TackleTour

Anybody find out about any new rod blanks released at ICRBE? NFC? Phenix? etc..

Yes both have new stuff and had examples there. Phenix had a bunch but I did not have time to look at them closely. Gary had mostly his "standard" blanks which are still pretty darn good, but not cheap!

batson had a sweet 822.5 rx8 that i don't know if its new or not. bought a 7-6 hm dropshot blank from nfc which they told me was new. the st croix blanks were beautiful but did'nt find out about new ones. just i was about to leave i saw the phenix booth, they had their new t46 blanks there, they aren't a smooth blank, the bottom has a rough kind of woven look and i think is different graphite from the top- no i did'nt get to talk to the designer who was there. i weighed a 7-6 medium heavy 1.55 ounces and a 7-6 medium light was under 1.4. they were'nt the prettiest blanks , what they are is the lightest -and how - i ended up buying three

I scored one of the prototype high modulus MHX blanks, it’s an MB843 and I am working on it this week. I am building it with some of Alex’s new Kigan micro guides. Steve bought one of theT46 Phenex display blanks, those seem really nice, they are super light and I kind of like the rough finish.

As Mike said I purchased one of the new T46 Phenex display blanks
Its a7 ft .heavy action pitching blank that weighs 1.95 oz. which is incredibly light for a blank rated for 25 lb line.
Blank has a very high pitch to it almost sounds like a high tone bell, which is a good indication of its ability to transmit vibrations efficiently.

Cool thing about these blanks is that they were packed up by the factory with the other blanks for display and sent out by mistake, they were supposed to debut at ICAST and should not have been there at all, they are not due out on the market till fall. There mistake our gain.
The rough finish is part of the construction of the blank, appears that they are being built with out having to be sanded like other blanks, may be an indication of different construction methods.

can you post a picture of the finish? there is no cellophane wrapping marks??!?

that is a very light weight blank, if it truely is a heavy power!

It's not a cellophane, the finish is actually lassored onto the rod! Got lucky! I didn't know they would be selling them there.

Vince Borges wrote:It's not a cellophane, the finish is actually lassored onto the rod! Got lucky! I didn't know they would be selling them there.

Vince, lucky for us!!! I scored 2 from Jeff last time I was there. I cannot wait to build them and to do a full review. I got a 7'6" MH and the 7' H, both blanks weigh less than 2 oz each. I do not have the specs with me since I am traveling but will post some more details once I get home. I did have some time to match these to some GLX I had. The 7'6" almost matches the BCR893 GLX and the 7' to the MB844 GLX BUT both are quite a bit lighter and seems a tad heavier and faster than the GLX counter parts . I do not have a rod measureing board however, so the match up is not very scientific. THe finish is lasser engraved, which stiffens the action and produces a drop dead beautiful finish that will never wear off or fade. only if they are just as strong and durable as the UMBX blanks, the drastic increased in sensitivity and decrease in weight will no doubt REVOLUTIONIZE the rod world. Can't wait to get them build.

Harry

Jimmy;
Don't know how to post pictures, but if you email so I have your E address. I can take pic's with cell phone, if they come out TX it to my email, and forward it to yours, if you don't mind you can post it.

There are actually two distinct patterns on the blank about 23 inches long starting from the approximate front location the the reel seat there is a matrix of extra material to aid in back-bone strength. then the rest of the blank has a spiral pattern to it in 1millimeter increments.the blank actually has a rough texture to it.

There are definitely no cellophane marks

How pricey are the T46s?

cool guys. Please provide some more data and details when you guys can. I'm really interested in those new Phenix blanks.

was told that retail would be about $200.00 each.
But if you were lucky enough to be at the show you got a good deal and if lucky enough to have a few connections even a better deal

-what chu talkin' about WILLUS

here are the pics of the phenix blanks that ICMABB sent me

honestly, the texture looks like cellophane wrapping to me, they just use a very tight overlap... and you can see the uneven outside (wavey shape) of an unsanded, raw blank. Generally in the manufacturing process, these blanks would go to the centerless sander to be made consistent (and they actually will get lighter). Then they will have whatever finish applied (in this case, i am guessing phenix will use a clear finish because of the neat pattern they added to the prepreg in the handle section)

Jimmy

It may be hard to explain with out feeling or seeing in person. The blank is textured. I know what you are saying about the cellophane, but in this case the lines you see are actually cut into the blank. (Easier to see in last picture).
They look much wider then they are because of using the Macro setting on the phone’s camera.
The lines are almost like slices in the material, perfectly spaced at 1mm intervals from tip to butt. Running my thumb nail down the blank is almost the same feeling as running it across the surface of and old LP record.
It is possible they could be but I’m pretty sure they not cellophane marks

The prepeg in the handle section had its own texture. The ribs are 2mm wide and it does not mater whether their running parallel, perpendicular, or at the 40 degrees you see.
They can be felt as raised areas above the other spirals. Something I think would be impossible if the blank had been sanded leaving the cellophane marks. I almost think that what you see was added after sanding to permit or create the texture.