Rod-making. 189 



tion, Where shall I get my ferrules and rod material? 

 My own ferrules have been made from german - silver 

 tubing, drawn for me by Mr. John H. Knapp, manufact- 

 urer of gold and silver pen and pencil cases, No. 17 John 

 Street, New York City. The tubing for the male ferrules, 

 as supplied me in the past by Mr. Knapp, has been just 

 a shade too large to enter the female ferrule, so as to 

 permit nice fitting. This tubing was beautifully drawn 

 inside and out, and of good "temper." Mr. Knapp prefers 

 that samples should be sent with orders. He can supply 

 any size which does not exceed half an inch in interior 

 diameter. 



To make ferrules, or even to fit them well, without the 

 use of a lathe is a difficult matter. To buy your ferrules 

 already fitted is the better course, if you have not access 

 to this most useful of machines. 



Let me, however, strongly advise, if you intend to 

 make more than one rod, as soon as possible to adopt 

 fixed sizes of ferrules for fly-rods and to adhere to it, for 

 thus you will have all parts of all your rods interchange- 

 able. The advantage of this is too apparent for discus- 

 sion. But, lest the youthful beginner (and to such, re- 

 membering my own embarrassments, my heart goes out), 

 to whom money may be an object, may have ordered a 

 second set and find it a little different from his first, I 

 will give directions for fitting without a lathe, which 

 with patience will remedy the defect. 



Let us assume the male ferrule is too large. First 

 cement it on a stick to serve as a handle. Then, if the 

 difference is great, attack it with your " mill-saw " file, 

 otherwise with a " dead smooth " file, or strips of emery 

 cloth glued to flat pieces of wood. In any event finish 

 till it will enter a little with the latter. In this filing 



