How to Choose Blanks

[Michigander]

Eventually, I won't be strong enough to suppress the urge to get into rod building. I'm not there yet but I am firmly in the casual research phase. What I can't figure out is how you go about selecting a blank beyond "well, I know I want a 7'1" MH with a fast action". If you read the marketing info, they are all the lightest, strongest, most sensitive, nutritious, and incorporates the new hyperspun nanoweave non-Euclidian ultra mega flex blah blah blah.

 

When I look through the technical documentation however, I see the various measurements and ratings which all make sense to me at a base level. But how do you know if a rod is going to load up in the appropriate place for the application you are designing the rod build for? Or have the other attributes you might be seeking?

[S Hovanec]

You can't compare action and power on paper because there is no industry standard.  St Croixs MH is comparable to most other's Heavy.  Some Rainshadows are more powerful than their label and some are less.  NFCs are grossly underpowered for their rating.

 

Only way to really know is to feel them.  Head to Winston Salem NC in a couple weeks for the ICRBE and check out a bunch of blanks and hang out with some of the best custom rodbuilders in the world.

[MickD]

in a word, experience.  But there are some description specs that are consistent enough to be useful. 

 

The most important spec is lure weight which is of value to tell in the blank will load properly with your expected lure size, and not be overloaded (rod breakage) if you plan to aggressively cast heavy lures.  If the lure is outside the specs, then you better do lobs rather than snaps.  If you plan to cast light lures, be sure your lure isn't very far outside the lower lure weight specified.

 

Blank weight:  Usually the lighter blank is more sensitive, easier to feel the bite.

 

Action:  Since I use CCS objective measures  a lot, I have found that Xfast, fast, moderate, slow, are pretty consistent between manufacturers.  Not exactly the same, but close enough for blank selection for different techniques.  

 

The more you build with a certain manufacturer the more confidence you'll feel when selecting blanks.  

 

I am in Laingsburg, so if you want to visit after the weather warms some, we can handle some rods and discuss this further.  

[Michigander]

 

10 hours ago, MickD said:

I am in Laingsburg, so if you want to visit after the weather warms some, we can handle some rods and discuss this further.  

Thanks, man. I will certainly take you up on that offer. Look for a PM in April. Maybe you can give me some tips for Lake Ovid too, never been able to crack that nut despite the hours I have spent there. 

[MickD]

4 minutes ago, Michigander said:

Lake Ovid too, never been able to crack that nut despite the hours I have spent there. 

For the most part, me neither.  I did take about a 3 pound LMB last year, and had a DT6 destroyed by what was probably a muskie, but it's a tough lake.  I think I need to learn better how to flip, and get the patience to do it.

 

Looking forward to your pM.

[Michigander]

3 minutes ago, MickD said:

For the most part, me neither.  I did take about a 3 pound LMB last year, and had a DT6 destroyed by what was probably a muskie, but it's a tough lake.  I think I need to learn better how to flip, and get the patience to do it.

 

Looking forward to your pM.

Oh, I've had muskies steal all manner of lures from me in there. I have caught some nice fish and won some money there too but it seems like I am either loading the boat or I get skunked. Not much in between.

[mc6524]

When I stated out building rods I purposefully chose an inexpensive blank to learn on.  From there I found two blank manufactures I liked.  Point blank blanks and MHX blanks.  I found these after getting more well known blanks like St, Croix and G Loomis blanks were getting harder to get.

[Michigander]

5 minutes ago, mc6524 said:

When I stated out building rods I purposefully chose an inexpensive blank to learn on.  From there I found two blank manufactures I liked.  Point blank blanks and MHX blanks.  I found these after getting more well known blanks like St, Croix and G Loomis blanks were getting harder to get.

My first rod will probably be a cheap one destined for pan fishing, just to learn the craft. But I want to make some higher end rods. Would rather spend $300 and have a perfect rod for me than drop $600 on a production rod and have it be only really good. I tend to like slower rods which are harder to find anyway. A lot of that pricey JDM stuff looks like my jam but I can't stomach the cost for most of it.

[MickD]

You can do a very fine, high performance, rod at significantly less than $150.

[Michigander]

8 hours ago, MickD said:

You can do a very fine, high performance, rod at significantly less than $150.

Cool! What do the expensive ($200+) blanks get you over a <$100 blank?

[MickD]

On 2/6/2020 at 4:04 PM, Michigander said:

Cool! What do the expensive ($200+) blanks get you over a <$100 blank?

From my experience, sometimes nothing.  However, in general, one expects them to be lighter and  more sensitive.  Not necessarily more durable.  Some have action/power design features that are said to be of advantage, but not sure it's true.  The blanks with nano particles are said to be tougher while retaining the sensitivity, but I really don't know if it's true.  From my experience the Am Tac Bushidos and the Rainshadow Revelations are very hard to beat at any cost, and I think most of them are well under $100.

 

Put a heavy guide set onto those $200+ blanks and you will be sorry you paid $200+.

[Michigander]

13 minutes ago, MickD said:

From my experience, sometimes nothing.  However, in general, one expects them to be lighter and  more sensitive.  Not necessarily more durable.  Some have action/power design features that are said to be of advantage, but not sure it's true.  The blanks with nano particles are said to be tougher while retaining the sensitivity, but I really don't know if it's true.  From my experience the Am Tac Bushidos and the Rainshadow Revelations are very hard to beat at any cost, and I think most of them are well under $100.

 

Put a heavy guide set onto those $200+ blanks and you will be sorry you paid $200+.

I'm really looking for responsive, ultra sensitive blanks that I kit out to be as feather light as possible. I have been using gear that weighs a ton for so long that I really want ultra light weight, skeletonized everything. Been slowly converting over to lighter weight stuff but I tend not to like most of the mass produced rods that are like this. 

[MickD]

If you want the ultimate then you'll pay a lot. How much better it is may be more in the head than in the hand.  Keep in mind that skeleton seats may not be the best ergonomically.  And the added half an ounce of the full seat is at the butt of the rod where it is of less importance.  Make sure you have the lightest guides that will do the job, most likely titaniums.  If I had your priorities, whether cast or spin, I'd use the Fuji KR system for spin and the Fuji RV stripper on cast with Fuji KB and KT runners on both.  Titanium/SIC.

[Michigander]

4 hours ago, MickD said:

If you want the ultimate then you'll pay a lot. How much better it is may be more in the head than in the hand.  Keep in mind that skeleton seats may not be the best ergonomically.  And the added half an ounce of the full seat is at the butt of the rod where it is of less importance.  Make sure you have the lightest guides that will do the job, most likely titaniums.  If I had your priorities, whether cast or spin, I'd use the Fuji KR system for spin and the Fuji RV stripper on cast with Fuji KB and KT runners on both.  Titanium/SIC.

Good advice, I'll have to get into researching ultra premium guides next.

The KR Concept style is actually what brought me to want to build rods, I thought it was so fascinating from a line physics point of view.

[bish0p]

Pac Bay Minima titanium guides weigh less than the Fuji equivalent.

[Michigander]

So other than weight and making sure the insert (or lack of insert) is paired appropriately with the expected line and technique,  what makes a rod guide better than another?

[MickD]

Maybe by a very little, but I like the SIC ring, the more tangle-resistant design, and the "jewelry-like" appearance of Fuji, and my experience with Fuji titanium alloy.  Some, like Pac Bay, call their "titanium" guides solid titanium.  ALL "titanium" guides are alloys of titanium and other metals, and I think they are all different.  One brand, not Pac Bay, is very easy to bend, and they'll only take a few bend cycles to break.  Not saying the Pac Bays are not good, but I'll go Fuji.

4 minutes ago, Michigander said:

So other than weight and making sure the insert (or lack of insert) is paired appropriately with the expected line and technique,  what makes a rod guide better than another?

The right combination of yield strength and flex, reliability (related to ring retention, mostly), finish (no burrs on the underside to scratch or cut the blank, smooth and well polished), durable (doesn't scuff off easily-black mostly), corrosion resistance (I think all titanium alloy guides are bullet-proof, but not all stainless guides), tangle-resistant geometries, foot design, weight, and customer support and information (guide heights, weights, responsive to questions, help in deciding options), specific designs for specific needs (like Fuji KB's with big feet for high stress areas of the blank, KT's with smaller lighter foot for the tip section, for example) , and value (good balance of price and performance, however you define it).  Also, a variety of finishes for aesthetics and function.