Garry2Rs Posted January 16, 2012 Report Posted January 16, 2012 This is an interesting read... Ever since the introduction of the first graphite rod by Fenwick in 1974, myths about this mysterious material have been growing and circulating the globe like wildfire. How many times have you been told that the difference between IM6, IM7 and IM8 is the difference in quality standard, or that the higher the modulus, the more graphite was used to produce the rod? With there being so many misconceptions surrounding this material, Gary Loomis – one of the world’s foremost authorities on graphite rod design and founder of the G.Loomis Corp. – agreed to lend his expertise to eliminate these myths. Loomis began by explaining that the identifiers IM6, IM7 and IM8 are the trade numbers used by the Hexcel Corp. to identify their product and is not an industry quality or material standard, although the Hercules Fibers produced by the Hexcel Corp. are the benchmark that most companies use to compare their materials. The confusion is compounded because a number of rod manufacturers use materials produced by companies other than Hexcel and yet identify their rods as being IM6, IM7 and IM8, which by itself means nothing. What an angler needs to understand is how the word “modulus” pertains to graphite rods. Modulus is not a thread count, as many would have you believe. Modulus basically equates to stiffness. The higher the modulus, the stiffer the material is by weight, meaning less material is needed to achieve the same stiffness of lower-modulus materials. This results in a lighter product. “You have to remember, weight is the deterrence to performance,” Loomis said. Stiffness also equates to responsiveness – that is, the rod’s ability to store and release energy. The higher the modulus, the faster and more consistent a rod is able to store and release its energy, which enables an angler to cast farther and more accurately. G-Loomis rodsBut you cannot talk about modulus without including strain rate, or the measured strength of the material. While modulus is reported in millions, strain rate is reported in thousands. An acceptable strain rate for a fishing rod is 680,000 or higher. A graphite rod made from IM6 Hercules Fibers will have a modulus of 36 million and a strain rate of 750,000. With the original materials used for graphite rods, as the modulus rate increased, the strain rate would decrease, resulting in the rods being more acceptable to failures because of brittleness. However, through the advancements of materials, technology and engineering design, companies are able to produce high-modulus, high-strain-rate rods. These new high-tech fishing rods are super-light, responsive, and extremely sensitive and strong. But the misconception of brittleness still plagues them, and the reason for this is because as the modulus gets higher, the less material is needed and therefore used. This means that the wall thickness in the blank, which is basically a hollow tube, is thinner. “Remember what I said before – weight is the deterrence to performance,” Loomis said, and went on to tell a story: “I had a gentleman come in with a fly rod that broke near the handle, and he was asking for a new rod. I examined his broken rod and knew from the break – it was splintered – that his rod broke from abuse. So I asked him how it broke, and the man, being sincere, told me it broke while fighting a fish. I explained that it would be nearly impossible for the rod to break this way. But to be fair, (I told him) if he could break another rod the same way, I would give him three brand-new rods of his choice, but if he couldn’t, that he would pay for the repairs, and the man agreed. “So I took him out in the back by the shipping docks and handed him an identical rod. With the rod in his hands, I grabbed the blank and asked him to apply the same pressure he was using when it broke. The man was applying a great deal of stress on the rod, and it wasn’t breaking. So I asked if he wanted to apply even more pressure, and the man responded that he didn’t think he could, but he insisted that is how his rod broke. “So then I told him, ‘We are going to break this rod, so that it breaks just like yours did.’ I then laid the blank on a rubber mat and I kneeled on it by the handle, and we tried it again but it didn’t break. Then I laid it on the concrete and kneeled on it. Examining the rod, you couldn’t see it was damaged, but this time the rod broke just like his did, and the man simply asked where he needed to pay to get his rod repaired.” The point of this story is that these high-modulus, high-strain-rate, thin-walled rods are extremely strong and are highly unlikely ever to break under normal use. Almost all rods are damaged by other means – an angler accidentally stepping on them, hitting them against a hard surface while casting, or storing them where a toolbox or some other heavy object can slide into them. Then, with the damage done, the rod collapses while under the stress of fighting a fish. So while high-modulus, high-strain-rate rods are not brittle, they do require more care in storage and transport. There is a graphite rod made for every angler and their lifestyle. Composite blends (a mix of graphite and fiberglass) can take a lot of abuse. Intermediate modulus rods (33 million to 42 million) with high strain rates (700,000 or higher) still offer a lot of sensitivity and responsiveness and are quite durable. The high-modulus, high-strain-rate, extremely light rods are usually a rod manufacturer’s high-end product. These rods are the ultimate in responsiveness and sensitivity, and they cost a lot more than the average fishing rod. As with anything that costs this type of money, you would want to take a lot better care of it, including using protective cases to store and transport them around. Hopefully, you now have a much better understanding of graphite as it pertains to fishing rods, and as a result, understand the care you need to employ with their use, storage and transport. Finally, armed with your new found knowledge, you will be able to make a much more informed decision the next time you purchase your next graphite rod.
Garry2Rs Posted January 16, 2012 Author Report Posted January 16, 2012 As some of you might know Gary Loomis is building rods again. He had a non-competition clause with Shimano when he sold them the G.Loomis company back around 2001, but that has expired. His new rods are sold through Temple Fork Outfitters. Most interestingly, to me, they are all labeled IM6!!! Okay, for those of you who are still interested in the topic, I did also did a quick Internet search... from http://www.flyanglersonline.com/cst/cst010801.html IM6 is merely a trade name for Hercules fiber of (not especially high) modulus. Since there are no industry standards that I am aware of, there is no way to compare apples to apples, i.e. the modulus of say IM6 to one manufacturer will not be the same as the modulus of IM6 used by another manufacturer. from Tackle Warehouse @ http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/RodSelection.html IM6, IM7, etc.: These are trade names for particular graphite produced by the Hexcel Corporation. These numbers are not industry standards or an indication of quality, especially since other companies use the designations to refer to graphite not made by Hexcel. At best, they allow you to compare the quality of the material used to build different rods by the same manufacturer. You can be confident that the IM7 rod would use better graphite than the IM6 rod if both are made by the same manufacturer. It's more difficult to say the same about rods from two different companies, since they could be made from material from completely different manufacturers. Modulus: As stated above, modulus refers to the stiffness of the graphite, not the amount of material used or the number of graphite fibers incorporated into the sheets. Buying a rod based solely on the modulus rating is a mistake because other factors must be considered. For instance, you don't want the stiffest rod for light line techniques or cranking. In addition, other qualities must be incorporated in the graphite itself and the rod must be designed correctly to ensure the best performance and durability of the rod. The other components that go into a quality rod can also add significantly to the cost. From Bass Pro Shops @ http://www.basspro.com/servlet/catalog.CFPage?mode=article&objectID=29385 Graphite comes in a variety of different "modulus ratings," which is the measurement that is used to describe the strength of the fibers used in the rod. The higher the modulus rating, the stronger and denser the fibers are that make up the rod. Think of it this way - as the rating goes up, the material involved goes down, allowing for a lighter weight, faster action and more sensitivity - while also maintaining it's core strength. The one downside to all of this is as the rating goes up, the brittleness in the rod increases. (Finding a common ground between features and the "brittle" factor is the key to success.) To put this in an example, Fiberglass has a modulus rating between six and 13-million, while Graphite has a rating between 33 and 60-million. (IM6 blanks have a rating of 33-million, while IM7's are pegged at 42-million.)
Bassnbows Posted January 17, 2012 Report Posted January 17, 2012 Some very interesting information there. Thanks for the info.
BillM Posted January 17, 2012 Report Posted January 17, 2012 As some of you might know Gary Loomis is building rods again. He had a non-competition clause with Shimano when he sold them the G.Loomis company back around 2001, but that has expired. His new rods are sold through Temple Fork Outfitters. Most interestingly, to me, they are all labeled IM6!!! Gary's new company is called North Fork Composites... http://www.northforkcomposites.com You can buy blanks directly from the site..
Aaron Shirley Posted January 17, 2012 Report Posted January 17, 2012 Great topic Garry. It is too bad there isn't an 'industry standard' for graphite fishing rods or fishing line. Hopefully this helps to educate some OFC'ers with graphite rods. There is a brand new technology now from 3M for graphite fishing rods "nano technology". It is ground-breaking technology that allows for even lighter high modulus graphite rods while maintaining its core strength without being too brittle. Some rods are about 3 ounces or less fully equipped. Pretty amazing technology. I played with a couple rods with this new 3M Nano technology, and they are really sensitive and strong even being so light. I've felt many high end graphite rods with various technology from many different brands over the years. I've never felt a rod so light and sensitive in my lifetime. Will they help to catch more fish than other high modulus rods? Probably not lol. They will be more pleasurable to fish with though. From my understanding, there are only 3 rod companies allowed to utilize this new technology; GLoomis, Hardy and Rapala. Other rod companies that claim to have nano technology are not using the 3M technology and the molecules are significantly larger resulting in rods that do not have the same properties or performance at all. Just thought I would share the latest advancements in graphite technology in this thread to add to the great info here. Not meant to hijack, just add to an already great thread with terrific info.
Aaron Shirley Posted January 17, 2012 Report Posted January 17, 2012 I'm sure Gary's North Fork Composite rods are going to be phenominal rods. How could they not be. I've always liked Gary Loomis' rods.
solopaddler Posted January 17, 2012 Report Posted January 17, 2012 (edited) There is a brand new technology now from 3M for graphite fishing rods "nano technology". It is ground-breaking technology that allows for even lighter high modulus graphite rods while maintaining its core strength without being too brittle. Did the rod that broke in half when you showed it to me last week have nano technology? (Sorry, there was no way I could resist. ) Edited January 17, 2012 by solopaddler
solopaddler Posted January 17, 2012 Report Posted January 17, 2012 Gary's new company is called North Fork Composites... http://www.northforkcomposites.com You can buy blanks directly from the site.. Beat me to it Billy. I've actually had preliminary discussions with Jon Bial about distributing NFC blanks in ON. Not sure if it'll lead to anything, but you never know.
okumasheffield Posted January 17, 2012 Report Posted January 17, 2012 I wonder if companies manufacturing badminton racquets / golf clubs would ever get into fishing rod businese imagine how light & responsive the rod can be!
solopaddler Posted January 17, 2012 Report Posted January 17, 2012 I wonder if companies manufacturing badminton racquets / golf clubs would ever get into fishing rod businese imagine how light & responsive the rod can be! Not only that, but when you reeled the fish in close you could beat them to death with your rod. An oversized head would also make long distance releases a breeze. Sweet idea.
Twocoda Posted January 17, 2012 Report Posted January 17, 2012 I wonder if companies manufacturing badminton racquets / golf clubs would ever get into fishing rod businese imagine how light & responsive the rod can be! im betting there wouldnt be any ice build up at the tip....oh could also eliminate dragging a fish onto the bank....just net it at the tip of your rod... dibs on the patent...lol..
Aaron Shirley Posted January 17, 2012 Report Posted January 17, 2012 Haha, funny solo! Actually it did not, but it wouldn't have mattered if it did. Breakage would have happened with any rod with my careless placement of the rod Lesson learned!
okumasheffield Posted January 17, 2012 Report Posted January 17, 2012 Not only that, but when you reeled the fish in close you could beat them to death with your rod. An oversized head would also make long distance releases a breeze. Sweet idea. Ouch, I have never thought of it ...
Snidley Posted January 17, 2012 Report Posted January 17, 2012 I know a man named Ken Whiting who is a designer in graphite (Lamiglas, Airrus, E 21, Duckett and now back at Airrus) who has the ultimate respect for Gary Loomis. He tells me that Gary Loomis's expertise in graphite rod design goes way beyond the simple technical aspects of rod modulus and strain rate. Small tweeks in graphite manufacturing, groundbreaking experience in rod building techniques including seat and guide placement as well as distribution methods and marketing all are part of Loomis's legacy. Loomis excels in all of the steps and that's why his leaving G Loomis once it was sold to Shiloomis had such a negative impact on that once great firm. No doubt the North Fork composites blanks and their demanding requirements for associated rodbuilders will produce state of the art fishing tools that even the Japanese will be hard pressed to equal.
I'mHooked Posted January 17, 2012 Report Posted January 17, 2012 (edited) From my understanding, there are only 3 rod companies allowed to utilize this new technology; GLoomis, Hardy and Rapala. Other rod companies that claim to have nano technology are not using the 3M technology and the molecules are significantly larger resulting in rods that do not have the same properties or performance at all. At least one other: http://www.lamiglas.com/prod_indiv.php?groupid=70 Salmon & Steelhead Rods: Lamiglas Si The all-new Lamiglas Si Series reflects the absolute best in rod construction and design. Greater sensitivity and strength is achieved using 3M's Nano Matrix Resin. Now, with this innovative new technology salmon and steelhead anglers will enjoy superior strength, as much as 40% more strength, with no added weight. (Just happened to be reading about it last night) I wonder if companies manufacturing badminton racquets / golf clubs would ever get into fishing rod businese imagine how light & responsive the rod can be! E21 (Carrot Stix rods) is a golf club manufacturer as well: http://e21sports.com/ They hit a golf ball from the International Space Station 4 years ago. Wonder if they've got plans for the longest cast from space? Very interesting read Garry, thanks for the information! Edited January 17, 2012 by I'mHooked
Snidley Posted January 17, 2012 Report Posted January 17, 2012 Looks like Lamiglass replaced the Ti2000 with the Si model. I bet they are nice but they are pricey. They make oars for pontoon boats and drift boats now too. Ken Whiting was involved with the Ti2000 (titanium metal butt section and graphite top section combined in one rod) That was the nicest rod I've ever held (but not fished at $800 each)
torco Posted January 18, 2012 Report Posted January 18, 2012 Good read thanks for that, helped me immensely and shows me why some my old rods which are cheaper are able to take so much abuse bushwacking and back country camping and am glad that my more expensive rods are stored away safely when not used.
Snidley Posted January 20, 2012 Report Posted January 20, 2012 I just read on another forum the the 3M nanotechnology is now offered on Cabelas Platinum ZX rods for $199. Wait till this time next year and they will be on sale for $100-$120. This must drive makers like Rapala, St Ctoix and Lamiglas nuts....good for us though. Airrus is offering their version of nanotechnology AND fluted design wrapped up in"buckey paper". Who knows, they were first with nanotechnology when everyone said it was bogus. Now it's turning up everywhere...and not just in fishing rods.
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