202 



Fly-rods and Fly-tackle. 



between those you cannot avoid, make a scratch with a 

 pin on the varnish of each joint, to indicate the side 

 upon which the rings are to be placed. Do not trust to 

 a lead-pencil mark, since it is too much trouble to find 

 this place to risk losing it; and neither on metal nor 

 varnish will such a mark bear much handling. Also 

 make the scratch close to the ferrules, where they will 

 eventually be covered by wrappings, so as not to disfig- 

 ure the rod. Then with a lead-pencil mark the point 

 where each wrapping is to begin. 



The next step is to prepare your " keepers ;" for those 

 sold are not nearly as good, and are much more difficult 

 to manage, than those you can make. Procure a piece 

 of sheet-brass or german-silver about the thickness of a 

 sheet of good writing-paper. For this you can write to 

 Frasse & Co., No. 95, or to Montgomery & Co., No. 105, 

 both in Fulton Street, New York City, who can deliver 

 it by mail. Twenty-five cents' worth, exclusive of post 

 charges, will last for a long time. Cut with scissors a 

 strip from one edge -^| of an inch wide. Heat it red hot 

 and let it cool ; this will anneal it, and make it manage- 

 able. Now cut off strips at right angles to the length 

 and about this width 



B CD 



Fig. 40. A, annealed strip of metal; Z?, width-keeper for butt; C, same for 

 middle joint ; D, same for tip. 



The illustration gives the general idea ; but you should 

 vary the width a little, that as the diameter of the rod de- 



