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Thread: Walton Powell Graphite Rods

  1. #11
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
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    Willows
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    894

    Default Powell?

    Quote Originally Posted by Half Pounder View Post
    All cleared up, except I think we would need Rich Morrison's expertise to sort out where these rods fit into the classic Powell universe. It looks like these are maybe 1980s-era rods? Maybe early 90's with that black rod tube?

    I'll try to add some of the pictures here. These are definitely cool rods that are screaming steelhead, salmon or stripers, I think.
    I see many Powell rods. I have over 275 of them. The components are Powell, including the old Casacade's rod tube. The graphite looks like fiberglass. One of the ferruls looks to be metal. I think these rods without looking at them personally on these out of focus pictures look like a rod builder built them. Walt and Press never let a rod leave the shop without a label being on it.

    Just my 2 cents.
    Lance Gray
    Fly Guide
    530-517-2204
    http://www.lancegrayandcompany.com

  2. #12
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Red Bluff
    Posts
    513

    Default

    Rich personally inspected these rods and he did not comment that they looked to be built by a rod builder. These rods do have metal ferrules. Rich did comment, not sure if it was on these rods or a third graphite rod that had no marking, that the rod may have been made for a specific person and thus had no markings. Sorry about the poor photos, never been a great photographer. If someone needs or want different photos I will try to accommodate.

  3. #13
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    Jan 2005
    Location
    Sebastian, FL, USA, Earth
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    23,837

    Default

    Graphite fly rods never had metal ferrules.

    Most all split cane and some old fiberglass rods had metal ferrules.
    Bill Kiene (Boca Grande)

    567 Barber Street
    Sebastian, Florida 32958

    Fly Fishing Travel Consultant
    Certified FFF Casting Instructor

    Email: billkiene63@gmail.com
    Cell: 530/753-5267
    Web: www.billkiene.com

    Contact me for any reason........
    ______________________________________

  4. #14
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    South Dakota
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    746

    Default

    I had both these rods in my hands and they are both factory Kantnor blank Walton Powell graphite fly rods. Both are heavier steelhead/Striper rods as has been mentioned. Loomis never made blanks for Powell. That relationship is often misunderstood. Either way these are some extremely unique and outstanding old school Walton Powell graphite rods.
    There are few things in life more pleasing than the sublime marriage of form and function that is found in a well crafted fly rod.

    Rich Morrison
    Vintage Powell collector/dealer
    605-858-0800
    rich@classicpowellrod.com
    www.classicpowellrod.com

  5. #15
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Sebastian, FL, USA, Earth
    Posts
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    Default

    Rich.......

    For some time Gary Loomis, G.Loomis Rod Company, made graphite blanks for the Powell Rod Company.

    During this time I was a Powell dealer and G.Loomis dealer.

    With a small amount of research I can get this verified.

    Powell family financially helped Gary Loomis with a new modern blank facility so in return Powell got blanks from Gary at a great price.

    When Walton needed some 'pocket money' he would sell those blanks "out the back door" for $25.00.



    **We sold more G.Loomis rods than Powell because Gary used one size large tip top and snake guides on the top section.

    Master distance fly caster Chuck Campana pointed this out to me or I would not know about this.


    I lived through all this fly fishing stuff for my entire adult life so there is much that almost no one 'alive' knows about.

    Maybe we are not supposed to know all this?



    Powell would usually put 2 or 3 fly line sizes on their rods that probably hurt their sales some.


    Sadly, I never met EC Powell but he was an amazing inventor and had a huge influence on the fly fishing industry during the split cane era.


    Walton was kind of a jerk.

    Walton showed up at a 'California Fly Fishers Unlimited' meeting in Sacramento when Don Green and Les Eichhorn of Fenwick Rod Company were there talking about their new graphite fly rods. Walton as much as told them they were full bull and said graphite would never catch on.

    Press Powell was a really good guy.
    Bill Kiene (Boca Grande)

    567 Barber Street
    Sebastian, Florida 32958

    Fly Fishing Travel Consultant
    Certified FFF Casting Instructor

    Email: billkiene63@gmail.com
    Cell: 530/753-5267
    Web: www.billkiene.com

    Contact me for any reason........
    ______________________________________

  6. #16
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    South Dakota
    Posts
    746

    Default

    Thanks Bill! There were some “cloak and dagger” aspects to the Loomis Powell relationship. Based on what I know from Jim Clarkson (miss you buddy!!!) and some legal documents he may or may not have passed on to me everything you have said is correct. However, in this new rod facility blanks were rolled in alternating batches. Loomis had his mandrels, and Powell had theirs. Much of the actual equipment in the new facility belonged to Walt. So yes, Loomis “owned” the blank rolling shop. But the tapers the blanks were rolled on were proprietary to Powell and Loomis respectively. Powell was not building rods on Loomis blanks. The manner and source of just the blanks sold from this facility was indeed all over the place in classic Walton Powell fashion. And yes, Walton was an opinionated blow hard. Part of what made Walt Walt.

    As to these rods for sale here...these blanks for Walt’s dark gray graphite rods were rolled on Walt’s mandrels in Jim Kanrnor’s San Diego facility. This company was Performance Composites and later Graphite USA. These are standard modulus slow action graphite and have absolutely nothing to do with the Loomis Washington facility.
    Last edited by Rich Morrison; 06-12-2022 at 05:05 PM.
    There are few things in life more pleasing than the sublime marriage of form and function that is found in a well crafted fly rod.

    Rich Morrison
    Vintage Powell collector/dealer
    605-858-0800
    rich@classicpowellrod.com
    www.classicpowellrod.com

  7. #17
    Join Date
    May 2021
    Location
    Montana
    Posts
    9

    Default

    Uncle Bill, my recollection is that the original offering 3M/Scientific Anglers system graphite rods utilized a metal spigot ferrule. I really enjoy the historical information in this discussion.

    Best,
    M

  8. #18
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    South Dakota
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    746

    Default

    Yeah - I’ve seen a couple of those Kantnor blank graphite rods with metal ferrules. I’ve owed a few of Walt’s graphite/boron rods and they have the NS ferrules. Also, the Hexagraph line of graphite rods all had the drawn metal ferrules as well.
    There are few things in life more pleasing than the sublime marriage of form and function that is found in a well crafted fly rod.

    Rich Morrison
    Vintage Powell collector/dealer
    605-858-0800
    rich@classicpowellrod.com
    www.classicpowellrod.com

  9. #19
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Sebastian, FL, USA, Earth
    Posts
    23,837

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Mike McCune View Post
    Uncle Bill, my recollection is that the original offering 3M/Scientific Anglers system graphite rods utilized a metal spigot ferrule. I really enjoy the historical information in this discussion.

    Best,
    M
    Yes, you dog, you got me there Mike.

    I think those blanks/rods were made by Fisher?

    The post (male part) in the middle of the spigot ferrule was metal.

    Those larger ones were prized by tide water king salmon fly fishers.

    I had a 9 weight and Neil Hansen had a 10 weight. I think Al Perryman had some too.



    We have over 25 years of posts here to look at so I get interesting emails all the time.

    __________________________________________

    Mike McCune is another of my "sons" who is a famous Alaskan and Pacific Northwest fly fishing guide.

    He helps Sage and Rio with the development of their cutting edge two handed offers.

    Mike now lives on the Missouri river and if you ask him the right way he will teach/guide you with two handed fly rods.
    Bill Kiene (Boca Grande)

    567 Barber Street
    Sebastian, Florida 32958

    Fly Fishing Travel Consultant
    Certified FFF Casting Instructor

    Email: billkiene63@gmail.com
    Cell: 530/753-5267
    Web: www.billkiene.com

    Contact me for any reason........
    ______________________________________

  10. #20
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Willows
    Posts
    894

    Default You are the man!!

    Quote Originally Posted by Rich Morrison View Post
    I had both these rods in my hands and they are both factory Kantnor blank Walton Powell graphite fly rods. Both are heavier steelhead/Striper rods as has been mentioned. Loomis never made blanks for Powell. That relationship is often misunderstood. Either way these are some extremely unique and outstanding old school Walton Powell graphite rods.
    I been wondering about these rods. Even talked about them last night on the lake while fishing.

    You know just as much or more than Clarkson!!

    Thanks.
    Lance Gray
    Fly Guide
    530-517-2204
    http://www.lancegrayandcompany.com

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