The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

Nobby wrote: ↑Tue Oct 29, 2019 8:28 am I think they were a bit expensive and most anglers bought the Lucky Strike as it was cheaper. Hence the rarity, though in 1966 they were flogging them off cheap to dealers as Shakespeare took over.


Here's an image of the uncatalogued deluxe:

Interesting Nobby - I didn't know a 'de luxe' existed let alone in a year after the pattern had been discontinued! So, there were three collar variants - the 'cone' shape, the one on your 'de-luxe' and plain with no collar on the late model when costs were being cut and plastic butt caps fitted.

I imagine there were plenty of blanks left and so perhaps they tried a few 'deluxes' to help sell the remainder before discontinuing them. There's a few uncatalogues fancy rods from the few years after the buy-out..

It is this one Wal -------- all 6 pages!!
Good pictures on the RB.

Olly wrote: ↑Tue Nov 28, 2023 8:26 pm It is this one Wal -------- all 6 pages!!
Good pictures on the RB.

Thanks Olly. I always meant to measure the sections on other Record Breakers to compare as it seems some rods did get slightly increased in size over the years.

Maybe the cane in the earlier rods had denser fibres. Similar to the B James MKIV rods.

Wal.

Wallys-Cast wrote: ↑Tue Nov 28, 2023 10:04 pm

Olly wrote: ↑Tue Nov 28, 2023 8:26 pm It is this one Wal -------- all 6 pages!!
Good pictures on the RB.

Thanks Olly. I always meant to measure the sections on other Record Breakers to compare as it seems some rods did get slightly increased in size over the years.

Maybe the cane in the earlier rods had denser fibres. Similar to the B James MKIV rods.

Wal.

You could well be right on this Wal. I've measured quite a few pre war rods over the years, and compared to post war rods of the same make and model, they have been consistently lighter in size. I think the dimensions were increased post war to compensate for the lower quality cane available. This is particularly noticeable with Allcocks and even with Hardy, who were reckoned to have better cane stocks than most. The difference in action and feel of the earlier rods like the Wizard etc., is very noticeable. If I am making a reproduction Wizard, Record breaker or Lucky Strike, I will always use the earlier tapers.

I was recently discussing elsewhere about different examples of the same rod being so different - from the rod's action to rings and other fittings.

Two examples were at the forefront - one being Hardy's LRH 2 - the other the Lucky Strike/Record Breaker. Other contributors mentioned other different examples.

One thing that was an excellent example of consistency was Chapmans' rods with t/cs and specs only varying slightly.

I agree Olly, Chapmans rods were indeed very consistent. I’ve made quite a few replacement tips, all the originals having been broken, not because of delamination etc. Good, well made rods, that have stood the test of time.