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Free Spirit HI s HW

Bob Gill said:
Seen many reel seats from various manufacturers and agree - Shite they are IMO with the disadvantage that they cost more.

Cheers
Bob
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I think the idea was you feel more through it being the same material as the rod blank. Little problem with that being that graphite is a self lubricator and the thread just doesn’t seem to stay gripped.
mine works it’s way loose every time I hook a barbel. It’s just a bloody good job I’m crap at catching them really or they’d of been changed a long time ago. 🤣
 
If it's feeling the blank directly with a similar material to give added 'sensitivity' then maybe a ring of carbon (around for ages - Andy/Jill Orme used to do it on some of their Seer rods) or a window reel seat may help - Fuji (graphite/carbon and ALPS aluminium) do quite a few eg TVS and some other models.
Cheers
Bob
 
" I have no issues with the reel seats " ????🤔
Surely if this was a major issue ,FREE SPIRIT would have received hundreds of complaints ??
All hi S range and S range have these reel seats ?
They would then surely change the reel seat spec ??
 
Bob Gill said:
If it's feeling the blank directly with a similar material to give added 'sensitivity' then maybe a ring of carbon (around for ages - Andy/Jill Orme used to do it on some of their Seer rods) or a window reel seat may help - Fuji (graphite/carbon and ALPS aluminium) do quite a few eg TVS and some other models.
Cheers
Bob
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Hi Bob,
Changing the reel seats to alps or soft touch Fuji ,would be expensive ,wouldnt it ???
Removing cork etc😳
Could a locking ring be fitted ?
 
I bought a beautiful set of Hi-S carp rods a while back. They were virtually brand new and had been built by Mark Tunley.

Everything about them was great; except for the Standard FS reel seats which I didn’t like at all.

I ended up reselling them 3 years later (so somebody else liked them too!) having never fished with them as I’d fallen out of love with Stillwater carp fishing.

P.S. My local rod builder (Cotswold rods) advertises new cork handles for around £100.
 
Good quality cork is expensive (eye watering so!) medium quality is slightly less so.
Even poor quality can be priced 'greedily'.
There is no standard accepted grading system and so one persons A grade can be another builders mediocre.
A lot use preformed cylinders and so it goes on and on.............
Most people don't really care so I'll shut up. :cool:

Fare thee well

Bob
 
Bob Gill said:
Good quality cork is expensive (eye watering so!) medium quality is slightly less so.
Even poor quality can be priced 'greedily'.
There is no standard accepted grading system and so one persons A grade can be another builders mediocre.
A lot use preformed cylinders and so it goes on and on.............
Most people don't really care so I'll shut up. :cool:

Fare thee well

Bob
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Can’t beat top end cork. I love it when it’s brand new and got that velvet feel to it in the hand.
not many use it mind. Other than custom built rods I’ve only known daiwas top end rods to have the proper grade A gear.
 
Adam Wylie said:
Hi Bob,
Changing the reel seats to alps or soft touch Fuji ,would be expensive ,wouldnt it ???
Removing cork etc😳
Could a locking ring be fitted ?
Click to expand...
Hi Adam,
Locking ring - yes could help but some negatives:
Fitting a locking ring would involve a degree of 'disassembly' of the rod (front or back fitting) and shortening of thread length. So you might as well fit a new reel fitting. There are a few methods that can economise on labour but none (IMO) are really satisfactory.

Cheers
Bob
 
I won't be changing my reel seats as I don't have problems with them coming loose !!
The Clone reel seat has Fuji hoods ,they have a typ e of plastic gell inside them ,so what ever
Reel you use it should mould round it for a good fit.i screw mine up real tight and it works great.
Might take a bit of bedding in though .👍
In there wisdom Shimano and Diawa use different size reel foots🤔
 
Terry Simner said:
Hi S SU? If so, I use both of those rods @Julian Griffiths and I really love them, especially the Hi S SU (and I'm awaiting a F/S Hi S 'Barbel' [2lb] 🙃 )
Superb rods.
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Its the Hi S Big Water I'm having done, along with the 12 ft Hi S 1.75 (think it was S. U)? 😂 and a different whipping colour.
Having k series rings added, and kdps reel seat.
The only thing I don't like about the shop brought rods is the poor quality Cork handles (just my opinion)
 
Julian Griffiths said:
The only thing I don't like about the shop brought rods is the poor quality Cork handles (just my opinion)
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Yeah and this is frustrating because your paying mega money for standard form hi s rods yet the cork is budget the rings are passable at best.
at 320-380 a rod I’d expect Fuji guides and seat with grade A cork. The blanks are definitely top end so why can’t the rest be? Can’t imagine Ferrari are gonna start sticking remoulds on their motors anytime soon.
 
The cork on my Hi s is far superior to the cork on my Harrison stalker rods ( factory built )
no filler ! Only small fissures you would expect from cork.
as for the rings I can’t see what’s wrong with them ???
I had to send back 3 Harrison factory built Acurist due to duplon handles with large dents ,
And the logos had not been put on straight.
The top section of one my torrix Rods was that bent you could have fished round corners with them.
that’s why I got rid of them
I think the lesson to be learnt is to go custom build so you get exactly what you want .
 
A message to, and for, all those that cannot afford to spent £250+ on a new rod ...
The sole purpose, the raison d'etre, of a fishing rod is to catch fish.​
Most of my barbel have been caught on rods (Nash Tri-tips) that cost under £80 each. Like some cars I've owned, they've got me "From A to B" (i.e. those rods caught many fish)
But... I've got various rods that are things of beauty, wonderful to use and very pleasing to the eye. I, and we, buy them mainly just because we can... but they don't catch us any more fish. Some rods will enable us to maybe cast further, some may absorb shocks more ably, some will more suit our style of fishing/playing fish, and some will 'just feel' nicer to use ... but they won't catch us any, definitely not many, more fish.
But, at present I'm having a new rod built, and eagerly awaiting its arrival and catching my first barbel on it ;)
 
Richard Isaacs said:
Can’t beat top end cork. I love it when it’s brand new and got that velvet feel to it in the hand.
not many use it mind. Other than custom built rods I’ve only known daiwas top end rods to have the proper grade A gear.
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I recall the cork on the Hardy Marksman rods being from the very top drawer. Or so it seemed to me.
 
Adam Wylie said:
as for the rings I can’t see what’s wrong with them ???
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They are ok, they do the job but they are just a budget ring. They don’t match the strength or the anti tangle properties of a Fuji k series
You’ll bend a single s lite easily with a good knock and I’ve seen them let the inserts go.
youll probably break the blank before you bend a Fuji k single guide they are that strong.
again free spirits cork is ok it’s quite hard but it’s a half decent grade but it’s not A grade. It doesn’t come anywhere near to the feel and quality of the cork that daiwa use on their top end arm lock grips. I’ve had both side by side and they are worlds apart.
I love the blanks and I’d definitely have another if it was cheap enough but in standard form they should give us the top end fittings for the money they command.
 
@Terry Harman has a pair of hi s 2.25 built by mark Tunley with Fuji guides and seat and grade a cork, sight tips and isotopes etc and they are just outstanding…….such fantastic rods.
 
Richard Isaacs said:
I’ve never owned one unfortunately. I’d love to.
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I had a pair of the 11’ Ultralite Avon Smugglers which I bought from Fosters at less than half of the rrp. They were excellent small water tench, chub and perch rods. I moved them on for nearly double what I paid for them, despite being in used condition and replaced them with the 11’ Harrison H-design Sulis 4 piece rods which are better rods. Slightly faster actioned than the Harrison 4-piece Avon and better for slightly lighter lines (6-8lb), they make superb chub rods. If you ever come across one on Ebay for sensible money then snap it up.

The best of the Hardy Marksman range were the float rods from what I’ve seen.
 
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