The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

Although Shapres blanks are resin impregnated to make them waterproof I've seen dark/black spots on some rods which I assume is water damage. One of my Sharpes rods has a small black area around a whipping but the cane remains totally hard with no impression of actual rotting.

Does anybody have any thoughts on how serious this could potentially be. It does seem to be a surface marking but I guess you never know.

Could just be a slash or a water mark on the Tonkin pole, most makers will cut around such marks but due to human error some find there way into the finished rods.