52 



The Gentle Art of Angling. 



get a true octagonal. The edges 

 of the latter figure have only to 

 be planed off to obtain a round 

 rod in the rough (see fig.). 



Instead of working from the 

 bottom as before, begin now at 

 the top, to plane off the sharp 

 edges. The joint must be held in 

 the left hand and turned round 

 gradually at each stroke of the 

 tool. Having treated both joints 

 in this fashion, the splice should be 

 made and the balance of the rod 

 tested, further reductions being 

 made until the desired balance 

 and action are secured. I have 

 made a rod 15 ft. of the scantalon 

 just given. It has had over twelve 

 years wear, killed many salmon, 

 and is in good condition to-day. 

 It is fuller in the butt than the 

 typical " Castleconnell," but 

 plays down to the hand and has 

 great killing power. The circum- 

 ference is as follows : Butt (ex- 

 treme) 2| in. ; 10 in. from bottom, 

 3^ in.; 5ft. from bottom, if in. ; 

 10 ft. from bottom, ij in. ; ex- 

 treme top ^ in. 



The rod is finished off with glass 

 paper, using the coarsest quality 

 at first and turning the rod round 

 until all unevenness is removed. 

 Defects can be detected by twist- 

 ing the joint between the finger 

 and thumb from top to bottom. 

 Next a finer glass paper is used 

 and the rubbing repeated until a 

 smooth surface is obtained. Lastly 

 the rod is French polished. This 

 is a tedious process, but neces- 

 sary ; the polish must be laid 

 on, and rubbed off several times, 

 using fine glass paper. When the 

 surface is well prepared in this way 

 the polish is applied permanently. 

 Cotton-wool makes a good rubber, 

 and a drop of boiled linseed oil 

 occasionally applied will keep it 

 from sticking. 



If the rod is jointed and fitted 

 with brass ferrules more labour 

 will be entailed. The important 



matter is to fit the brasses on 

 tightly. The fortunate possessor 

 of a lathe will find no difficulty in 

 securing mathematical exactness. 

 In the absence of machinery the 

 joint must be rubbed down with 

 glass paper, and the brasses forced 

 on ; a rivet will completely secure 

 them. Shrinking them on is a 

 more delicate process, and the 

 plan adopted by professionals, but 

 I have not attempted it. The 

 brass should project beyond the 

 wood so as to make room for the 

 top ferrule ; this is a matter of 

 measurement. The wood must 

 be bored the size of the tongue, 

 which is the smallest part of the 

 ferrule that pierces it. A bit and 

 brace will accomplish this. It is 

 necessary to hold the joint in the 

 vice and bore about J in., where 

 the tongue enters, taking care to 

 get the centre. The brass can 

 then be slipped on and the rest of 

 the depth bored without splitting 

 the wood. 



A very fine drill must be used 

 for the rivet hole. Mark the spot 

 with a centre punch and drill until 

 the brass is pierced, then use a 

 smaller drill and continue the 

 boring half-way through the 

 diameter. Use a brass rivet 

 the size of the larger hole, and 

 drive it in three parts of the 

 diameter. File down the rivet 

 with care, so as not to scratch 

 the lacquering. 



The rings are next whipped on, 

 beginning at the butt ; the up- 

 right case-hardened are the best ; 

 they must be carried in a straight 

 line to the top. A piece of cord 

 fixed on the bench between two 

 props can be used as a guide. For 

 a i5-ft. rod two rings are required 

 for the butt, four for the middle, 

 and seven for the top. The plate 

 shows the correct method of 

 rolling on and fastening the 

 whipping. The end of the silk 

 is caught under, and after three 



