FWK Wallis "All Round" restoration

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Paul F
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FWK Wallis "All Round" restoration

Post by Paul F »

I recently purchased a FWK Wallis All Round No3 as a restoration project

It has whole cane butt, middle with split cane top, it is 11ft and all good with a tiny set in the tip, which I expect is from storage, switching the rings to the other side should sort this.

The serial number dates it to 1934, so a nice early one.

The question I have is;

In my 1935 bottom fishers catalogue it denotes the rod is supplied with a wood handle and wood button as standard, for an extra 5s you can have a cork handle.

If you look at the photo's, my one has a cork handle.

Do anybody think this is an original factory option, or has it been added later.

It is very well done, and removing the butt metal cap(see photo), it is finished to the rod well, it is also finished well at the top butt ring.

I think the wood handle has been removed, or is it just cork sheet wrapped over the wooden handle?

If you paid the extra for cork, did hardy just fit a cork handle, no wood handle?

I don't want to disturb the cork to look, but I am also thinking if it is a later modification I may strip it off back to the original wooden handle.

What are the experts thoughts?

Many thanks,
Paul
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Nobby
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Re: FWK Wallis "All Round" restoration

Post by Nobby »

I think you are right...that handle is a later 'improvement'.

You'll see a few rods about with cork sheet handles that I'm convinced are later restoration work and here's why I think it. The cork is a modern composite sheet, not true thin cork sheet.

In the Thirties you couldn't have bought such a composite, the manufacturing technology simply didn't exist...whereas now you can't buy cork sheet ( and I've tried) only the modern composite.

The other clue? .....you appear to have aluminium reel bands. Aluminium is usually post-War as far as I can tell.....and even then it was the Fifties before most rod makers went over to it, as it was so expensive.


The work appears very well done, the cork flairs nicely into the winding check, the brass section at the top of the handle and I see the butt cap was secured with a black glue which I'm told is called Cobbler's Black. To me that also suggests the Fifties as later rod makers used epoxy resins. You find a lot of rods from the Fifties and Sixties had their ferrules secured with Cobbler's Black. Give it a sniff....I bet it still smells of coal cellars?



Otherwise I'd say your rod is completely original, the whipping, the writing all look perfect. I'd also say it looks largely unused since the handle improvement..that cork is so clean.


So, was composite cork sheet around in the Fifties? Or has someone done a much later bit of work and found some Cobbler's Black to do the job with?

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Paul F
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Re: FWK Wallis "All Round" restoration

Post by Paul F »

Hi Nobby,

Thanks for that information, very useful and confirmed what I thought.

Would the wood handle have been removed, before the cork fitted?

Should I leave the cork sheet?

I will get a couple of replacement reel bands, as the ones on it are too big.

Thanks
Paul

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Re: FWK Wallis "All Round" restoration

Post by Nobby »

I think the cork sheet has been put over the original handle...that was the usual way with, say an Allcock's Wizard. ( that too originally had a wooden handle ....the cork was an optional extra).

I suppose you could consider removing the cork, particularly if you're going to replace the reel bands anyway. There again, it's part of the history of the rod, or so that old glue would suggest even if the cork looks so new.

I did have one of these briefly, though it was a No.1 ( an awful eBay purchase, ruined cane and 9 inches short) I think the two brass reel bands were disimilar with the rearward one having a cut out in it for the reel foot, almost like the fly rod ones they used to actually screw to the handle, but free-floating.



I'd imagine it will make a fantastic little roach rod...what reel will you use with it?

Perhaps a 3 and a half inch Perfection Flick 'Em?

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Paul F
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Re: FWK Wallis "All Round" restoration

Post by Paul F »

Hi Nobby,

I think it will be a big job to remove the cork, the glue could be a nightmare to remove from the wooden handle.

I think I will leave it be.

The reels I have is a nice little 3 1/2" Allcocks popular, or maybe my 3" Nottingham might be quite sweet and well balanced.

I am really looking forward to restoring it, in between working on refitting the bathroom!

This is my 2nd project, after my lucky strike

Best,
Paul

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