Monday, March 14, 2011

Duff's "Safe" Tobacco

One of the neat aspects about being a member on the Fiberglass Flyrodders forum is the buying, selling, and trading of gear that goes on continually.  More than once I've seen a particular fly rod or reel offered up and have it end up with someone who later has interests change and that item is again offered up gain to someone else on the forum.  It is just one part of a very neat online community.    

Tom Anderson, a.k.a. "Duff", had this experience with a tobacco brown glass 3/4 weight Studio Thin Line build that passed through several hands before finding it's way into his collection. 


Tom wrote...  "Back in 2007 a truly unusual and glorious fiberglass rod appeared on the Fiberglass Flyrodders forum.  It was a little rod by the Japanese bamboo rod builder Ishizaka Koichi of Chiba, Japan.  I was absolutely knocked out by the photos and was especially taken with the unusual "tobacco glass" blank as well as the many elegant details that Ishizaka-san built into his rod.  

Several years later I saw that the very same rod was for sale on the site of a well known seller of vintage and pricey bamboo rods.  I could tell that it was the same rod by the extraordinary flaming pattern in the reel seat insert.  I immediately e-mailed that I would take the rod but was disappointed to find that somebody had already beat me to it.  That was back in 2009.  Low and behold that very same rod appeared again several weeks ago on the Fiberglass Flyrodders forum for sale board and this time, to my great delight, I captured the elusive little rod."













"If there ever was a perfect glass rod, this is it and paired with its elegant little countryman, a Kineya Cavous "Sliced" reel, it is all that one could want in a relatively short light line fly rod outfit.  And did I mention, this tobacco is perfectly safe and very likely even has a beneficial effect on hypertension?  Works for me."


Stunning might not be a fitting enough term for this beauty and I don't expect this one to be changing hands again.  Ever.

6 comments:

Peter said...

Now that is a looker!
It would not leave me either. Stunning!

Shane said...

SWEET!

Fontinalis Rising said...

another fine example of why we read TFM. Stellar pictures and a great story.

Cameron Mortenson said...

Peter/Shane/FR...I've had my eye on one of these builds for some time. I'd certainly like to add one to the collection at some point.

Unknown said...

I believe that was once my rod I ordered directly from Japan. It is a beautiful rod. If Duff bought it from my friend in Oregon than it is one and the same. Enjoy.

Cameron Mortenson said...

Dan...I do believe that this fly rod started with you and Duff is more than impressed.