Marco Medway re-furbishment

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Nailbourne

Marco Medway re-furbishment

Post by Nailbourne »

Some weeks ago, I posted a ‘Help!’ topic on here about the Modern Arms Co. ‘Medway’ rod in ‘Elasticane’. Over fifty years ago, my parents had nearly bought me an ‘Elasticane’ rod as my first ‘proper’ rod, but I ended up with a J.B.Walker Avon kit instead.

Anyhow, I took a punt on this one on E-bay and got it, delivered, for just under £50 - not dirt-cheap, but not silly. When it arrived and was assembled, the cane was in good condition with only the tiniest set in the tip. However, the rod had clearly been re-ringed and re-varnished (badly). A full set of Agatine-lined bridge rings, a thick coat of treacly-brown varnish with tears and streaks all over the place. Even the cork handle was varnished. A complete refurbishment was indicated - hence my TFF post. Unfortunately, this was only partially successful – several members owned the ‘Test’ or the ‘Arun’, but not the ‘Medway! Ho, hum. . .

I decided to go for High Bells Life rings, and won a few sets on E-bay. While waiting for delivery, I began by removing all the rings and intermediate tyings and making a note of the spacings. The varnish was scraped off back to the cane, using the back of the blade of a craft-knife (an easy job, since the varnish was very brittle and flaked off with little effort). Only the area around the decals was tricky – had to work very carefully around them with the back of a Swann-Morton scalpel. The varnish on the cork handle was gently sanded off, and the metalwork cleaned. By, now, the rod looked as if it would fly!

The male ferrule on the middle joint was loose, and was re-glued. Then, the whole blank was given two coats of French Polish (a Ted Oliver tip) and a single coat of yacht varnish (I do this to ensure that there is always varnish under the rings). Also from Ted came some matching green silk. When the rings arrived, I assembled from them a nicely graduated set with Agatine tip and butt.
I’ve never been keen on intermediate tyings – no useful purpose these days, just cosmetic – but, since the original rod had them, back they’d have to go. This came first, before the rings were whipped on. After a couple of fumblings, I developed a fool-proof (well, nearly) technique and accomplished the job quickly and without any bad language! The rings took longer but, eventually, all was complete and ready for the final two coats of varnish.

A couple of asides from the last paragraph. First, the tip ring. Of the three I’d bought, one had lost its lining, and one was too low to match the intermediate rings. The one remaining was one of those abominations without a tube for the rod tip – just two arms. Whipping this on was a real bother – not only did I have to scrape two flats to accommodate the arms, I also needed three hands to whip it on! After three abortive attempts, I roughly whipped the top of the ring in place, then whipped up over the end of the legs, removing the holding whipping en route. The top joint had, of course, been rotated a half-turn so that the set was upwards.

The second aside was that I used Banana Oil for the first time, since it is praised on the Forum. It gave a good even finish – not as glossy as nail-varnish – and much cheaper! Ten times the amount for the same price. I shall now eschew nail-varnish.

As for the original rings, they will be dedicated to a bespoke cane heavy pike/salmon spinning rod (oh – all right, a carp stalker as well!). Judging by the prices Hopkins & Holloway are charging, these rings alone are worth more than twice what I paid for the rod!

Here are a few pics of the finished rod:

Image Before

Image After
Image

And the spare rings:

Image

For some reason, TinyPic through a wobbler when I tried to upload the decal images. Never mind!

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Wallys-Cast
Pike
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Re: Marco Medway re-furbishment

Post by Wallys-Cast »

Well done that man. A lovely job and like you say those reclaimed lined rings would be worth more than what you paid for the rod.
Excellent result all round.

Wal.

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Olly
Wild Carp
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Location: Hants/Surrey/Berks borders.

Re: Marco Medway re-furbishment

Post by Olly »

Always nice to see rod successfully and correctly revived to how it is was designed and then to be used!

A great set of agate rings to boot!!

JohnL

Re: Marco Medway re-furbishment

Post by JohnL »

Excellent job. Overall I think you got a really good deal there.

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AshbyCut
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Re: Marco Medway re-furbishment

Post by AshbyCut »

Splendid, Sir ... simply splendid. :Hat:
"Beside the water I discovered (or maybe rediscovered) the quiet. The sort of quiet that allows one to be woven into the tapestry of nature instead of merely standing next to it." Estaban.

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LuckyLuca
Barbel
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Re: Marco Medway re-furbishment

Post by LuckyLuca »

Lovely work Sir!
I walked across an empty land
I knew the pathway like the back of my hand
I felt the earth beneath my feet
Sat by the river and it made me complete.

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Aitch
Pike
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Re: Marco Medway re-furbishment

Post by Aitch »

that looks gorgeous.... :Thumb:
Just one more cast love, and I'll be on me way home

Leave nothing but footprints, take nothing but pictures and memories

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NiceRoach
Eel
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Re: Marco Medway re-furbishment

Post by NiceRoach »

:Hat:
niceroach

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Carp Artist
Arctic Char
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Re: Marco Medway re-furbishment

Post by Carp Artist »

:Hat: An excellent job Sir
Not a fish was visible that first time I visited Beechmere; an utter
stillness brooded over the place and I felt the strange and sinister atmosphere which, so the story goes,
has been the cause of several suicides.’
BB – Confessions of a Carp Fisher

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TheDodger
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Re: Marco Medway re-furbishment

Post by TheDodger »

Just a small query on the rings - but first congrats on turning an ugly duckling into a thing of beauty - WHAT a difference: well done! I have a rod that is similar to (but not as bad as) your rod in its original state - but it has exactly the same original lined rings. Oh, perhaps I should add that my rod is an elasticane Medway De Luxe (or so it says on the transfer). I think someone else mentions having a Medway also with similar rings. There is therefore some circumstantial evidence that the rings are in fact the original trim perhaps? What does the Board think?

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