THE ROD 53 



care. Rust is its worst enemy and this can be guarded 

 against by carrying a rag, or better still, a piece of 

 chamois skin saturated with oil and wiping off the 

 rod before putting it away. This and a drop of oil 

 on the ferrules, once in a while, is usually all the 

 care necessary with a steel rod. The best grades 

 have a number of coats of good enamel baked on 

 which is very durable. As soon as it begins to show 

 signs of wear, it should be touched up with bicycle 

 enamel. 



Dry rot is the thing to avoid with wood rods and 

 they should be kept well varnished at all times; other- 

 wise the heat will warp or set the tip. 



Bamboo rods should also be protected by varnish 

 and they should not be stored near heat as it shrinks 

 the bamboo and consequently the ferrules rattle and 

 come loose. 



At the end of every season the bamboo rods 

 should be gone over and all frayed wrappings replaced, 

 the varnish rubbed down with a little oil and pumice, 

 and the whole rod given one or two coats of good varn- 

 ish. Varnish should be applied with a bristle brush, 

 the varnish should be slightly warmed, and the work 

 done in a warm room. The rod should be dried by 

 hanging where dust cannot get at it. 



Varnish not only affects the life of the rod, but its 

 action as well ; it makes it proof against moisture, and 

 the effects of change in temperature to which unpro- 

 tected bamboo is very sensitive. Bamboo casting rods 



