• You need to be a registered member of Barbel Fishing World to post on these forums. Some of the forums are hidden from non-members. Please refer to the instructions on the ‘Register’ page for details of how to join the new incarnation of BFW...

Who made this blank?

R

Ralph Harris

Member
Many years ago before such a rod was popular, I wanted a rod for float fishing for barbel. My local tackle dealer offered me a Kevlar blank, so you now know it was really some time ago because they were still adding Kevlar to carbon rods then. It was a 12ft Kevlar Avon 1 1/4lb test curve. Although it does not have a typical float tip to the rod I ringed it for float fishing, but I had little success. There are now far better powerful float rods so I want to repurpose the Kevlar Avon. However, it would be nice to know who originally made the blank and what it was made for originally.
Does anyone recognise the blank and can tell me anything about it?
Not much to go on but the typeface is quite distinctive as is the blanks weave and colour.
I think it was supplied with a part finished butt with a fuji reel seat, but I cannot be certain, since I built this rod I have washed my brain in red wine and bitter so I’m likely to forget.




IMG_0883.jpeg
IMG_0884.jpeg
IMG_0892.jpeg
 
I had Kevlar Avon rod many yrs ago made by North western rods….lettering looks the same from memory and also the weave, but their blanks also had the NW rods logo/words so can’t be sure!?
It was a lovely through action rod I used for tenching
 
Alan Palmer said:
I had Kevlar Avon rod many yrs ago made by North western rods….lettering looks the same from memory and also the weave, but their blanks also had the NW rods logo/words so can’t be sure!?
It was a lovely through action rod I used for tenching
Click to expand...
I would of guessed north western too Alan
 
Ive got a very similar looking rod and when it went off to Dave Lumb for re-ringing he reckoned it was a North Western Avon.

Floppy action and excellent fun to play fish on.
 
Many thanks for your thoughts, I too was thinking it might be North Western Avon and nothing else has been suggested, so I guess that’s what it is.
The term floppy action sounds a bit unkind, but I cannot deny that it is an accurate description. It was certainly hard to hit sharp chub bites at distance.
I will take the float style rings off and put on rings more commonly seen on rods of this style. Then perhaps I will look for a close range tench to try it on. I’ll enjoy it for what it really is, rather than keep it as something it has always struggled to achieve.
Thanks once again for your comments.
 
Ralph Harris said:
Many thanks for your thoughts, I too was thinking it might be North Western Avon and nothing else has been suggested, so I guess that’s what it is.
The term floppy action sounds a bit unkind, but I cannot deny that it is an accurate description. It was certainly hard to hit sharp chub bites at distance.
I will take the float style rings off and put on rings more commonly seen on rods of this style. Then perhaps I will look for a close range tench to try it on. I’ll enjoy it for what it really is, rather than keep it as something it has always struggled to achieve.
Thanks once again for your comments.
Click to expand...
I had a pair of NW carbon/Kevlar 1.25 test tench rods from the same era (late 80’s, early 90’s). Lovely rods as long as you didn’t have to cast very far ! They did a cheaper carbon version that was noticeably stiffer.
 
I had a pair of the 12ft Carbon Kevlar NW rodcraft rods for my big Bream fishing back in the late 80’s. A ceramic ring came out of the tip eye so i rang them in a panic and they told me to either post it to them or call in the factory at Middleton in Manchester. I drove down and they were great, gave me a quick look around and replaced the whole rod. I was really chuffed until i used them and the guides were i slightly different spacings from the other (not sure how/why?) which really bugged me!
Proper old factory but great people and fascinating to see inside. Think it’s gone now
 
My immediate thought was North Westerns. I have included some decals in picture below. All very utilitarian. Possibly apropo of nothing at all, my current 42in net arms that I have used for nearly 30 years of carp fishing are North Western built which is quite impressive as every other item hanging from them has been changed multiple times. Talk about Trigger's broom.
1000013565.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top