188 Fly-rods and Fly-tackle. 



ferrule, uniting the butt and middle joint of a rod, stand 

 perfectly for years, in which the female ferrule had been 

 changed from the tapered to a cylindrical form solely by 

 hammering on a mandrel, and without grinding or finish- 

 ing the inner surface in any way. 



Therefore it is believed that the facts fully justify the 

 assertion that the short form of ferrule I advocate is as 

 much the superior of the long dowelled ferrule in excel- 

 lence, as it is in simplicity, and that no other should be 

 used to unite the different portions of a fly-rod.* 



Returning now to our subject, and addressing the be- 

 ginner only, as before, we anticipate and answer his ques- 



* Since writing the foregoing, my attention has been called to a form 

 of dowelled ferrule, in which the dowel is very short, and the ferrule but 

 little longer, if any, than those I advocate. If the dowelled ferrule has 

 any merit, this possesses it fully, while beyond increased difficulty of re- 

 pair to a break at the ferrule's edge, I know of no objection to its use. 

 These ferrules were otherwise so well made, and on such sound mechani- 

 cal principles, that it is with pleasure I except them from the preceding 

 criticism. The dowelled ferrule has, however, one advantage over the 

 other form deserving of mention. At the opening of the season the fer- 

 rules of a rod are sometimes found to be a little loose, due to the shrink- 

 ing of the rod material during the winter. In such case the dowel so 

 wedges any joint to that below it, as to prevent the shake at the points of 

 juncture (which would temporarily disable a rod provided with simple fer- 

 rules), and the angler may disregard the defect. 



I have spoken, and hereafter speak, of ferrules made from tubing. In 

 all cases tubing " drawn inside and out " is to be understood, the process 

 of manufacture of which is as follows : A polished steel mandrel is in- 

 serted within the tube, which is then forcibly drawn through a die with 

 the mandrel still within it. The rnetal is thus compressed between the 

 mandrel and the die, resulting in a considerable extension in length as 

 well as reduction in diameter. This condensation by compression is es- 

 sential to the required "temper" of the metal. I neither advocate nor 

 approve of the use of any tubing in the drawing of which the use of such 

 a mandrel is omitted. 



