Tenkara rod sections spine alignment?

Rods
21

This 2017 video from DT - How to Test a Tenkara Rod - may have some points worth pondering on this topic.

Yeah, it is partly a sales pitch for their Karasu rods, without actually mentioning the rod, which they were launching at the time the video was made. Thus some emphasis on characteristics they chose to focus on designing into their rod design.

However, it does cover several general rod characteristics one ought to look for when evaluating any tenkara rod model. And they emphasize there is no one perfect rod, only compromises on what characteristics one chooses to build into the design. These are test they learned to do from tenkara anglers in Japan. How they evaluate the quality of a tenkara rod.

Any effect from alignment of the section spines would, I think, be revealed in the various rotational test and tip recovery test that they demonstrate in the video or in the ā€œwalk around testā€ they mention. That is described in the associated free PDF file, a free download described in the video description. The link is below the video.

Along with describing how an excellent rod can make poor cast with a poor casting stroke, or reversed, an angler with a good casting stroke can overcome, compensate for, less than excellent characteristics in a lower quality rod.

gumroad Ten Essential Test to Know Before Buying a Tenkara Rod PDF link

22

I donā€™t worry about spining my western rods. I have good quality rods and assume that was done by the mfg before they attached the reel seat and guides. I donā€™t see alignment marks on any of my Tenkara rods. So how do I check spine alignment on them? And how do I quickly repeat that process in the field?

23

Yeah, I also would find locating any seam or spine difficult to impossible. Adding some kind of alignment marks ought to be easy enough to do after a spine is found. I think there is no spine, or none of any consequence, in a well made tenkara rod from a factory with decent QA / QC process.

I can obsess about many things-tenkara, become mesmerized by the topic and chase it down the rabbit hole, and be lost there for a while before finding my way back to the surface. But spine alignment is not one of them.

However, the world would be a less interesting place if everyone was only interested in the same things. People intrigued by something others did not notice, or think of great importance, and looking deeper into the topic - sometimes find something unexpectedly interesting for everyone to know about. :grinning:

Maybe Howie, and others who join the spine alignment testing, will discover something interesting that will lure me into a deeper interest. I look forward to reading about their new discoveries. :nerd_face:

24

Excellent video!

I havenā€™t seen it before but it touches on aspects of the designer, what he puts int a rod. I have a bit of experience with cutting prepeg cloth and wrapping on a mandrel, how you can adjust the triangle to affect flex.

Speaking of flex

The quality of the flex profile is a direct sum of all the points in their video. The quality of the cloth, the engineering of the triangle wrap, the taper of the mandrel, consistent wall thickness from wrapping, the ends cut perpendicular and finished.

I tune inexpensive rods. A mill bastard file, a new one dedicated to getting the zoom sections to seat where they were supposed to, the ends sanded perpendicular, it was the first thing I did.

Then I cleaned the rod and cast it on the masonite accuracy game.

Iā€™m fortunate to have the experience in making a web site for rod makers where we discussed in secret, rod making.

www.grassart.net

Some of the finest were there for sure. It was an honor to host them.

Much of what I know about design was taught to me there.

I also learned about people over the years, how the approach others in discussion.

The DT video is excellent.

One thing that I do not try to do, Iā€™m not Japanese, they are my friends and I learn and promote their ways however, I do it my own way.

I donā€™t want to be like anyone except me.

I am developing my own approach and practice from what I know and more importantly, listening, reading, trying to understand.

I canā€™t learn if Iā€™m not listening.

Everything in the video I already know having been taught this by many many rod makers over the years then choosing a taper and making the rod myself or having it made.

And using it.

Donā€™t be afraid of making a circle out of cardboard and testing rods and lines.

Watch the DT video and concentrate on what John says on the grip tight then loosening.

So many ways to do it.

A great caster can cast a broomstick well but the best rod in the world wonā€™t do shit for someone that does not know the mechanics of casting.

Awesome vid for everyone that casts a tenkara rod.

25

I suggest doing it yourself and letting us know what you found.

Maybe do the walk around with your favorite rod and see if you can feel a hard spot.

Try doing it!

Find the spine on each section and mark it, then assemble the rod and cast it or do the walk around.

Doing it yourself instead of reading about it might be fun for you.

26

You can do it by hand, itā€™s not too difficult. It just takes some time.

You can do it for each section and then mark it and then assemble the rod.

Might be hard to do with a mini rod that has a lot of sectionsā€¦

Hmm, hard to find the spine, umm. Lots of doubled areas (joints) in a mini or short nested rod.

Those rods are (Nissin) are engineered well. They have tight tolerances, they have to in order to nest tight. The cloth has to be tight weave and thin and the matrix holding the cloth together must be of high quality.

Well designed, quality taper, fine cloth and epoxy, tight tolerances, quality control on the cutting of ends, thin tiny tip, hard to spine because there are so many pieces, hmm.

Not my favorite rods but defiantly accurate.

If there is one point that runs through tenkara for me is accuracy.

I write about that in my wrong kebari stuff, accurate casting is THE attribute of a tenkara rod.

I may have to find someone with a Karasu 4m and fish that. I enjoyed the shorter of the two.

I like knowing that these guys did their homework with the people that know the process in the country of origin. Japan. The fact that they are fly fishers first is also an attribute.

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