Priory Rod Identification, Restoration & Eye Number Question

The Priory Rods of Bournemouth Rods forum.
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MaggotDrowner
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Priory Rod Identification, Restoration & Eye Number Question

Post by MaggotDrowner »

One of the rods I recently bought was a Priory Rod, but I am unsure of the model name. Looking around the forum it sounds similar to the other in the priory rod section and Hayden suggested that it may be a Throop. Can anyone confirm this?

Image

Image

The total length is 11ft and is in three sections.
The handle measure 19 inches without the rubber button.
The tip and butt rings are white ceramics.

The rod only has six eyes, which seems to be a small number. Comparisons have been made between this rod and Sealey Floatcasters. Both my Floatcasters have more eyes (9) however they are the same length. Is the Priory rod missing some? The ones that are there are in the following pattern:

Image


As can be seen on the photograph the rod has two whippings close together, which look like they could have held an eye in place, but the eye is no longer there. Would adding more eyes be a good thing to do? Is it better for the rod and for playing a fish to have more eyes, or would adding more damage the blank that was not designed in that way? What would you do? I have eyes waiting on a broken Nufloat, so it will not cost anything to add more.

I hope to remove all the whippings and begin stripping the varnish tomorrow. Photos will follow when the rod is complete.
"I'd rather be fishing!"

MD

JohnL

Re: Priory Rod Identification, Restoration & Eye Number Ques

Post by JohnL »

It definitely looks like there was an extra one on the middle but I'm sure there would have been more on the tip. You are going to use it for fishing so add more rings, it evens out the stresses on the blank. Try four on the tip, three on the middle, one on the butt for starters. Tape them on in what looks about the right position, put a reel on, thread the line so it can be given a pull at 90 degrees to see the curve and the steps between each ring. Adjust positions/add/subtract rings until you are happy with the result.

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Vole
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Re: Priory Rod Identification, Restoration & Eye Number Ques

Post by Vole »

A lot of old rods were, to modern eyes, under-ringed; probably to keep the weight down, specially at the tip; later on, as glass hit cane sales, to keep costs down, too.
I stuck lots more lightweight, modern, single-legged rings than the original had, onto my favourite "user" Nottingham-style rod, spacing them to follow the curve of the tip as closely as possible, and, lower down, to keep the line away from the blank on wet days.
Trial and error, lots of masking tape holding rings on. From frights ,though happily not disaster, I'd advise using a workmate type bench, in the open air (or a very large room), and turning the rod so you can flex it horizontally, so if something goes "ping", nothing gets whacked...

It lacks the truly traditional look of high Bell's "Life" rings.
It feels better, bends more smoothly, line flows along it as though it was actually meant to, the lined rings won't groove and the black iron-stains from the original rings are the last she'll ever get. I love it.

I'll post spacings in the morning, if it'll help.
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MaggotDrowner
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Re: Priory Rod Identification, Restoration & Eye Number Ques

Post by MaggotDrowner »

Thanks for the information, John and Vole. I'd be grateful to see how you space the eyes on yours, Vole, if you wouldn't mind posting it when you have time. :Thumb:
"I'd rather be fishing!"

MD

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Bumble
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Re: Priory Rod Identification, Restoration & Eye Number Ques

Post by Bumble »

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Priory-Throop ... 7675.l2557
Here's one that cane up for sale recently although called the Throop was more aimed at the Royalty if it is a Throop they are cracking rods from a very good undervalued builder who chose to stay close and loyal to local custom in the Bournmouth area rather than expanding which may have been their demise in the end .
Can't really advise on the rings and refurb but know somebody who be able to help PM me for details
The guys who have responded already are much better at this stuff than me.
Bumble

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MaggotDrowner
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Re: Priory Rod Identification, Restoration & Eye Number Ques

Post by MaggotDrowner »

Look at the price of that! Oh my God. It cannot be one of those, surely? I only paid £15 for it. Do they normally fetch that much?
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Vole
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Re: Priory Rod Identification, Restoration & Eye Number Ques

Post by Vole »

I doubt that, Bumble, but for what it's worth, mine worked out as follows: From the tip, in inches from the previous ring:

Tip, 5", 5 1/4", 5 3/4", 6 1/2", 7 3/4", 7 7/8",
9 1/2" (includes upper joint), 9 1/2", 9 1/2",12",
17" (includes lower joint)- this is to the butt ring, then 20" to the preferred reel fitting spot.

Tip, 10 inters and butt seems a lot, but they are much lighter than the large Bells "Life" things that were originally there.
Probably these, but I can't remember for sure: http://www.hopkinsholloway.co.uk/produc ... tegory/259 - cheap and cheerful; I wasn't going to waste a lot on a £5 rod until I'd got to know it! They aren't hugely long in the leg, which is one of the reasons I felt I wanted so many.
By the way, the tip I've measured from is the tip of the cane blank; the actual (original) tip ring projects beyond this by about 1/2", and also has a longer drop from the line of the intermediates, so it looks a bit funny, but works. I kept it because it's one of those whipped-on, no-tube types -"Hopton", I seem to recall, and they don't seem as prone to wrap-rounds as the modern types, plus they're a lot easier to fix to built cane.
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Re: Priory Rod Identification, Restoration & Eye Number Ques

Post by Vole »

Struth!!!
You may want to get that professionally refurbed...
However, I'd say the universe wanted you to have that rod; refit it as you please, and fish - quite carefully - with it until you know if you want to refurbish it and sell it on, and have saved up enough to get it done, or want to be buried with it.
"Write drunk, edit sober" - Hemingway.
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MaggotDrowner
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Re: Priory Rod Identification, Restoration & Eye Number Ques

Post by MaggotDrowner »

Vole wrote:Struth!!!
You may want to get that professionally refurbed...
However, I'd say the universe wanted you to have that rod; refit it as you please, and fish - quite carefully - with it until you know if you want to refurbish it and sell it on, and have saved up enough to get it done, or want to be buried with it.
Do you think it is the same one, Vole? I'm unsure. The handle looks too short on mine.
"I'd rather be fishing!"

MD

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Bumble
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Re: Priory Rod Identification, Restoration & Eye Number Ques

Post by Bumble »

I think the handle may be the clue I don't think it's a Throop but more likely the Priory version of the Wizzard all the builders had their own version of the classic rod.
I am sure one came up at Romsey a couple of years ago and generated quite an interest one thing is for sure done up sympathetically it will be worth a lot mote than you paid
Bumble

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