Whats The Difference between No1 ,No2 & No3 rods

[Chavender]

Ok i'll admit i'm hoping to buy a Hardy rod (I have no experience with hardy rods) this week (got too look at it first) the rod has three versions that I guess means three levels of quality / finish ,No1 ,a No2 & No3 all made at the same period ,but how do you know if your rod is a No1 or No3 ?? (to be honest i'm hoping theres a little mark or number stamped I should be looking for)

and which is the better version ??

I have a couple of reservations about the rod ,for one it has its name hand writen on it in full (but others I've looked at on the net don't have the name in full ) and its scribed with "hardy bro's alenwick" under the name (again other examples I've looked at doesn't ,they only seem too have the name inscribed .

the rod has a G serial number which seems right for the rod (being a mixed materials rod) but it said to start G74........ but I aint seen it yet to confirm it ,but the serial starting with 74 seems a little highly numbered for what should be fairly early rod

basically i'm wanting to know if theres any tell-tale signs to authenticate its a genuine hardy rod and what it reports too be as I don't want to lay out a small fortune on a rogue rod .from what I've seen of these rods the length is right at 11ft & I know the handwritten name was the hardy way rather than a transfer/label .for the period .the rod itself is one I was really wanting too get ,so i'm really hoping its correct .I really don't want to say which rod it is (don't want to jinx it) but I guess I really should .ok its inscribed as "F.W.K Wallis" "Avon" Hardy Bro's alenwick .but the pictures I've seen on the web only have " wallis avon " or just "Avon" and no makers name underneath .

your thoughts would be appreciated.

[CWK]

Hi Chavender , I have an immaculate Hardy Avon that has been beautifully restored by Jason White . The only decal on the rod is handwritten and says " The Avon " . There is no mention of Hardy Bros apart from the engravings on the reel fittings and the button holder .. Don't know if this helps you ....

[Ljm183]

Chavender On the later Hardy Glass carp rod, they made a No1 and No2 model both were the same apart from the test curve. The 2 being stronger. Could be the same for the one you have ?

[Bumble]

Chavender like this

Bumble

[Nobby]

Bumble, I think that lettering might have originated near Dunstable........ It certainly isn't from Alnick.


Chavender the numbers 1,2 and 3 have two meanings. On older rods, just a few...like the Wallis Allround and Avon, were offered in three qualities. The Number 3 was a cheap rod made of whole woods and just a split cane tip section, the Number 2 was the 'full monty' of composite rod rod, nickel silver butt and tip rings, but the Number 1 was the top version; the best rod, with a bag, an aluminium tube to store them in and yet another bag to put the tube in.

I've lost it sadly, but I did have a copy of the Bottom Tackle catalogue explaining all this when I used to buy rods for customers abroad.


However, the LRH ( Lawrence Robert Hardy...a director from 1913...) rod used a different numbering system...the Number 1 simply being the heavier rod, the 2 less so and the 3 the lightest of the spinning rods. They also vary in length as well as the casting weight.

I hope you aren't looking at the re-listed Number 1 on eBay as it has a damaged tip with a set in it?

[Ljm183]

Or like this ?

[Bumble]

Nobby it was actually Mr Barder when he refurbed the rod for me he thought this was an original No1
Bumble

[Shaun Harrison]

[quote="Nobby"]Bumble, I think that lettering might have originated near Dunstable........ It certainly isn't from Alnick.


I was put out on loan for a week in the 80's to go and work at Hardy's on the design of a carp rod. My first day there I naturally got the tour of the factory and through the curtain into the Fibatube factory. It was a real eye opener watching skilled people working on all sorts of things that I had presumed were done on machines. The rod tying room was full of females attaching rod guides faster than I had ever seen done before and the end of the line was the lady who sat and painted the names onto the butts of the rods. Yes, those words 'Hardy Graphite' or whatever were hand written as fast as anyone would write their name and oh so neat.

There was a specially commissioned big game rod going through as I watched. It had been commissioned for an Arab Prince and as it got to the Lady, John Gibson who was showing me around asked for it to have the Princes name written on it. The said lady wrote it as quickly as she had all the other run of the mill letterings.

[MaggotDrowner]

Nobby, I thought no 1 was the lightest and no 3 the heaviest with the LRH rods??

[Nobby]

Shaun, I have read that every Hardy rod in a certain period, without exception, was written up by the same lady...it's on the 'net somewhere...maybe Hardy's own site?

Sorry Ljm...yours is re-written too.

Somewhere I have an image of the writing....but I can't find it right now. It's an earlier hand than that of the lady Shaun speaks of...and not nearly as good to be frank.