo world grip check windings are traditionally varnished up onto the cork. Overall I would be proud to own or fish any of those rods. Of course Dave, your rods are pretty darn nice too! Don Phillips and his unique solid boron rods got a lot of space in Schwiebert's Trout Tackle Two. Dave is right that Phillips book The Technology of Fly Rods is a good read and reference. Unfortunately it is out of print and a little hard to find. I've never handled a Phillips rod, but I certainly would like too. I agree that it would be nice to see that Phillips land in a suitable collection. Along with The Americal Museum of Fly Fishing, I would also suggest considering The Catskill Fly Fishing Center and Museum. Tom Maybe what I ought to do, Tom, is contact Don Philips for his suggestion as to what to do with the rod. I need to find a good home for much of my stuff. I have a long list of friends much of my stuff will go to, but that rod has eluded me, since I honestly don't see it as a fishing rod, much more a piece of history. Yes, you really would like to cast that rod. It is like a bamboo rod in heft, but the power is deceptive. Once you get some line out and the tip and mid section fully loaded, the butt takes over and really has some reserve you hadn't realized with a casual wiggle. I have fished the rod only once. I enjoyed it as a special day on the water, but prefer my usual fare and never returned to it. Maybe I'll get it out and put it on the wall with some of my other landmark stuff I've enjoyed in more than fifty years of doing all this. Incidentally those solid boron fibers are extraordinary. I remember the butt section was just a tiny bit longer than I wanted since I wanted the blank to come to within a half an inch of the end of the reel seat insert so I could use a small button mandrel to get it into my grip turning lathe. I figured I would just grind the end of the blank back on my grinder like I do with graphite or glass. That boron was so hard it worked the carborundum grinding wheel like a wheel dresser. I never succeeded in grinding anything at all from the end of the blank. That stuff is tough. I'm going to get that rod out this evening and shoot a couple pictures and post them here. This has my memory working.

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Russ Peak Solid Blank Graphite

Russ Peak Solid Blank Graphite

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