286 Fly-rods cmd Fly-tackle. 



joint and tip. The butt may be modified a little, to di- 

 minish its stiffness near the handle^ 



With a hexagonal piece of hard wood, tapered some- 

 what, aided by a small hammer, give an hexagonal form 

 to that end of all of your ferrules which is to overlie a 

 joint. A careful measurement of these will give the 

 width of each end of each strip. Then, having deter- 

 mined the length, with your largest Bailey plane, plane 

 off the grooved side of the strip until the groove corre- 

 sponds with that width at the proper points, and tapers, 

 or narrows, uniformly between those points. Though no 

 guide but the eye regulates the process, it will be found 

 sufficient, provided care be used and undue haste to fin- 

 ish be avoided. Remember it is easier to take off than 

 add on, and therefore use your utmost skill and patience. 

 Have your plane-bit keen, and set it " fine " towards the 

 finish, frequently "sighting" the groove, as though it 

 were a rifle, during the progress of the job. You cannot 

 be too careful, for you are now deciding the action of 

 your rod, and whether it shall be good, bad, or indiffer- 

 ent. This being properly completed, place each strip in 

 turn in one of the pine grooves, selecting one above the 

 surface of which the bamboo projects but little, and take 

 off a shaving, first on one side and then on the other, 

 alternately. When the bamboo is worked down to a 

 level with that groove, change to a shallower, and so con- 

 tinue till you think it is time for the finish. When all 

 the strips are in this condition, put the keenest possible 

 edge on your plane-bit, and set it " fine." Mark the sur- 

 face of your appropriate finishing grooved strip all over 

 with a lead-pencil, or otherwise, so that nothing can be 

 taken from it by the plane without attracting your at- 

 tention at once. Then plane down each strip, first a 



