CARE OF THE RODS 29 



rushed half to death with hurry orders the 

 week before the fishing season opens than if 

 permitted to take their own time on repair 

 work. You have a right to expect them to do 

 their best work on your rods, but too often 

 you give them very short notice. Be fair to 

 them. 



When you have laid aside the rod or rods 

 requiring the repairs that may be made at home, 

 take up one that merely needs cleaning and 

 brightening up. The cork grasp, if soiled and 

 discolored, may be improved by rubbing with 

 a moist cloth and soap. Generally this will 

 suffice to remove the combined oil and dust and 

 leave the cork bright and fresh, but if not, try 

 alcohol on a cloth, turpentine, or even benzine, 

 rubbing the grasp lengthwise to prevent the 

 liquid from softening the glue. After the grasp 

 has dried, roll a piece of tissue paper around 

 it and bind with a couple of elastics, to keep it 

 clean while you work on other parts of the 

 joint. If the grasp be very badly soiled, rub 

 it slightly with an old, worn piece of the finest 

 grade of sandpaper. 



Now look over the ferrules. If one is loose, 

 remove it. If it is fastened with a pin, and 

 this does not go clear thorough, tapping around 

 the pin with the wood handle of a screw-driver 



