Youngs of Harrow

[Tench Dreamer]

Aha!


Think I know that rod!

Im sure that you do Nobby...

I had two rods from this chap, one which I passed on, no point in having it redundant to use. I dont collect either. And another which is the reversa float rod, which is my light float rod.

Both of which had the same handwriting on.. Im told he writes what was there before, or what was left there!

[Nobby]

Do put up a photo of the 'Reversa' if you are able John, I'd love to see it.


Does it feel 'top heavy' in your hands with such a light handle? Does the handle seem to aid casting for you?


And does it bend right into the butt with a biggun' on? :-)

[Tench Dreamer]

Nobby Ill try witha photo...but my success with uploading photos on forums is about as good as my Pike tally......0 :brickwall:

The reversa when it came home felt a little top heavy but overaul quite light. However I had a disaster before it ever hit the bankside. Giving the top piece a very light pull and....SNAP

Mr Paul Cook came to the rescue and for a very fair price got me a new top.( He told me the exact taper for the top piece was that of a wizard). Rewhipped the whole rod coz nowhere could a exact colour copy of its thread be found. and varnished it in his qualative style.

Now to answer the question on casting...I dont really get this at all. I cant see that it makes a bit of a difference.

On the Bend through to the handle...Oh yes it almost forms a crescent shape...Confession.....No big fish yet . But 2lb Chub was felt right through the rod.

Final point on the Reversa.. The restorer puts its original lettering on it( so I was told) . Well in this case it was for a shop in Hackney East London called" Mitchells of Dalston". Long gone ... But within walking distance of my front door as I write!Which I why I thought it might have been one of the examples sent out in the Millwards averts, or maybe a copy for Lea Angler to Trot his floats with.

Just a thought!

[TraditionalAngling]

Yes I do sell Youngs of Harrow rods made by Clive Young makes a fine job of them.Also had a few Otter Brand rods over the years.Have a glass spinning rod in at the moment.If anybody whats to get in touch with me my email addess s.middleton602@btinternet.com or website www.traditionalangling.co.uk.I also sell through ebay as traditionalangling

[Nobby]

You need to move your last 'I' to make that link work, Steve.

[TraditionalAngling]

thanks nobby
did you mean www.traditionalangling.co.uk

regards

[LadaMark]

Great to see Clive is still around! I remember him and his parents well from my teenage years when I used to visit Young's of Harrow for my bait and tackle. I bought a second hand fly rod and a plastic reel as a starter pack for Trout. I still have it, in fact it is the only fly rod I own! Clive's parents used to help out behind the counter on Friday evenings and Saturday's I seem to recall.

[LadaMark]

Having seen the above photo, I am sure this is Clive Young of Young's of Harrow. I haven't seen him in years and on a pre-Christmas visit to Harrow to visit relatives, I came by the site of the shop and saw it is no longer there. As I moved away from Harrow over twenty years ago, I have no idea when the shop closed but it is nice to see Clive is still with us. I recall he had a heart attack in the late 70's. I would guess he must be in his late 80's or early 90's by now. I saw a 'Young's of Harrow' rod on eBay recently and had assumed it was an old one but if Clive is still making the occasional rod, maybe this was a new one.

[Nobby]

Yes Clive is well and making rods up from pre-bought blanks as well as restoring rods too. His output is sold on eBay and the 'net' by Steve Middleton who joined this thread under the name of 'traditionalangling'.

[Isis]

Youngs was one of my local tackle shops, the other was Chubbs. Clive's dad ran the shop before handing it over to Clive. Clive also employed Ian Smith as a rod builder there. Bought my first 'proper' rod from Clive in 1956 an 11' 3 piece built cane Edgar Sealy Octofloat. Clive was the main stockist for ABU and brought back three of the very first Cardinal 66s from a trip to their factory in Sweden. They were tagged as salmon spinning reels. I stripped one down on his counter top and was so impressed with the smooth gearing bought two of them straight away for tench carp and barbel fishing.
The last time I saw him to talk to was at an Angling Exhibition at the NEC where he was demonstrating rod whipping.
The trouble with this forum is that it is stirring up so many good memories it's making me feel really old.
P.S. I am sure Clive was taught how to build cane rods by Ted Oliver, at least that's what Ted said.