The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

Here,a a Martin James split cane rod i have ready to be restored.
It,s 10ft 8in long three piece all split cane came with a spare tip section.
It has Martin James and Greaves in black ink on the butt section.

Any info on this rod appreciated.

Here,s a few pic,s

Good to see another of these rods. I bought mine at a car boot several months ago. I tried to find anything I could about it and drew a complete blank, mine's got some dodgy sliding reel fitting arrangement but it looks standard to me, I'll post some pics tomorrow.

As promised a few pictures of my Martin James Greaves rod.
I've fished with it a couple of times and feels nice in the hand just a shame it's lost a few inches from the top

I've just acquired one of these very same rods, I'm stocking up for winter jobs just incase we get another winter from the ice age!
It is a Martin James, "greaves" although the v does look a lot like a d
At first glance the butt section has a lot of power, and my gut feeling was that this would make a good barbel rod,
Have anyone ever used one of these rods before?

Hoppy-Doffton wrote:

As promised a few pictures of my Martin James Greaves rod.
I've fished with it a couple of times and feels nice in the hand just a shame it's lost a few inches from the top

Looking at the shape of the handle at the front end the reel fitting could have been fitted at a later date.

Leveller wrote:I've just acquired one of these very same rods, I'm stocking up for winter jobs just incase we get another winter from the ice age!
It is a Martin James, "greaves" although the v does look a lot like a d
At first glance the butt section has a lot of power, and my gut feeling was that this would make a good barbel rod,
Have anyone ever used one of these rods before?

My one is still in bit,s. The ring,s and varnish have been removed ready for a refurb.

Lee.

Lee when you are up and running, let me know how the rod performs, thanks.

I would love to start this rod right now, I've got the new guides, new silk new varnish and new banana oil, but if I start it , winter will be a nightmare again so I am committed to wait!!!

I think (imagine?) its a salmon, low-water worming rod, based on the moveable reel fitting, bridge rings, and twin tips.
If so, it should have a soft, "through" action, to load under its own weight and lob soft baits gently.
If so, it should be a perfect freelining and floater rod.
Do tell!

Sounds like a perfect barbel rod to me!
Thanks vole!

The clue in the name of Greaves ought to make it a bottom rod for Chub/Barbel.
Greaves being the rendered residue from the Tallow production of old.
A biggish dense bait which would sit hard on the bottom.

They look like they maybe proper Low Bells life rings too!
The rod looks old enough to have been laminated with animal glue so inspect those seams carefully after stripping.
Good Restoring.

Marco often used rings with a straight wire support at 45 degrees just as Hardy did. They're almost impossible to find now. Eggingtons used them too.


Greaves is also a pice of armour.....basically shinguards:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greave

Quite what the meaning is of some Marco rod names is beyond me.