A photo will support a replacement request, but it could prove difficult to adequately show the defect. However I suspect that it probably isn’t necessary. Looking at their website, a replacement top is 4.89 euro, so to BFC, the cost of replacement is virtually the cost of postage. From what I have seen and heard, I suspect that they will more than happy to accept such a cost rather than risk an unhappy customer complaining about his broken rod, and especially one which was imperfect on arrival. Rather old fashioned, but it is called customer service, and they appear to be good at it!
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- Thread starter codyarrow
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Lewis Chessman
Well-known member
Maybe, mate. Mark is so fast getting his products out of the door and to you - and he sells the excellent Snake Brand Snake Rings which rarely need any further filing.
Shame he doesn't contribute here anymore, really.
Lewis Chessman
Well-known member
Yes, absolutely worth bothering about. The base of the female ferule is one of the weakest parts of any blank and the most likely to crack. That crack may then run up the blank causing a terminal split.
I wouldn't take the time to wrap this section. If you 'must' you might try filling the nick with an epoxy then sanding flat and whipping over, but if there's an unseen fissure on the scrim layer it's heading for catastrophic failure.
Soz, mate. That's my 2 cents.
I wouldn't take the time to wrap this section. If you 'must' you might try filling the nick with an epoxy then sanding flat and whipping over, but if there's an unseen fissure on the scrim layer it's heading for catastrophic failure.
Soz, mate. That's my 2 cents.
codyarrow
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Not much to do on the blank before xmas then. The blank delivery from Bulgaria was actually slower than some rings from China I ordered. I have visions of a replacement sitting in a lorry park in France for 2 months before the backlogs get cleared? 
Tempted to order the taniwha blank.
Tempted to order the taniwha blank.
Lewis Chessman
Well-known member
Aye, why not, Paul? You're going to end up building both anyway!
And with Mark you know everything will be compatible and come together with minimal wait.
Gawaaaaan, you know it makes sense!
Man, it's so easy to spend other people's money!
And with Mark you know everything will be compatible and come together with minimal wait.
Gawaaaaan, you know it makes sense!
Man, it's so easy to spend other people's money!
Fully agree. Looks like it has fractured and split during trimming the end, so difficult to know extent of damage. Like Lewis, I would not afford the time to build that section knowing it could be weak and short lived. It should be a clean and perfect cut, as mine was. That is what you paid for, and as already said, I suspect that is what that Bulgarian company will prefer you to have as unhappy customers don’t return. Will be interested to know their response to your email.
The Squire
Well-known member
My parcel containing the 9' #5 kit arrived today after I ordered it on 29th Nov. I had being optimistically thinking with fingers crossed that the grip may have been sized to the blank and bored at the rear to the correct diameter for the seat, but alas no!! I've not done any of those tasks before so any links to step by steps much appreciated, noting I don't have a lathe.
TIA!
EDIT: that was rather a lazy question I asked above and I've just had a quick surf round some of the old threads and found a couple of suggestions:
1, A round file to ream out the internal diameter of the grip using a cordless drill.
2, Dremel and sanding bit to increase the rear diameter of the grip to accommodate the reel seat.
TIA!
EDIT: that was rather a lazy question I asked above and I've just had a quick surf round some of the old threads and found a couple of suggestions:
1, A round file to ream out the internal diameter of the grip using a cordless drill.
2, Dremel and sanding bit to increase the rear diameter of the grip to accommodate the reel seat.
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Lewis Chessman
Well-known member
Hello, The Squire,
I use something very like this to recess cork grips for reel seats, cut carbon blanks, file guide feet and numerous other wee jobs:
Corded Rotary Power Tool.
£20 well spent.
I have made my own cork reamer by gluing strips of sand paper to an old gun rod and use that and a rat-tail file. I've only ever reamed by hand which does take time and patience but works well - eventually!
Let us know how it goes if you attach a power tool to a reamer. It'd sure save a lot of time if it doesn't run away with you and remove too much or go off centre.
I use something very like this to recess cork grips for reel seats, cut carbon blanks, file guide feet and numerous other wee jobs:
Corded Rotary Power Tool.
£20 well spent.
I have made my own cork reamer by gluing strips of sand paper to an old gun rod and use that and a rat-tail file. I've only ever reamed by hand which does take time and patience but works well - eventually!
Let us know how it goes if you attach a power tool to a reamer. It'd sure save a lot of time if it doesn't run away with you and remove too much or go off centre.
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codyarrow
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Hi Squire
My reamer is an old rod section with approx 1m of rough sandpaper cut into 10mm width. This is then attached via contact adhesive in a spiral pattern from top to bottom.
To use it I measure the diameter on the rod where the bottom of the handle will be with a digital tool I got from lidl. Then take the measurement to the reamer and put a bit of masking tape around the reamer at the point you need to stop. This will give your handle the correct internal taper.
Might sound like a faff building a reamer, but it means you can ream a handle in seconds. I started off using a round rasp and it took forever.
My reamer is an old rod section with approx 1m of rough sandpaper cut into 10mm width. This is then attached via contact adhesive in a spiral pattern from top to bottom.
To use it I measure the diameter on the rod where the bottom of the handle will be with a digital tool I got from lidl. Then take the measurement to the reamer and put a bit of masking tape around the reamer at the point you need to stop. This will give your handle the correct internal taper.
Might sound like a faff building a reamer, but it means you can ream a handle in seconds. I started off using a round rasp and it took forever.
Yes agree, I use this for reaming out the cork. This is made from just a bit of dowel with 80 grit cut sandpaper. As for reel seat recess, I too use a Dremel sander, which is fine so long as one is careful and not try and rush it.
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Lewis Chessman
Well-known member
Paul, believe it or not (I suggest you do ) my nephew teaches English in Sophia and has picked up a smattering of Bulgarian over the years - or so he claims! It's all Greek to me.
If you run into problems I could ask him to translate an email for you. Can't promise anything but ..... I can only ask.
Good to read you're getting a section sent. Hope it fits!
) my nephew teaches English in Sophia and has picked up a smattering of Bulgarian over the years - or so he claims! It's all Greek to me.If you run into problems I could ask him to translate an email for you. Can't promise anything but ..... I can only ask.
Good to read you're getting a section sent. Hope it fits!
That is good news! Not surprised at the response, and sure all will be Ok. The guy Nikolay‘s English is excellent so will fully understand what you have requested, so would not be concerned on that score.
(that assumes you didn’t attempt to communicate in Cyrillic script
)
The Squire
Well-known member
So I've made a start on reaming out the bore of the handle after i made up a reamer using a piece from an old fibreglass float rod. I glued some sandpaper in a spiral strip to it then had a go with it running in a cordless drill and discovered two things:
1, Although I hadn't tightened the chuck hard onto some masking tape over the end of the reamer I should have re-enforced the inside as it splintered the glass slightly.
2, This was a bit of a school boy error; whilst reaming out the handle a small piece of sandpaper had become detached and stuck inside the bore. When I trial fitted the blank it has put a scratch in it.
Luckily I realised what was happening and stopped, at first I thought it was the end of the world but now I've been back to it it's not too bad and only just below the male joint so I will position it on the bottom of the rod so I can't see it whilst fishing. Lesson learnt is to check nothing is missing off the reamer and inspect inside the bore. 
Lewis Chessman
Well-known member
That's effing annoying for you! I feel your pain.
If you can get to a Superdrug you might pick up a London Nail Buffer for £3. It has different grades of abrasive surface from med grade sandpaper to 'buff' and 'shine. A bit of polishing might minimise the damage if it's not too deep.
Any chance you can cover the worst of it with a wrap? At the end of a signature or rod details, maybe?
If you can get to a Superdrug you might pick up a London Nail Buffer for £3. It has different grades of abrasive surface from med grade sandpaper to 'buff' and 'shine. A bit of polishing might minimise the damage if it's not too deep.
Any chance you can cover the worst of it with a wrap? At the end of a signature or rod details, maybe?
vital
Well-known member
Dipping the toe here ... If I wanted to 'have a go' at building my own fly rod, (I've re-whipped rings on coarse rods years ago), but this is a great unknown in terms of fly fishing. What's/where's the best route for a complete amateur?
Lewis Chessman
Well-known member
@vital: Have you got an old fly rod you don't like? Or one with worn rings? Strip the guides down and rebuild it for the practice. It's worth getting a bit of experience under your belt before spending good money on something new. Also, you'll have minimum outlay to begin with and something to do while shopping for your blank and hardware. Try Sensei epoxy from Bloke Rods on eBay (£10), buy a spool of size A thread and some razor blades and you can make a start.
May I suggest you start your own thread and let us know what length & weight you're considering and your total budget. You'll probably need a few tools and consumables if you're just starting out.
May I suggest you start your own thread and let us know what length & weight you're considering and your total budget. You'll probably need a few tools and consumables if you're just starting out.
Teme fisher
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- Jul 19, 2020
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The BFC rod kits on ebay seem to have nudged up in price overnight (both item and P&P costs) although the prices on the BFC website are I think still the same.
vital
Well-known member
Good idea. As it happens I do have a couple of rods bought on Ebay that I was a bit disappointed with, but I ought to give both a more thorough testing with lines up and down from their stated weights, to see if they still don't 'feel' right. If either still doesn't ring my bell I will happily apply the knife!
