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I wonder if anybody has thoughts on making a three piece rod such as a midge but rather than use metal for the ferrules make the sections fit by using very long scarfs with hardwood bearing surfaces? I'm sure the scarf idea would work but how would you hold them all together? Sliding bands? Sticky tape? It could look somewhat tacky as it's just for my own use. I thought it might be nice to try to keep the weight down that way on such a short rod.  (Tony Young)

I'm sure there are others on this list who have done so, but Morten Lovstad has built several scarfed-section rods.  He uses straight bamboo splices joined with electrician's tape ('round here, it's black and sticky).  Every time I cast one of Morten's rods I'm impressed.  (Harry Boyd)

Scarfs work very well. I've tried a 15' spey rod with scarfed joints. On this rod it was a swell where the scarfs are, but it won't be necessary on trout rods. Several rods made in the UK used scarf instead of ferrules. Chapman still makes 'em. I've made a 7' PMQ with scarf which I glued together, made the rod a one piece. I find scarf suits quads best.....

In the ol' days they used to wind silk thread to keep the rod together (usually for the whole season) nowadays electrical tape is fine.  (Danny Twang)

I've done it a few times. It works fine, and the rods cast like one piece rods, IE. better than ferruled rods. I don't think the so called "flat spot" is the big problem with ferruled rods, its just the weight of the ferrule that's the culprit.

I have glued a thin strip of cane to the back of each side of the splice and faired it in, but I think its only necessary to back up the fragile tip area of the splice. Electrical tape works fine, though many have been pleased to point out that its somewhat ugly.   (Tom Smithwick)

My thinking too re. the ferrule and weight. On short rods like a Midge a single ferrule is bad enough but two is way too much. I'll do this and see. I expect it will be very nice.  (Tony Young)

Why not use one or other of the excellent cane to cane joints discussed about a year ago? I haven’t tried them yet, but the concepts were totally feasible, and you can always overwrap with Kevlar if splitting worries you.  (Robin Haywood)

The splice joint is very effective and simple to make. The only downside is the bit of extra time it takes to apply the tape, and the ugly factor, which is a matter of opinion anyway. I'm working on finishing a rod that involves the method Ted Barnhart wrote about in The Planing Form. He was kind enough to demonstrate the method for a few of us recently. It involves a graphite sleeve formed in place as a tip over butt ferrule. The method has a lot of promise, and will work neatly with quads and pentas, even Bill Fink's trirods, I think. When we have some experience using the rod, I'll report further on the method.   (Tom Smithwick)

The but over tip bamboo ferrule I made for the Twisted Miss has a graphite insert in the female end and a graphite sleeve on the male end.

It is very light and so far has worked fine. The bamboo for the ferrule is the butt section cut off, drilled to accept the graphite sleeve. The male and female sleeves were made from broken Graphite rods. (Tony Spezio)

Well..............the best rods use a form of carbon fiber with the fibers disposed more radially than longitudinally on the female, this stops the tendency to split.

It might make a neater joint than cane and I am no sort of purist about using carbon where appropriate, like under the handle. Sourcing carbon may not be easy, especially of the right sort, and your scrap bin has all the little bits of cane all ready to use!  (Robin Haywood)

Tom Smithwick has built some multi-piece rods using electricians tape and they cast really well.  (Dennis Higham)

Thanks to all who replied. I think I'll try thread. Gaffer tape was my fist thought but having sticky residue build up over a series of days isn't so good I think. We're all pretty used to wrapping thread though eh? [:-)]  (Tony Young)

Just wondering if any of the folks that may have tried a taped or wrapped splice instead of a ferrule could give me an idea of the right slope for the splice.  There's quite a bit about about spliced rods in the archives - hardwood or bamboo bearing surfaces, what type of tape, etc. - but I didn't see anything about what slope to use.  12:1?   Is Tom Smithwick out there somewhere?  (Bill Benham)

Yes, I have used 12:1, the same splicing block I have used  for repair splices. It seems to be fine.   (Tom Smithwick)

I have 2 turn-of-the century spliced-joint rods.  One has a fall of 3/8" in 5 1/8", the second has a fall of 1/4" in 4 3/4".  They're great rods!  (Dave Howell)

In the old days before ferrules, the fly fishermen would attach sections of their greenheart rods by mating splices and wrapping them. When they finished fishing, they unwrapped the rods for storage.  

Anybody try this old method of attaching rod sections?  (Reed Guice)

I  have sometimes used a wrapped splice as an alternative to a ferrule for quads.  I’ve not used them on a hex or penta.  I have also permanently spliced them into a one-piece rod by gluing the splice with resorcinol and wrapping over it with silk thread.  (Bill Lamberson)

No, I've never tried it but have been tempted too. I'd think it would be as close to a one-piece rod as is possible to get. I've read that you can bind a splice with black electrical tape ? Anybody know more about this ?  (Larry Swearingen)

Anybody know more about this ?

I've done it a number of times on both light and heavy rods. It works fine. It is as close as you can get to a one piece rod, although some of the cane ferrule guys are getting very close, too. Electrical tape does work,  as does the clear tape that hockey players use.  Of course, it is not as convenient as a ferrule, and some object to the looks. On the other hand, it's a rugged system and very functional. There should be information in the archives. There are a couple photos here: 

Taped up and ready to fish. It takes about two minutes to put the tape on.

A tapered dowel is lashed to each side of the splice when in storage.

That particular splice is reinforced by gluing a strip of bamboo to the back of the cut splices.  (Tom Smithwick)

I know of at least one modern day rodmaker who offers spliced joint rods - Per Brandin. The cheapest price for a rod on his web site spliced or ferruled was  over $3000  and he had a wait list of 6-7 years. He recently announced that due to his age and the size of the wait list that he was no longer accepting orders. Yes Larry, black electrical tape is the most mentioned method of joining them although I believe that Brandin includes a small ring to go over each end of the joint before taping to provide extra strength.  (Will Price)

One quite easy method for a scarf joint/splice joint is described here.  I have used it both for spey, one-hand salmon and trout rods.  (Tapani Salmi)

I'm working on my first splice joint ferruled rod. My experiments have shown me that plastic electricians tape seems too stretchy and that friction tape holds well, but looks a little funky. I read somewhere that someone mentioned that the "tape hockey players use" works well for securing splice joints. Being a southern boy, I don't know what kind of tape hockey players or what they use it for. I seek enlightenment from my northern brothers as to just what the heck hockey tape is, where you get it and if the manufacturer may call it by another name.

If any of you have experience with splice joint ferrules, I'd love to know what you are using to secure them.  (David Atchison)

I have made one rod with this type of ferrule and use a small diameter waxed cord.  (Scott Grady)

You need two things from the tape. It does need to be stretchy, and the adhesive should not be strong enough to pull off the finish or leave a bunch of residue.  I used electrical tape for years, stretching it firmly when applying. In warmer weather, I used a second piece of tape to double wrap the center of the splice. The hockey tape is a bit firmer, and a better choice, I think. I think I have an extra spool I can send to a poor ice deprived Southern boy.  (Tom Smithwick)

I have been guilty of promoting the use of hockey tape for spliced rods, but have found out that it isn't UV-proof. It will come off in pieces and leave gunk on the rod. Electrical tape, which comes in various colors and is weatherproof and UV-proof, is the better choice. Stretch it as you wrap it but let the last few inches relax before sticking it to the rod -- that will prevent the end from pulling off. I use spliced two-handers almost all the time for my steelhead fishing and, after a two-week trip, the electrical tape comes off cleanly and easily. Duck Products used to make a clear electrical tape but they have discontinued it. I now use a brown tone that blends with the rod wraps.  (Ron Grantham)

I learned that splice joints are even lower tech than I thought. I like it! and that almost any tape will work in a pinch, meaning I can use whatever is handy at the tailgate of my truck. I will probably get some clear hockey tape or red (to match the wraps) electrical tape just for show. Believe it or not, hockey tape is actually available and on the shelf  (probably next to the surfing supplies) at an athletic store less than 2 miles from my house in northern Arkansas. Whoda thunk it!  (David Atchison)

By the way, the electrical tape will work, just needed to overlap the wraps more than I started out wrapping it.

I've completed (well, almost anyway, need 1 more coat of varnish) 2 splice-joint ferruled rods so far and a 3rd one is almost done (blank ready for wrapping).  The 2 that  are almost  done have been test cast. They seem to work really well. They flex thru the splice like 1 piece rods. All 3 are short, light rods. The next one will be an 8', 6 wt. I hope to have it done in time for SRG.  (David Atchison)

Has anyone used a spliced ferruled trout rod (4 or 5 wt) rod for any extend period of time - a fishing season?  Are they practical or just a fad in short, light trout rods?  I know they are primarily used for long (Spey) rods out west. Can anyone point me towards some construction details and spec's? (Derrick Diffenderfer)

I know that John McDaniel has used a 4-weight spliced-ferrule rod without problem for at least a full season of fishing on the Railroad Ranch part of the Henry’s Fork.  He fishes a lot and successfully and the fish are certainly big enough to test a rod thoroughly.You will find lots of discussion about such ferrules on Clark’s Forum.  Mostly about Spey rods, but the information is valid for trout rods.  One thing to note is that the ferrule area needs to be beefed up slightly.  Otherwise, the spliced ferrule will flex more than it should. (Tim Anderson)

I have a sir D quad conversion with a spliced ferrule that is 12 years old and doing fine. The spliced config didn't change the line weight.  James Reid makes splice jointed trout rods as well as two handers commercially, and has a following. My preference of course is for composite Universal ferrules though (over spliced or NS). (Chris Obuchowski)

Spliced ferrule fishing rods have been around since at least the 1800's when Alexander Grant set a spey casting distance record of 195 feet with his rod design the; Grant Vibration - a spliced ferruled twenty-one (21) foot rod. This distance record stood until just recently when it was surpassed by modern spey casting jedi.They allow me to design spey rods that are very light. Spliced ferrules can allow a nice flex through the ferrule. Or if designed as such; very stiff spey rods.I could imagine that the same results could be achieved with trout rods.Care needs to taken when taping to make sure the tape is stretched and very tightly wrapped around the splice. Some builders advocate the use of bees wax on the face of the splice to increase the integrity of the joint but I never had to do that. Being in Canada I use clear shin pad hockey tape, its cheap, readily available and very sticky. But it accelerates my biggest issue with spliced ferrules and that is getting a finish on the outside of the splices that won't eventually peel off with the tape over time and usage -  I think I may have that one licked finally, time will tell. (Wayne)

I'm interested in what you used to solve the problem of the peeling varnish.  I used a very thin liquid epoxy -  very expensive - to impregnate the splices. This epoxy is called Everdure by International Paints. Everdure is designed for below the waterline timber surfaces so it's a good product, especially since it will stay liquid for well over 48 hours and it can be further thinned with the appropriate   solvent.    The varnish only comes down to 1/2 inch from the splice slope so the tape never covers the varnish. The transition from the varnish on the rod shaft to the impregnated splice, less the half inch, has a thin wrap that terminates the varnish. Looks pretty good and works nicely.  Some blokes use an oil finish like tru-oil but I like the look of varnish. (Boris Gaspar)

I wax my spliced greenheart salmon rods, which seems to effectively protect the varnish from the glue of the electrical tape (porpoise hide strips are too much trouble).  But be careful to keep the wax away from your cork grips. The turpentine in the wax is really bad news for cork. (David Zincavage)

Since this was an experimental rod for me, I used what was easy to find locally. I dipped my splices in Minwax wood hardener about 1/2" beyond the end of the splice. And, I used 3 coats of Waterlox, which is basically a wiping varnish. I think Per uses MOW, not sure, and I have never had a problem with either one of them lifting, knock on wood. (Chris Moore)

Mine has been experimental too so I can appreciate what you've said. I did the same thing with my splices too. I dipped them into a test tube of the epoxy.I assume the minwax hardener is similar to the Everdure. Is it expensive too? (Boris Gaspar)

Here's a picture of the splices of two rods being impregnated.

(Boris Gaspar)

Hey Boris. It is some sort of liquified plastic resin, I believe. No chemist here. Acetone and Methanol on the MSDS, plus the resin and who knows what else, I'd guess. There were quite a few comments I read online (fwiw) that said it didn't have a lot of strength and could cause brittleness, but it is mostly used on punky or rotten wood, so I figured I was ok. It also works VERY quickly. 30-60 seconds of soak, not much longer to dry. I would prefer to use epoxy. When I make the next one, I plan on buying the one that WestMarine sells (or maybe yours if I can find it) for below waterline. That said, I think James said he was using thinned PU or maybe it was CA? Not epoxy anyways, if memory serves, though he may have changed to something new. (Chris Moore)

Dame Juliana in A Treatise Of Fishing With An Angle published in 1496 and existing in manuscript form much earlier shows a drawing of a splice joint. (Dennis Higham)

while casting a spliced rod I noticedthe sections slipped apart abit so I am trying a keyed splice. Simply, I am gluing a thin spline on the tip of each piece so they meet in the middle. With the tape around the joint they are locked in place. I used very thin stock, spanish cedar. That's what I had. It does stiffen the joint a bit. I haven't decided whether stiffer is better or not.  (Timothy Troester)

I'm surprised you detected slipage - are you sure you had two passes of tape, tight enough? I was in the park yesterday casting a 7' 6" - 3 peice spliced rod and I was again amazed how well the joints worked and how well the rod cast. No need for extra complication for me. (Boris Gaspar)

I used a seven weight for bass fishing for years.  It seemed practical enough.  I caught probably a couple hundred largemouths of 3 - 5 pounds and several from 6 - 11 pounds on that rod.It happened to be a quad.  When I made the butt and tip sections I made them extra-long so that the taper overlapped by 4-5" and then used a disk sander to make a scarf.  I did not change the taper through that section from what it would have been for a ferruled rod.  The sander left a slightly rough surface that might have been helpful in avoiding slippage in the joint.  I assembled it with cord and generally left it together all the time.  Ultimately and unfortunately, one day I had put the rod down to remove a tangle from the line just ahead of the reel and a bass hit the bug floating beside our boat.  I picked the rod up in the middle to set the hook and broke the rod.  When I repaired it I installed a ferrule, but never really liked the rod after that. (Bill Lamberson)

You can expect a spliced rod to cast about one line weight lighter than the same taper with a ferrule. I have a spliced spey rod that was not a bad casting rod with 560 - 620 grain weight line. I glued the splices together and the rod went to about 800 grains. My opinion, more fad that practical. They do not behave like a one-piece rod either. (Jerry Drake)

I've just completed a couple of rods with these ferrules. Both are 3 piece rods. I haven't fished them yet but I sent one to a friend who will be fishing with it most of the season. I guess time will tell how he feels about it.

However, as far as casting goes - on grass - of which I have done a lot, I couldn't be more enthusiastic about the positive feel these ferrules have on the rod. No only do they feel lighter in terms of swing weight but lighter overall. I don't detect any stiffness or undue slackness. I'm very happy with the results so far. For one of these rods I used the "Perfectionist" numbers excepting the moderate swells at the two ferrules. Spliced ferrules are a nice complement to the taper in my opinion. It's hard to describe with words.

The only pain is the taping & removal each time fishing. Of course unless you are staying put where the rod can be left assembled for the entire time. I break down my NS ferruled rods every time as others do and it seems accepted. But having said that, I think it's just a psychological barrier, as it seems the different appearance these ferrules have in the eyes of the uninitiated. Not sure if that barrier will ever diminish but that's my 2c worth.

Why don't you make one and test it to see what you think? To me that was the only reasonable thing to do to satisfy my curiosity. (Boris Gaspar)

I made an 8' 3pc 3wt splice joint hollowbuilt quad and I was really pleased. I brought it to fish at the Henry's Fork and ended up selling it to a gent there that didn't want to give it back to me. Hopefully I can find those numbers! I also have one of Per Brandin's early splice joint rods and it is also a favorite. I don't fish it like McDaniel -- almost daily and with those big, strong fish (not too many of those around here) -- but it has held up without issue on the odd big fish for 5 years or more now. They've been making splice joint rods for over a century. Go for it.As for dimensions, I changed nothing. What I did do is continue the slope coming into and going out of where the metal ferrule would have been. In other words, I didn't swell and neither did I flatten it out. Just kept the slope the same on both sections and cut the splice so that they would match up.You might have to play around with where the guides go, especially for a 3pc, due to the splices. I think you can get away with guides and hollowing closer to the splice than you might go with a metal ferrule, but on the other hand, you've got to allow for tape overlap at the ends of the splice joint. Since this was my first splice joint and I kinda went all out, I decided to draw it out and that was really helpful.Maybe I just got lucky out of the gate on this one. (Chris Moore)