The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

I have just bought this gem of a ferrule less rod for the princely sum of £10 and I was more than willing to pay that much. It is as straight as a die, 12' 9, very Roachy' and does not appear to have been shortened in its lifetime. The tip section has had a non threaded swing tip adaptor fitted and the rest of that section looks original. The other 2 sections have had the cane nodes and female end whipped in a lighter colour. The logo has been written in beautiful hand writing. It was sold as H H Norris but looks like W H Norris Leamington Spa and what could be R H H or R H W. I cannot decide whether the finish is original or not. Any ideas?

What a great looking rod - I admire the work involved in ferruleless cane rods. It looks old from the handwriting and has had some amendments!

Bob Brookes is your man for these. Knocker Norris. Bob knew him as a child.

My "Imperial" fly rod says. W H Norris.When I visited his shop as a child we always called him Mr Norris but his mates called him Bill or "Knocker" so I think it's W not H.But Bob Brookes will know better than me.

A Bob Southwell blank, without doubt! To be serious though, it is a fine looking rod and very useable, I look forward to seeing it finished!

Excellent rods, they really are, and yes it's W H Norris. I'll leave Bob to give you the full story about Knocker.

I love those slightly tapered ferruless joints often used in whole cane rods, I think it's one of those skilled Japanese things that was handed down and used by British pole makers.

Wal.

Lea Dweller wrote: ↑Wed Sep 04, 2019 11:30 am A Bob Southwell blank, without doubt! To be serious though, it is a fine looking rod and very useable, I look forward to seeing it finished!

You are right about the Southwell blank but you must also note that the logo is Kenny Kendals handwriting.

Fredline wrote: ↑Wed Sep 04, 2019 1:06 pm

Lea Dweller wrote: ↑Wed Sep 04, 2019 11:30 am A Bob Southwell blank, without doubt! To be serious though, it is a fine looking rod and very useable, I look forward to seeing it finished!

You are right about the Southwell blank but you must also note that the logo is Kenny Kendals handwriting.

I am trying to be serious, the writing is clearly not that of Kenny Kendal, it is a distant relative of the Abu family called Sleitov And!

Fredline: Check out, THE STORY OF A ROD, in my personal fishing stories in August 2017. I have also written other pieces about Knocker (W H Norris) elsewhere.

.........also, check out Bill (Knocker) Norris in Traditional Fishing Tackle Shops on TFF.