 |
Supplies were
still not reliable - Supplies
were still unreliable and Bruce &
Walkers, Agutter was told by his friend
Cliff Constable famous UK Rodmaker, that
Walkers explored the use of Burmese
Bamboo, but the Cane |
|
| was
of no comparison to Tonkin Bamboo and broke
often. (Picture
above of Bamboo Importers Warehouse). Demand
for Cane rods in the USA was forever growing. The
Light Trout Fly rod lengths between 6 - 8'6"
could not be made fast enough. |
| The Turning Point
- Picture right of Sharpes
Milling Machine Bill of Purchase - click
on image to enlarge. In
the UK. Hardy's, Sharpes and Chapmans
began making Built Cane by a machine
process of Milling the Cane. This allowed
them to mass produce rods in the
thousands. Harold Sharpe said over 1,500
a month.
|
 |
|
| But
the Quality and complex tapers being developed by
American Rodmakers was still very noticeable. |
 |
The Best of
British Had Gone - Agutter
through his Angling began winning
Competitions, and in his rodmaking
strived for making the best rods. To him
due to his up bringing like many, British
was best. It was a bitter pill to him
that the large UK Rod Manufacturers were
so far behind in quality as to their
American Cousins. The old companies were
trading on a reputation of name only and
not quality. |
|
| Agutter
moved to london after leaving Full time education
and took a Clerks position with a London
Solicitors. At that time Norman's were still
manufacturing large quantities of fittings to the
trade, but the Americans were now producing
fittings and ferule joints from Nickel Silver. |
| But the Best Rods
Were Yet to Come - Agutter
shortly moved on from his place of
employement and joined an Insurance
Company. His sole objective was to raise
money for his rodmaking. He was now
starting to get frustrated customers due
to order books. Towards the end of the
70's he took the plunge and relied on an
income from rodmaking. He set up premises
in the centre of London. |
 |
|
| The
Angling world began to show interest, and he was
no longer ignored. His ideas for rod development
in the UK by the old traditional company's was
shunned upon. But his driving force was to make
the best and he knew his America Cousins were
well out front. |
| |
| His
passion for Cane was constant, and in fly fishing
he knew there was no substitute. But at that time
in the UK cane was regarded as an old timers type
of rod. He knew though in the USA that was not
the case. |
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