ROD AND TACKLE 5 



make the ferrules slightly conical or tapered to 

 allow for wear and tear, and wire loops were fixed 

 to each ferrule. A short length of waxed silk or 

 thread was worked round these wire loops to fasten 

 the joint securely together and obviate the possi- 

 bility of their being worked loose or thrown apart 

 when casting. 



The first improvement made in this plan was the 

 lock-fast joint with hook and spiral thread designed 

 by Messrs. Hardy, and this lock-fast joint is probably 

 the most usual one in use at the present time. The 

 " Lloyd " treble-grip ferrule was brought out as an 

 improvement on this, and, although in every way 

 effective, it is, I think, unnecessarily heavy and 

 cumbersome. Messrs. Hardy Brothers brought out 

 later a joint with a spring lever arm on the female 

 ferrule carrying a round peg. This peg drops into a 

 hole through the female ferrule, and a certain distance 

 into the male ferrule, and is held in position by a 

 sliding sleeve. 



The suction ferrule is advocated by some rod- 

 makers, and the American rods are generally fitted 

 with these. Of all these ferrules, I think that the old 

 " Hardy" lock-fast joint is the best; but in my hands it 

 invariably tends to work loose in use, and I generally 

 discover this by noticing that the line will not run 

 smoothly owing to the rings not being accurately 

 aligned. It is suggested by the makers that if the 

 spiral screw is made left-handed instead of right- 

 handed, the tendency will be to tighten the fitting 



