The Mordex 'Witham'. Anything known?

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Stathamender
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The Mordex 'Witham'. Anything known?

Post by Stathamender »

I found this in a car boot sale a few weeks back for a fiver. The first thing that struck me was the great condition it's in for something that is, at a very minimum, 30 years old and, given that it may well have been made for the heyday of Witham match fishing in the 60s and 70s, probably quite a bit older than that. The rings need cleaning but that's about it.

The second thing is that while it looks at first sight to be the standard whole cane first two joints, split cane top joint when I looked a bit more closely this didn't seem to be the case. The bottom two joints are very smooth to the touch with none of the surface variation you find with Tonkin cane, as well as that strange colour which, although it almost certainly comes from dye in the varnish, seems to reveal a very light coloured sub-surface. I've never, consciously at least, seen a Spanish Reed rod and have no idea what it's natural colour would be but is that possible here? The only thing I've been able to find on line about a Mordex 'Witham' is that one sold at Mullock's in 1999 and was described as Tonkin and built cane.

Finally, the female ferrule for the middle joint is tapered. Again, something I've never seen before. Anybody any ideas about this?

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Iain

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Björn Ulvaeus

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Re: The Mordex 'Witham'. Anything known?

Post by Flightliner »

Stathemender, I believe the firm "Mordex" was in Sheffield just half way between the midland station and granville road, walking from the station it was on the left and had/has a big arched entrance, its still there.
The Witham rod I would guess would have been made in the fifties, the very early sixties at the latest as that was the great changover period from cane to fibreglass.
By the mid sixties I was heavily into match fishing on the Witham and other fenland waters and I cant remember seeing any angler using cane such was the impact of fibreglass.
Another very sought after cane match rod of the period was the "Stamfords Welland" match rod that was retailed by Sheffield tackle dealer Earnest Stamford , Find one of those and you have a real angling treasure.
Hope this helps.

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Vole
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Re: The Mordex 'Witham'. Anything known?

Post by Vole »

I think it's one of the other canes; Spanish reed "bellies" out between the nodes, and usually has brown markings - probably from bugs living between the stem and the "wrap-around" section of the leaves. Tonkin usually has nodes that "dimple" deeply on one side. Some of the stronger "long" match rods- say twelve feet or more - seem to be made of a pale cane, usually sold with the enamel removed and the "power fibres" showing, as seems to be the case here, and very shallow nodes that almost make you wonder why there's a half-inch whipping there. Whether it be "White Cane", "Japan Cane", "Carolina Reed" or some other species I know not, but it's pretty good stuff.

That tapered ferrule will be instead of a reducing splice in the middle section; this could either be a bit of cheapskate manoeuvring or done simply because that cane is up to it (mind you, I've seen some pretty alarming reductions in Spanish reed, too) and they can continue the light, stiff portion of the rod to the maximum extent that way. Any chance of a photo of the rod's curve? It would be interesting to see how well the whole cane continues the curve from the built-cane tip; or if there's a pronounced break in the action as the bendy, fish-playing portion joins the stiff, reaching-out part.

Congratulations on a bargain and a rarity! :cheers:
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Stathamender
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Re: The Mordex 'Witham'. Anything known?

Post by Stathamender »

I believe the firm "Mordex" was in Sheffield just half way between the midland station and granville road, walking from the station it was on the left and had/has a big arched entrance, its still there.
As you'll know, that part of Sheffield has been knocked about a lot in recent years is this https://www.google.fr/maps/@53.375845,- ... ut_L0Q!2e0 the place you mean?
Iain

What is your favourite word?
I suspect it could be “love”, despite its drawbacks in the rhyming department.
Björn Ulvaeus

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Stathamender
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Re: The Mordex 'Witham'. Anything known?

Post by Stathamender »

Any chance of a photo of the rod's curve? It would be interesting to see how well the whole cane continues the curve from the built-cane tip; or if there's a pronounced break in the action as the bendy, fish-playing portion joins the stiff, reaching-out part.
Can't do you a photo at the moment, but, yes, it's very much an old fashioned tip action rod with the first two joints hardly bending at all.
Iain

What is your favourite word?
I suspect it could be “love”, despite its drawbacks in the rhyming department.
Björn Ulvaeus

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Vole
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Re: The Mordex 'Witham'. Anything known?

Post by Vole »

Ah, so not to be risked when carp are likely!
I confess a liking for the "Thames action" with quite a long splice of Tonkin or similar, but the tip-action rods certainly had their place back in the days of matches won with roach and dace.
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Re: The Mordex 'Witham'. Anything known?

Post by Nobby »

I was reading a book on rod making only yesterday and came across a section that talked of tapered ferrules to effect a swift reduction in diameter and a consequent tip action in the rod.

"Never seen one of those" I said to myself....... :Hahaha:

I don't think it's Spanish reed, it's too uniform in diameter. Nice find, I've never seen a red rod before!

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Re: The Mordex 'Witham'. Anything known?

Post by Reedling »

What a bargain, I do love a boot fair :Thumb: it just goes to show that you do not have to spend a fortune to enjoy Traditional Angling. I hope you have great fun with that rod and it will be nice to see some pictures later, of its use and captures. :Hat:

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Re: The Mordex 'Witham'. Anything known?

Post by Stathamender »

.... reading a book on rod making only yesterday and came across a section that talked of tapered ferrules to effect a swift reduction in diameter and a consequent tip action in the rod.
Never having seen a 'Witham' before I've no idea whether or not this was an intrinsic part of the design or a one-off to cope with a specific piece of cane. Tapered or "step-down" ferrules seem to have been used more often in fly rods in the past. See here: http://www.wagnerrods.com/ferrets.html
Iain

What is your favourite word?
I suspect it could be “love”, despite its drawbacks in the rhyming department.
Björn Ulvaeus

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Stathamender
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Re: The Mordex 'Witham'. Anything known?

Post by Stathamender »

I confess a liking for the "Thames action" with quite a long splice of Tonkin or similar, but the tip-action rods certainly had their place back in the days of matches won with roach and dace.
The Witham is a bit far for me to get to but I'm certainly intending to visit the Plumpers stretch of the S&T Canal, when I get back from France, for a 'how-retro-can-you-get' session with this rod, a pin and some hemp and tares. probably combine it with some swingtipping with another £5 rod I got the same day, a 9' Daiwa Matchman.
Iain

What is your favourite word?
I suspect it could be “love”, despite its drawbacks in the rhyming department.
Björn Ulvaeus

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