Restoring the Ancient Calcutta Rod

[Mako 22]

This is about a rod built sometime in the 1950's or 1960's in the San Diego area. I purchased it at yard sale last fall here in Port Angeles. The elderly owner had moved to Port Angeles after retiring from his job in San Diego.

The rod is simply a Calcutta cane that has eyes wrapped on and a reel seat/grip that was well worn. Along the lines of something Huck Finn would have built! The darn thing is very stout, 8 ft 4 inches long and the bamboo itself is in very good condition. Not to long ago it appears the guides were replaced and wrapped with a yellow underwrap with red top wraps. I think it was used on head boats out of San Diego.

Sitting in the rod lathe. The guides and wraps are as I found the rod.

Handle and reel seat. Reel seat falling apart. Handle was wrapped with cord then wrapped with electrical tape.

The aluminum reel seat was beyond use. Turks head knot shows a lot of experience.

A view of the handle & reel seat.

Found a new old stock Varmac reel seat on ebay.

Stripped:

After a little sanding:

Roughing the interior of the reel seat for a good epoxy bond.

New reel seat installed and rod bond curing. The reel stand is used for aligning the seat to the existing guides.

Wrapping on the new cord.

Spar varnish applied.

In the rod dryer

The good stuff. Atwood cord for wrapping and a can of spar varnish.

Now for the Turks Head Knots. Materials:

Tools. I wrap the knots on a wood dowel than transfer to the rod and tighten up the weave.

Finished

I think I will put 6 to 8 inches of cord wrap in front of the forward Turks Knot.

 

[Mako 22]

Ready to fish. I plan on using the rod this year jigging for halibut. It is as stiff as one of my 50 pound E Glass rods.

I will put a period Penn reel on the rod. A pre World War II Long Beach 65 on the left. A Penn 259 on the right, this one was produced right after World War II. I will rebuild both reels prior to use.

I am leaning towards the 259.

​

 

[kallitype]

Man, that is SO sweet!! lovely work, Mako. you're an inspiration!! I just bought (from local Goodwill store) a 13 ft British (Bruce&Walker) Compound taper Master 13 spey rod that is like new, will see if I can trade it for a Montague bamboo salmon rod in decent shape. There was an estate sale here last week that had some vintage unused Penn reels in boxes with papers included a NOS 65 (for $8!!!) that I passed on, don't know what I was thinking!!!

 

[walleyes]

Yup,, way cool.

 

[Mako 22]

Man, that is SO sweet!! lovely work, Mako. you're an inspiration!! I just bought (from local Goodwill store) a 13 ft British (Bruce&Walker) Compound taper Master 13 spey rod that is like new, will see if I can trade it for a Montague bamboo salmon rod in decent shape. There was an estate sale here last week that had some vintage unused Penn reels in boxes with papers included a NOS 65 (for $8!!!) that I passed on, don't know what I was thinking!!!

Arrrgggg!!! $8 is free! I collect Penns, must have 100. Old Penns with boxes and papers are rare, you should buy all you see.

I have a very nice split bamboo boat rod with no name, I think it was revarnished and new guides installed some time in the past. It needs a little work, but in very good condition. I will take a photo and post.

 

[fshnfnatic]

Nicely done M22.Repairing and restoring old classic rods is something I've always wanted to do.You have some fine skills there!

 

[Mako 22]

I hit the garage sales and junk shops often. Sometimes a nice rod is found, usually with failing wraps and broken or corroded guides. But the blanks are still viable! All they need is good stripping and clean up, followed by new guides. Sometimes a handle repair. I have several "prizes" in the rod racks awaiting treatment. 5 of them are the old style wire line rods that were used with Pakron reels when dragging a 2 or 3 pound cannon ball followed by a flasher and hoochie. Carbide guides and the funny swivel roller tip, the rod hangs below with the guides running on what we would call the bottom of the rod. Popular in the Port Angeles area in the 1950's and 1960's.

I enjoy using the old school rods and reels, more satisfaction when landing a nice fish on the old gear. Especially if the reel is ancient without a drag! Some of the old reels have a leather thumb pad to avoid burning the thumb when attempting to slow the running Chinook.

That Calcutta in the rebuild photos cost me all of $5!!

I build modern rods also with E Glass or Composite blanks.

This is an 8 foot E Glass blank, one piece, 50 pound rating. Will be used for Halibut jigging with heavy jigs. Rainshadow blank from Batson. I live 10 miles from Batson, nice to be able to pick up the long blanks and avoid high shipping costs.

Short rear grip. Long grips get in the way when seriously jigging. Foregrip long enough for both hands.

 

[Mako 22]

Another Bamboo rod. Split bamboo, the glue is holding up well. (I wonder what those old timers used for gluing the bamboo that holds so well) No makers mark, back in the past it was re varnished. Guides are corroded a little. The bag hanging just above the fore grip contains new carbide guides. This one is stout, it will handle 30 pound line easily. And surprise, it is a two piece and there is no corrosion inside the rod socket so it breaks down easily. 7 feet long.

It looks curved due to the extreme wide angle lens. It ain't! Still old Cuttyhunk line on the reel.

I will refinish the handle, maybe make a new foregrip from figured Maple, polish up the reel seat and reel, re-varnish the bamboo, wrap on the new guides. When it is complete I will take it out and try to jig up a Chinook on the Humps near Port Angeles. I have some old style 30 pound Dacron line that looks like the old Cuttyhunk for spooling the reel. I have another similar old reel with the leather thumb pad, might use it just in case a 25 pounder shows up.