[Fly2Fish]

As I recall, Sage recommends using paraffin wax to keep rod ferrules from seizing up. However, some recent articles indicate that this is a bad idea because it will attract and hold abrasive dirt which will result in ferrule wear, causing bad joint fit.

I've also seen "nose grease" suggested for ferrule lubrication, but there appears to be two or three materials specifically designed for ferrule lubrication. The most innovative seems to be a product called U-40 (or Trondak) ferrule lube, which purports to be a viscous fluid that fills the tiny holes in rod ferrule surfaces and will not attract dirt. It's also said to "fill up" unwanted wear gaps in the ferrule joint, resulting in a better fit, and will not build up as wax does, possibly overloading the joint and resulting in breakage (as unlikely as that sounds).

Renzetti also makes a liquid ferrule lubricant, but I can't find out whether it's just U-40 under a different label or a different composition.

Then there is so-called ferrule waxes – Loon’s is called Grafitolin, and St. Croix also makes a ferrule wax – but if regular paraffin or bees wax is bad, it’s hard to imagine that these would be better.

What do you all think?

[Davo]

I've always used the nose grease my self. And do a regular cleaning of the ferrules. A damp terry clothe and some damp Q-tips is all thats needed. Two of my rods are over 40 yrs old and have no ferrule problems.


Davo

[randyflycaster]

Here's something I wonder about: will waxing the ferrules make it more likely that the pieces of the rod will seperate when I'm casting the rod? It seems that after hours of fishing the ferrules loosen and the rod may come apart. Serveral times this has happened to me, and twice I cracked the female ferrule.

Randyflycaster

[Fly2Fish]

Originally Posted by randyflycaster

Here's something I wonder about: will waxing the ferrules make it more likely that the pieces of the rod will seperate when I'm casting the rod? It seems that after hours of fishing the ferrules loosen and the rod may come apart. Serveral times this has happened to me, and twice I cracked the female ferrule.

Randyflycaster, I've read that both the lubricants specifically designed for ferrule lubrication and ferrule waxes are said to also have "holding power" to keep the two sections from separating. The literature (hype?) for the liquid lubricants claims that the liquid fills up all the empty space between rod section ferrules, thus creating a vacuum that works against the two sections separating accidentally.

I think the better answer lies in what spey rod casters have evolved to, since their two hands, longer rods and often heavier lines combine to put more leverage on their rods and thus more force upon their ferrule connections. I've read - and also seen demonstrated in Rio's 3 DVD set on "Modern Spey Casting" - that they wrap electrical tape around their rod ferrules, starting a wrap or so below the ferrule joint and extending a wrap or so above the ferrule joint. When taking the rod apart, they unwrap only the portion above the ferrule joint, re-wrapping that portion below for storage until the rod is connected together again. This way they don't have to replace the electrical tape that often. The express purpose stated for this is to prevent the two ferrule-joined sections from loosening to the point that the female ferrule breaks, as has happened to you.

What sort of rods were you using that had the female ferrule break? While I don't Spey cast (yet), one of my rods is a Sage Z-Axis 11' "switch" rod which apparently is used for either one (as I do) or two handed casting. As expensive as that rod is, I'm going to start wrapping its ferrule joints with electrical tape as soon as I can reassure myself that electrical tape won't harm the rod finish. In fact, I'll probably wrap all of my expensive rods' ferrule joints as a precaution.

[cowboy]

I always use nose grease, even on my graphite rod. Have used on my bamboo metal ferrules for over 50 year without problems and never any sticking.

[FISHN50]

I put the sections together with nose grease & while lightly holding the upper sections of the rod I LIGHTLY tap the back of the reel seat on my boot toe or on the grass.If you tap too hard you can get the other side of the problem. .. How do I get the damm thing apart.

[fyshstykr]

Seen something a while back,
Lefty Kreh recommended using "candle wax", It's not as tacky as Bees wax(dirt sticking) and something else about it being better than Parrafin(sp) just don't remember what it was...

[Davo]

If you have the problem off your rod coming apart when casting you have used to much nose grease or ferrule wax. The ferrule wax was created to keep you rod from being stuck together. Without it you'd never get your rod sections apart, to much and they won't stay together. Think of it like make up on your teenage daughter, LESS is MORE!!!

Davo

[Joe D]

Originally Posted by randyflycaster

Here's something I wonder about: will waxing the ferrules make it more likely that the pieces of the rod will seperate when I'm casting the rod? It seems that after hours of fishing the ferrules loosen and the rod may come apart. Serveral times this has happened to me, and twice I cracked the female ferrule.

Randyflycaster

With the major fly rod manufacturers having no questions asked warranties on their rods, one of the things they all want to eliminate is breakage. Breakage at the ferrule from loose connections is one of the more common causes. The wax helps eliminate loose ferrules and hence breakage. I don't think you need to wax the ferrules every time you use the rod.

[randyflycaster]

I was using an 8-weight and a 4-weight. The 4-weight cracked only on the outside finish, but the 8-weight cracked all the way through the ferrule. (It was a baron rod, which made me wonder if baron is as strong as graphite. For years I practiced long-distance casting and my fly rods often came apart, but none of them broke.)

I think after a long day of casting the ferrules loosen. Now, I always try to remind myself to check the ferrules after I fish for several hours. Part of the problem might be that I'm always afraid of putting the rod pieces together too tightly and then not being able
to get them apart.

This year I'll experiment with ferrule wax.

Randy