Carbon
Our rod material is composed of 100% carbon. At the core of our blanks is a single carbon spiral, known as the ‘carbon helix’. This type of structure is regarded as the most effective way of maintaining cross-section stability during bending. Our carbon helix core minimizes cross sectional deformation during loading, improving power and response. Also our Carbon has superior hoop strength. When a rod blank is flexed and under load, the pressure exertion can cause what is called ‘ovaling’ (the blank can change from a round shape to a slightly oval shape). If there is minimal ovaling under pressure, this indicates the blank has a high ‘hoop strength’. Our blanks maintain high hoop strength even with their lightweight design, as a result of the carbon helix core.
Some companies use carbon scrim or a glass scrim. Using scrim layering is a quick and effective way to create hoop strength but because its resin fills the the gaps pressure on the blank can occur causing fibre twist. Grass scrim is also a woven material, which makes it up to 40% weaker than a non-woven material. This strength decrease is due to the strands being bent as they weave across the opposing strands.
Fiberglass
Our Fiberglass series boasts a high grade unidirectional S glass material. Offering the highest strength and response to weight ration of any glass rod on the market. This material is stronger, lighter and more lively. Smooth loading and with great power, these rods a delight to fish. Offering backbone to put to those bigger fish, so don't be afraid to put these to the test. Once you fish with this glass you will find yourself reaching for it more often than not when heading to the water.
For our carbon and fiberglass blanks we work closely with CTS and feel the quality of these blanks is unmatched in the industry. Their attention to details and true actions help us to design a rod to meet the most demanding request. Even if it is something you normally do not see and we have done many rods which would never be found in a normal selection. This combined with our custom grips, precision wraps and other attention to details makes this a great marriage for our custom shop. Our upcoming Onyx line of graphite rods will be by St. Croix, again with our detail specifications but with a uniformity of production so each rod is consistent in action for a lower price rod.
All of our bamboo rods are built from scratch right here in our shop from full size culms of bamboo. Split and planed to specifications to meet the desired action of the blank.
Above is a custom walnut grip with cherry and ebony checkering.
Grips
One of the leading causes of arm fatigue is how your grip fits in your hand. If your grip is too skinny, your forearm and hand will be exerting more energy to have a good grasp on the rod. One of the beautiful things about our grips is we can custom configure the grip to fit your hand. We can make it narrower for smaller hands or swell the palm sections to create a feel like you have never felt before. Standard sizes range from small to XL in how thick the cork is. Our standard grips main body is comprised of cork accented with black walnut and cherry checkerboarding with ebony and maple accents. Every rod we make carries the signature checkerboarding in the grip. Each and every grip is handmade right here in our shop in North Carolina. All parts are made of raw materials and worked into a finely tuned grip to maximize your casting. Our most common styles are Western/Reverse Half Wells, Full Wells, Cigar and our custom designed Switch/Spey grips for two handed rods. Custom wood can be integrated into your grip to truly set your rod apart and create an heirloom you will be proud to own.
