Ferrule Care

[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]

Re: Ferrule Care/Breaking

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]

Re: Ferrule Care/Breaking

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]

Re: Ferrule Care/Breaking

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]

Re: Ferrule Care/Baron

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

 

[Fly2Fish]

While internet researching this issue out further, I ran across a great suggestion by one Tim Gelinas on a Spey-casters blog, River Run Anglers. Mr. Gelinas has come up with an ingenious solution which he calls his Spey Rod Savers - short lengths of surgical latex tubing in various diameters that are "rolled over" ferrules. Experiment until you have the right diameter for each ferrule to provide moderate elastic tension over the ferrule joint. I haven't tried it yet although I just did order an assortment of surgical latex tubular material, but it looks from his pictures to be easy to put on and, of course, when you want to dismantle the rod, all you need to do is roll it back on one of the sections adjoining the ferrule (here's a link to his article with illustrative pictures: River Run Anglers-Jottings from a Speybum Note Book-Spey Rod Saver ).

Be interested in any thoughts on this. Certainly looks easier and quicker to use than tape, which could be a hassle if you take apart your rod (or part of it as I do) when moving from location to location. It also looks more likely to keep rod sections from working loose if the right diameter tubing is used to keep it snug enough. It would probably have less likelihood of wearing down the rod finish over time as tape might. And the slight compressive effect the elastic tubing would have on the ferrule joint could only add to its value in preventing ferrule breakages.

I'll update this in a few months after I've had some on-stream experience with it, and would encourage anyone else to do the same. This may be the best answer to broken ferrules that I've come across.

 

[Joe D]

The tubing works well on Spey rods and looks like a nice alternative to tape. On shorter and finer rods of 9 feet and less I think the tubing would affect the action of the rod.

With the major manufacturers recommending wax to eliminate loose ferrules I think wax is the way to go. Loose ferrules turn into broken rods/ferrules, which turn into warranty claims, which is something they want to reduce.

 

[Fly2Fish]

The tubing works well on Spey rods and looks like a nice alternative to tape. On shorter and finer rods of 9 feet and less I think the tubing would affect the action of the rod.

With the major manufacturers recommending wax to eliminate loose ferrules I think wax is the way to go. Loose ferrules turn into broken rods/ferrules, which turn into warranty claims, which is something they want to reduce.

Joe, you make some interesting points here. I know for personal fact that Sage recommends using wax, but I've heard that some other manufacturers like Loomis expressly warn against it. For myself, I've always used wax when I think of it ahead of time or nose grease when on the water, and haven't had any problems yet - however, with the little I've been on the water lately, that doesn't mean much. For Christmas I got a new Sage Z-Axis 7110-4/5 switch rod which I haven't used yet, so for that rod I just ordered and intend to use that U-40 Ferrule Lube that's been so highly talked about as a comparison to some of my other rods which have had wax used on them.

As for the surgical latex tubing changing the action of smaller lighter rods, I've got an old Scientific Anglers 8'6" 2-piece 5-weight fiberglass rod which is pretty flexible. I'm going to add tubing to that to see how it affects the action of this rod I know so well. I would think this rod would show any effect if any of my rods would. I might also try them out on my Sage SP 589-5/6; while it's not quite a flexible as the Scientific Anglers is, with its four ferrules any stiffening effect of the tubing might manifest itself more.

 

[Joe D]

I've got an old Scientific Anglers 8'6" 2-piece 5-weight fiberglass rod which is pretty flexible. I'm going to add tubing to that to see how it affects the action of this rod I know so well. I would think this rod would show any effect if any of my rods would. I might also try them out on my Sage SP 589-5/6; while it's not quite a flexible as the Scientific Anglers is, with its four ferrules any stiffening effect of the tubing might manifest itself more.

It would be interesting to see what happens. I think the tubing would be more noticeable on the four piece, but just a guess. Let us know.

 

[Frank Whiton]

Hi to all,

Here is what I did for many years with no problem. I would swipe the ferrule through my hair once or twice and then wipe between my thumb and forefinger. Not to remove the oil but to distribute it all over the ferrule.

For the past few years I have been a bit short in the hair department and this method doesn't work as well as it once did.:icon_cool

Frank

 

[Fly2Fish]

. . . For the past few years I have been a bit short in the hair department and this method doesn't work as well as it once did.

Frank,

I've found that the bowling ball wax I apply to my dome works pretty on ferrules too :wink:

Neil

 

[Joe D]

I see where Orvis is including wax with their rods. I'm guessing it's a way to cut back on ferrule breakage returns.

 

[Davo]

Funny but every Orvis rod My Dad or I ever bought has come with a little chapstik thing of ferrule wax. Till I read your post Joe I forgot about that.

 

[Joe D]

Funny but every Orvis rod My Dad or I ever bought has come with a little chapstik thing of ferrule wax. Till I read your post Joe I forgot about that.

Davo,

I have a bunch of the lip balm tubes of ferrule wax kicking around, but now it's in the kind of container like Dab or lead putty comes in. BTW, lip balm is mostly made from wax... probably would work just fine.

 

[Davo]

I have several of those tubes as well Joe. Just never with me when needed!! always the way. I'm going to be buying a couple new Orvis combos for client rods this season so I will get to check out the new stuff.