Aspindale's Avondale

[PershoreHarrier]

I have and use one of these very fine rods. Mine was rescued from a Council skip in Redditch and handed to Audrey Aspindale who restored it for me. I agree with Pallenpool regarding the aspect of delamination being directed at Aspindale rods and frankly it does not appear to be anymore prevalent than in other makes. Certainly not an issue with my rod which prior to my acquisition had seen the rod used and abused. Now a splendid match rod for Roach, Crucians and Bream - thoroughly recommended.

You're a very lucky man! I had to part with some folding stuff for mine and it still needs work.

Indeed so - I had to give the Council Site Operative £17 for the rod he rescued from the skip and £99 to Audrey Aspindale for the restoration work so for £116.00 I have a splendid Avondale complete with original stoppers and bag.

[Coral Maestro]

I have and use one of these very fine rods. Mine was rescued from a Council skip in Redditch and handed to Audrey Aspindale who restored it for me. I agree with Pallenpool regarding the aspect of delamination being directed at Aspindale rods and frankly it does not appear to be anymore prevalent than in other makes. Certainly not an issue with my rod which prior to my acquisition had seen the rod used and abused. Now a splendid match rod for Roach, Crucians and Bream - thoroughly recommended.

You're a very lucky man! I had to part with some folding stuff for mine and it still needs work.

Indeed so - I had to give the Council Site Operative £17 for the rod he rescued from the skip and £99 to Audrey Aspindale for the restoration work so for £116.00 I have a splendid Avondale complete with original stoppers and bag.

I hope you have many enjoyable and productive trips with it!

[PershoreHarrier]

Here are a few results from a trip on 15 June 2018.

[Coral Maestro]

Well done! The rod looks superb as are the fish.

[Tonkin Wand]

It gives you a warm glow when it all comes together. Mine I enjoy but it looks if it still should be in the skip !

[Nobby]

There is a fair amount of talk regarding Aspindales and delamination - sometimes I feel it maybe a case of an instance heard or read which is then passed on and not necessarily with any more recorded frequency than is normal in any rod. Certainly in all the Asps I have owned it has never been present.

The rods with this issue are the very earliest rods, often with the 'Aero' name, made from 1946 through to 1949.

After that a different glue appears to have been used and the problem is gone.

Jimmy Aspindale actually made and improved on hollow-built rods before the war for Milwards, rising to be the workshop foreman before national service beckoned.

Not many rods bear the words 'hollow built' but in fact it is beleived all their rods were made this way. The Avondale was a top of the range rod with built up ferrule stations and a bit more fancy writing. Who did the writing? I just can't find out, but since Peter Aspindale was on the road as a salesman by this time ( the rod is a Dalesman and therefore post '49 ) maybe it was Jimmy himself?

Later rods, post Peter's appalling car accident, may well be Peter trying to copy his Dad's writing, but I'm just guessing...both use the unusual capital A.

[Pallenpool]

There is a fair amount of talk regarding Aspindales and delamination - sometimes I feel it maybe a case of an instance heard or read which is then passed on and not necessarily with any more recorded frequency than is normal in any rod. Certainly in all the Asps I have owned it has never been present.

The rods with this issue are the very earliest rods, often with the 'Aero' name, made from 1946 through to 1949.

After that a different glue appears to have been used and the problem is gone.

Jimmy Aspindale actually made and improved on hollow-built rods before the war for Milwards, rising to be the workshop foreman before national service beckoned.

Not many rods bear the words 'hollow built' but in fact it is beleived all their rods were made this way. The Avondale was a top of the range rod with built up ferrule stations and a bit more fancy writing. Who did the writing? I just can't find out, but since Peter Aspindale was on the road as a salesman by this time ( the rod is a Dalesman and therefore post '49 ) maybe it was Jimmy himself?

Later rods, post Peter's appalling car accident, may well be Peter trying to copy his Dad's writing, but I'm just guessing...both use the unusual capital A.

Thanks for the info Nobby, I was not aware that the very early rods were particularly susceptible to delamination - I guess my early examples of the original Avon’s and Aeros fall into the ‘fortunate’ bracket as apart from (on a couple) that needed restoring - rings, whips and ferrules on one, all others have been superb. I have never worked out who produced the script I always thought it was Peter but regardless of who and when in my humble opinion it is the most wonderful script to appear on any rod.

[Bob Brookes]

There is a fair amount of talk regarding Aspindales and delamination - sometimes I feel it maybe a case of an instance heard or read which is then passed on and not necessarily with any more recorded frequency than is normal in any rod. Certainly in all the Asps I have owned it has never been present.

The rods with this issue are the very earliest rods, often with the 'Aero' name, made from 1946 through to 1949.

After that a different glue appears to have been used and the problem is gone.

Jimmy Aspindale actually made and improved on hollow-built rods before the war for Milwards, rising to be the workshop foreman before national service beckoned.

Not many rods bear the words 'hollow built' but in fact it is beleived all their rods were made this way. The Avondale was a top of the range rod with built up ferrule stations and a bit more fancy writing. Who did the writing? I just can't find out, but since Peter Aspindale was on the road as a salesman by this time ( the rod is a Dalesman and therefore post '49 ) maybe it was Jimmy himself?

Later rods, post Peter's appalling car accident, may well be Peter trying to copy his Dad's writing, but I'm just guessing...both use the unusual capital A.

Thanks for the info Nobby, I was not aware that the very early rods were particularly susceptible to delamination - I guess my early examples of the original Avon’s and Aeros fall into the ‘fortunate’ bracket as apart from (on a couple) that needed restoring - rings, whips and ferrules on one, all others have been superb. I have never worked out who produced the script I always thought it was Peter but regardless of who and when in my humble opinion it is the most wonderful script to appear on any rod.

I am relatively new to the Aero scene but have already owned 4 built cane ones with no delamination issues. There has been an 890, an 891 (wrongly marked 890), an 894 and a 12' Avon. Fortunately all have been fine, 3 having been through the hands and scrutiny of our Wal. It looks like I too may have been fortunate, or are they no worse than later models?

[Wallys-Cast]

I think the truth of the delamination on all rods is down to rough handling by owners. Twisting joints apart without holding the actual ferrules can impart enormous stress to the built cane sections and of course hollow built rods have a smaller glue area so are more prone to damage in this way.
The majority of damage I see on Aspindale rods is in the butt section usually just below the ferrule or in the mid section just above the counter. This is also where most other rods suffer glue failure.

Wal.

[Gudgeon Basher]

I think the truth of the delamination on all rods is down to rough handling by owners. Twisting joints apart without holding the actual ferrules can impart enormous stress to the built cane sections and of course hollow built rods have a smaller glue area so are more prone to damage in this way.
The majority of damage I see on Aspindale rods is in the butt section usually just below the ferrule or in the mid section just above the counter. This is also where most other rods suffer glue failure.

Wal.

Sounds very feasible to me as this is exactly where the area of delamination is on my rod.

GB