Good morning to all the Phillipson Fiend Club members out here.
What I’m about to say is sure to cause some fuss ..

For many years it has been opined on this site that the Phillipson “Mylar” Masters were based on Eponite blanks .

I’ve disagreed with this assessment for about as many years…
I lurked on this forum for a solid decade before i joined.
Since officially joining back in 2018 I’ve kept my trap shut about it since it was only a hunch at the time.

I’ve been trying to get some reference material to make my case.
I think 13 8ft 6/7wt Phillipson rods should help get us a proper frame of reference..

The lynch pin for my hypothesis was to finally score an 8ft Mylar Master rod .

Check..

Here’s my evidence

The Mylar Master M80 arrived over the weekend and as soon as I took it out of the box cleaned the ferrule and wiggle tested it.
I could tell right away it was not an Eponite rod..
Eponites just have a certain “spring” to them.
Eponites feel heavier but have a smaller wall diameter than its 6wt Classic glass equivalent.

This 8ftr was just like my 7.5ft and my 8.6ft Mylar Master in that it’s
Lacking the spring and the back bone of my Eponites
I could also tell Just by eye it had a bigger diam than my Eponites
So I got out all my rods to confirm
The Mylar Master ferrule is bigger than my Eponites see pics

The Mylar Master has the same ferrule and the same same taper as my Classic Glass 8ft scout,chieftain,regal lancer

Did a quick “unscientific” measurement
My Classic glass rods and the Mylar Master within acceptable tolerance as the the chief and the master we’re almost identical
The scout was on the low end but feels slightly softer is not painted or dipped and I believe is an earlier rod so that stands to reason for it being thinner
The regal lancer is painted and has been dipped a few times so it is thicker there .
All in all the same.


My 8ft Eponites p80 and x80 were definitely thinner
Here is my Eponite dry fly special which has a 7wt butt with 6wt tip
With the Royal being even a bit thinner .
I remember Professor Bulldog saying royals were always hand picked for lightness and crispness along with aesthetics..
So on taper and ferrule the Mylar master is based on the classic glass rods .
On action.
The Mylar Master and the Chieftain feel super close to one another.
The scout feels a lil different since it has spin tip top that seems to be original. Slightly lighter action but with more tip bounce .
The Regal Lancer has one extra guide fancy wraps and been dipped a few so it naturally is a lil more slow action.. but a smooth operator.
Let’s talk about finish
Here are some pics

At a first glance I could see who one my think it’s an Eponite but look closely.

Eponites have a certain “grain” to them. See how the scrim has like small rectangular dashes running lengthwise up the blank


The Mylar Master and The Scout have a scrim that’s that’s like a stacked squares/weave

You can tell that the Eponites are “harder” and are just a tad more shiny.

Well if its not Eponite ? What is it??
The 1961 mini-catalog gives us some insight

As the back of the catalog states that by 61
Phillipson changed from phenolic to epoxy for all rod construction .

So the later “classic” glass rods are upgraded from phenolic to epoxy but not vacuum/cured like Eponites.


The scrim was slightly different but the prepregs and resins were most likely similar .

Like it was Bill’s swan song for the Classic glass customer base..
Those who wanted bamboo like action of the older tapers but built to last.
But maybe not last as well as an Eponite .lol

Here is more evidence from the 61mini catalog
Introducing “classic” glass rods.


Here’s the Mylar Master entry
Notice no mention of the the master being built on Eponite blanks . Just saying natural tone tubular blank.
If masters were Eponites no doubt they would have touted that fact in the listing.


Moving up the food chain in the 61 catalog here is the de luxe rods entry specifically mentions that it’s built on a new and improved Eponite Blank.


And finally the top spec Royal’s entry
once again specifically mentioning Eponite Construction ,Also mentioning hard and slick as marble..


Here’s a mention from the 58-59 catalog announcing the improvement of Eponite


Back cover shot of Bill putting the Eponite to the test on The Gunnison

I’ll let you rod detectives peep my evidence and see if I’ve got a case or not??

Addendum..
I ran a wiggle test on my 7.5ft phillipson Mylar master compared to my R76,t76, and the Profile 400/Eponite rod I’ve got about 1,500 casts in with this week .

The 7.5 Mylar Master is way more akin to ratface’s r76 and my powerkast T76
Than it is to carlZ old Eponite profile 400 I picked up recently.
It’s Not even close.

Also my Mylar Master 7.6 and 8.6 have the same scrim and finish as the 8footer .

Not trying to ruffle any feathers but I wanted to share this important info with y’all .

Older phillipson rods get generalized and mischaracterized a whole bunch around these parts.
I kinda bums me out that in all these years that those generalizations keep getting echoed..

It’s not tobacco glass , it’s not trevarno glass
It’s Phillipson “Classic” glass

Approx Timeline I work from
Gen-1 Phenolic
scripted rods-1951-54
challenger,special and original DeLuxe rods 54-55-56?

Gen-2 improved Phenolic
S-series, R-series, PowerKast/T-series 55-57? Better scrim and phenolic prepreg as earlier rods.

I hypothesize that Scouts, Lancers ,chieftains and stream knights were possibly built on the gen2 phenolic and gen3 epoxy process

The scouts,chiefs,lancers,and knights are all in my 58-59 catalog so they are cataloged much more late in the game than others thought.
Many on the site think those rods are early to mid 50s rods .
58-59 That puts them just in time for when all rod production was moving to epoxy .

Gen3 would be the rods labeled
“Classic”
utilizing epoxy construction without high pressure

I sure hope Dr Todd reads this…
I’d like to know what he thinks

ok I’m ready for the slings and arrows to begin…
Go!

What's always been known is Eponite is a process to pressurize the resin during curing.
Epoxite is a different resin and still made using the Eponite process.
What's different about the Master, Deluxe and Royal series, they used Scotchply fibers.
I hope this thing is on.

Please excuse me if I'm not sure I'm keeping up, but, Eponite could be either Hexcel or Scotchply? or some/any other 'glass cloth? could use different resins as well?
Belay that. Not important.

Johnson bought the company from Bill Phillipson, and Bill first used Scotchply on the Johnson Profile 800 series.
He bought the company back in 1964.
He sold it to 3M in 1972.

The 1955 Eponite process involved using heat to reduce the resin viscosity, and pressure - the combination to drive the resin throughout the composite, and giving a stronger cured resin.
The stronger you can make the composite, the less thickness and weight you need.
The current technology to use the least possible amount of material is nanoresin impregnation, which you normally see combined with both linear fibers and helical cloth layers to increase the strength to weight ratio - this part is not much different from what was advancing with Uniglas and Scotchply - anisotropic fiber strength.

Nor did I say all the rods were Eponite, but said the eponite process was used on all Phillipson rods after 1955.
Eponite does not refer to a resin or fiber, but the process that improved the end result.
At some point, there are improvements in the resin and fiber that are worth marketing by using a different moniker.

Beautiful collection.

Wow great info and rod collections! And I thought I had too many rods!

Bruce

Bloodhound
Pile is the operative word for sure .lol
I’m at the point I may have to start hiding rods over my buddies house.

I think you should redo that chief anyway..

I may need to send you my 7.5ft Mylar master
To compare and measure to your Eponite X76
For the Phillipson research projects.

I know vtsalmon26 has a chieftain tc76 so the Mylar rod may have to go from me In Maryland to you in Colorado then to John in Vermont then back to me in Md .

I should of sent the Mylar Master rod out with call tags before the rates doubled ..


I really need to get the following rods next to mine for a more accurate analysis

If Anyone reading this has the following rods…

Eponite P76 std (non dry fly special)
Eponite X76 std ( non Dfs)

And the following mid to late 50 Classics
The Scout Ts76
The Chieftain Tc76
Stream Knight Sk76
Regal lancer RL76

I would like to talk to you!
Please reach out to help the Phillipson Fiends solve this Mylar Master Mystery

We’re putting the Phillipson puzzle pieces together One rod at a time..



Be like a Piano, and Stay Tuned..
Scotto

Sandman
Not sure where you got lost??
You need to re-read this whole post from the beginning..

That approx timeline is for “Classic “ tubular glass rods only.

Not Eponite..

I explain the Eponite timeline in the above post
Already also
Recap..
Eponite-1955
Revised 57ish
Eponite Retired with yellow masters ..67-68

The X80 Eponite has already been logged into the database of the Phillipson Fiend project.

Please see my original post were I put all the 8ftrs to the test with measurements photos etc

X80 and P80 Eponites have smaller diam and smaller ferrules than the 8ft Mylar master .

The 8ft and 8.5ft Mylar master shares the same taper and ferrules as their regal lancer, stream knight , the scout and the chieftain equivalents..

All explained plain as day in my above posts .

What we are trying to nail down now is the Mylar Master 7.5ft rod compared to a 100% known labeled Eponite 7.5ft 6wt

P76 non dry fly special
X76 non dry fly special
Note :
Dfs (dry fly special ) Eponite rods use a 7wt butt with a 6wt tip

Vs
classic glass rods from the mid 50s
Sk76
Tc76
RL76
Ts76
To compare and evaluate to one another.
Size /taper / ferrule / scrim / action etc

The 7.5 Mylar Master is my outlier as it’s not featured in my 1961 data reference



Here’s the header listings again a lil clearer from my Og post
Note:

“Classic” Glass described-as tubular natural color blanks.

“Master” (Mylar) described- as natural tone tubular shaft .

“DeLuxe” described -as the fabulous Eponite deluxe is now lower in price and redesigned more durable and 30% stronger than conventional tubular rods ..

“Royal” described-as produced in small batches in the custom shop , specifically stating the Eponite shaft’s glassy surface is extremely hard and slick as marble . Truly the worlds finest rod..



Maybe if the bandwidth of my post would stay on track of what I’m trying to solve with the research .

I wish the responders would realize this post isn’t so much about Eponite the process as whirlpool and bulldog we’re debating .

My whole point is not to debate Eponite as a process .
That’s a whole other story itself ..

But to research and discuss Eponite as a Product.
An Eponite rod …Shiny/Glassy hard ,slick as marble with the greatest action ever built into a rod .. plus terrific power and backbone ,harder, more durable baked finish for longer lasting protection Eponite




My whole point of the entire Thesis is that these Mylar Masters that someone once called it an Eponite (I’d like to have a word with person)
and wheather they are truly really Eponites .. the product/ rod

Eponites have their own proprietary taper that the Eponite process by its nature is more dense with the resin and glass mix due to the Eponite process
Resulting in Eponite the product .
That has a thinner Outer diam than a conventional tubular rod which will be bigger to give more strength.
Eponites do more with less .

Classic glass has its own proprietary taper as well .

We’re trying to ascertain where the Mylar Master rods fit in ..

Hope this helps
Scotto

Sandman
No worries..

You can make it up to me by taking some measurements of your X80 for me to load onto my database
I need you to measure 11.25 inches up from the butt cap
get me The OD in mm


Then measure OD 1.75 inches up base of male ferrule


Get me the OD of the male ferrule as well ..

Patience and perseverance are the cornerstones of my Fishing Mantra.

Last week alone I spent 26 hours and over 1,500 casts to catch 1-slab sided 14” Crappie
Here’s that story

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=73974

I’m the kinda guy that can wait to get my fish.

Patience….
I have two teenage boys ,
I’m a youth archery and angling instructor.


I also run a youth fishing tournament every summer in Baltimore.
I ran a skateboard company for 20yrs dealing with teenagers…
So yeah I’ve got the patience..

Let me tell you a lil about my perseverance..
Im a digger .. a picker … a finder….packratter of ideas and data based solutions.

I put solutions to problems for my boss at the VW/Audi shop all day every day .
When it can’t be found my boss call me to find it !!

When the sales staff can’t explain to customer of how to install coil over suspension over the phone that call comes to me.

Customer needs the most unobtainium part for his rare Supercharged Corrado
Guess who finds it ..

When the techs just can’t quite diagnose or fix a issue regarding An Audis multi link suspension noise or some other German gremlin going inside
My boss puts me on it and I haven’t been an official technician since 2004

My boss knows my Add/HD’s ability to “hyper-focus” and make things happen

It’s why he’s kept me around for 21 years. Lol

When I’m not fixing and solving things professionally i like geeking out at home after fishing with some form of research or rebuilding, tinkering with stuff that pertains to topics I enjoy digging into.

I like rebuilding/restoring and race prepping Japanese motorcycles and Vintage sportbikes.

Along with SCCA , NASA , IMSA rally and road race cars .

To shut my mind off and slip into a slower gear I’m am into futzing with vintage graphite and glass rods .

Fishing is the ONE things that allows me to slooowww down.

I’m also into history , and unsolved mystery’s
My unquenched thirst to find out about something can get quite OCD tunnel visioned

Phillipson’s being one of these topics that has my attention…
7 years ago I started this file


Only 3 people on planet earth know what I’ve got inside this file .

1-Myself,

2-My dogged Research Partner who’s still unscrambling his brain after our phone call on Friday when he was “illuminated” !

I can assure you I’ve got him digging some bones up!!

On Friday I finally got confirmation from the 3rd individual who’s knowledgeable in such matters.
I was shocked when I called him and he said he was familiar with my work..

This lil Mylar Master Mystery post has been just for fun and but a drop in a bucket of Phillipson nuggets I’ve got in my file .

So if I keep having to herd the cats on my posts…
It’s going to take forever for the real goodies I’ve got inside this file to come to light .

I already know what I’ve got .. is Pure Gold!!

How’s your patience?

Hey Tom,
I’m actually trying to 100% verify and authenticate the year on the 58/59 Tubular Glass Catalog. (There is no section for glass it’s all glass) There’s a blurb about impregnated Bamboo only .

I dated it by using Ricks rods site as the rods he has

stream knight spin rod sk64 that he specifically states was offered in the 1958-59 catalog .

The rod he is selling is in my catalog .

He’s got a regal lancer salmon rod that he states was crafted from 1957-60
That rod is also in my catalog

He’s also got a scout ts74ls casting rod that he states was crafted between 1957 and 1958
That rod is also in my catalog

So I’ve been pretty much basing it off that process of elimination deal .

I thought well if Rick says …
that stream knight was offered in the 58-59 catalog
I thought that was the end of it

But this thing is like an onion I almost figure it out but then another layer has to be peeled…

So here’s where it gets iffy .

Over the weekend i received a photo of the 1950 catalog from my buddy roger who’s from Colorado.

At the bottom where it speaks to Phillipson’s craftsmanship
it states that these rods were designed and made by P.W. Phillipson , a rod maker of 24 years experience .

Okay so that gave me pause..

In the supposed 58/59 catalog I have Phil as he was known then is stated as being a rod maker of 30 years .

Hmmmmm

So that would put that catalog being printed 56ish .

Which then opens a whole another Eponite can of worms .

Cuz if that true that would mean Eponite was revised only after 1 year I’d it was introduced in 55.

Another theory I have is that that catalog was printed late 56 for spring 1957 delivery
And they used the same catalog to 59 and perhaps maybe did a reprint with an addition or subtraction etc. but didn’t update “Phil’s” resume page..

The 58/59? Catalog did come with a 1 page Bamboo flyer/ad that’s pretty cool .

I’m getting that over to the Phillipson Fiend Project’s Bamboo division …

So we’re gonna have to pump the brakes on that catalog til i get it sorted.

I’d call Rick but don’t feel like paying $50 consult fee , for me to then say I think he may be wrong?

I’m only using my public school math skills ..

24 yrs exp in 50
30 yrs exp would equal 56

As another side channel,
I’m trying to figure out is the name of the Artist that drew the covers and inserts .
Cool stuff ..

As to the 1961 Mini-Catalog and the full contents of the 58-59? Catalog..

Unfortunately I can not release them just yet .
There’s 2 more rods in the mystery catalog im working some research on ..

The 61 catalog has art that’s part of the project that I’m having reprinted .. to give to the folks making contributions to the project.

Kind of a special thank you for helping us out .

Tom your more than welcome to
Throw your Phillipsons in the car ,scoot up 95 to exit 79 riverside/belcamp In Maryland

We’ll fish our Dfs rods on my stream.
I’ll let you check out these catalogs in person.

You can verify my claims regarding these Mylar Masters too.lol

Your only 5hrs away..
Don’t you want to see inside?


In all seriousness I will upload the catalogs to FFr when the project has been completed and published.

Thanks to everyone for understanding.

My lil research project of cataloging all the rods along with technical and historical data has snowballed into something a little larger than I imagined….


I want the Phillipson Faithfull’s feedback and stories ..

Photos,action photos of Phillipson rods in action .
Wet fish in nets with rod photos .

Their Casting and angling notes ,line recommendations ,modifications, restoration customization tips for the Phillipson rods they actually use .

I wanna know what and where you fish your Phillipson rods

And most importantly of all….

I want to know Why you fish or collect a Phillipson rod ?
and what it means to you ?

If anyone is interested in getting involved in the Phillipson Fiend Project?
please PM me for the Deetz..

Thanks
Scotto

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