Precision Rods "Supreme on Steroids" ?????

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AshbyCut
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Precision Rods "Supreme on Steroids" ?????

Post by AshbyCut »

Forgive me if this post is a bit 'wordy' ... but I’ve been agonising about this rod for 18 months now, pondering my options.

It’s an 11ft., all split cane rod blank bearing the Precision Rods shield transfer ... which I bought ready stripped for restoration … but it’s tapers don’t match anything that I already own by this company.

The shadows on the cane show that it was close whipped, and had a 22 ¼ inch cork handle, like the ‘R. Sealey’s Tudor Supreme,’ but it’s like a ‘Supreme on Steroids’ … hence the ‘working title’ I’ve given it for now.

I can confirm, by not only shining a torch up the butt but also by running a 3 foot piece of piano wire into the open hole at the button end, that like the ‘Supreme' it’s ‘hollow built without bridges’ … in the butt at least.

Of course it’s hard to compare tapers as the blank is stripped back to bare cane, and the two ‘Supremes’ I’ve been comparing it to are varnished, but the variations are much greater than just a few coats of varnish would account for.

I’m suspecting that this is yet another of Precision Rods ‘bespoke customer order’ rods … and have decided to approach the project on that basis.
In the following measurements, the varnished original ‘Supreme’ is Rod A, and the bare blank is Rod B … so here goes with a basic taper comparison taken at identical places on all three sections.

Butt Rod A :- Just above the handle to just below the ferrule 12.93mm. (0.509in.) to 11.98mm. (0.4715in.).
Butt Rod B:- Just above the handle to just below the ferrule 13.29mm. (0.523in.) to 11.85mm. (0.4665in.).
Centre Section Rod A :- between the two extreme of whippings 11.5mm. (0.4525in.) to 7.55mm. (0.29585in.)
Centre section Rod B :- between the two extreme of whippings 10.99mm. (0.433in.) to 7.6mm. (0.275in)
Tip Section Rod A :- between the two extremes of whippings 6.28mm. (0.2475in.) to 2.65mm. (0.104in)
Tip Section Rod A :- between the two extremes of whippings 6.21mm. (0.244in.) to 3.31mm. (0.130in)

There are differences throughout … from just above the handle to the most obvious difference … the tip section !!! Given a few coats of varnish then the tip of Rod B would be about 40% thicker just below the tip ferrule.

All I can think of is that a customer has asked Precision Rods to make their ‘R. Sealey’s Tudor Supreme‘ an even more powerful rod … perhaps with a view to controlling barbel on the River Severn, only 12 miles away from Redditch where Precision Rods were based ??? It’s all supposition, of course … and I can never prove it … but it’s wonderful to speculate … and it’s the basis on which I’ll be going forward in the coming months trying to bring this rod to it’s former glory.

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"Beside the water I discovered (or maybe rediscovered) the quiet. The sort of quiet that allows one to be woven into the tapestry of nature instead of merely standing next to it." Estaban.

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Wagtail
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Re: Precision Rods "Supreme on Steroids" ?????

Post by Wagtail »

Mal, have fun and keep us posted on progress. It sounds like the perfect rod for those Stockton "Crucians" - you know, the ones that grow to 28lb :Chuckle:
'The Chub is a very controversial fish. He has a strong army of supporters, but he has an almost equally strong army of detractors. The trouble is that the detractors do not know what they are talking about'. L. Vernon-Bates

Jeremy Croxall
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Re: Precision Rods "Supreme on Steroids" ?????

Post by Jeremy Croxall »

Mal, I don't have a lot of knowledge of rod tapers but having looked at your figures quoted above, there does not seem to be much difference between the but and middle sections of both rods. I wonder what the commercial tolerances were between rods at the time these were made? Given that the differences between butt and middle sections may be attributed to variations in the manufacturing process, could it be that the top section may have been replaced at some time and was not to the original spec for some reason?
I am fully prepared to be shot down in flames now because as I said I am not at all well versed in in cane rod building technology and the process by which controls were exercised to provide consistent specifications between rods of the same type.
It looks to be a lovely rod and I look forward to seeing the restoration progress, absolutely no doubt this will be a fine addition to your Precision Rods collection!
"Oh for want of rod and line I'd fish this stream serene, sublime".

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AshbyCut
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Re: Precision Rods "Supreme on Steroids" ?????

Post by AshbyCut »

Jeremy Croxall wrote: Tue Apr 18, 2017 8:30 amI am fully prepared to be shot down in flames
Not from this quarter, Sir !!! I'd be more likely to act as your tail gunner !!! ;-)

What you suggest is indeed a possibility ... but not something I'd considered when I only had one other rod of the same name (the blank was sold to me as a 'Supreme') to compare it to.

I have to say that I think the three sections of the blank are by the same maker ... (I'll post pictures to show why I say that ... the nodes have been treated in exactly the same way) ... but I'm really no expert.

As I said in the original post in this thread "It’s all supposition, of course … and I can never prove it … but it’s wonderful to speculate."
"Beside the water I discovered (or maybe rediscovered) the quiet. The sort of quiet that allows one to be woven into the tapestry of nature instead of merely standing next to it." Estaban.

Paul D

Re: Precision Rods "Supreme on Steroids" ?????

Post by Paul D »

You make a interesting point Jeremy, be interesting to see the respective tapers "graphed" out the tip does to be broadly similar but the middle section and to some extent the butt seem different, :Hat:

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Marc
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Re: Precision Rods "Supreme on Steroids" ?????

Post by Marc »

On such a rod, maybe a switch to cradle guides would be best? I find they suit more powerful rods better than high bells. Just a thought of course. Look forward to seeing the finished rod, AC.
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