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Post 05 Apr 2014, 10:19 • #1 
Guide
Joined: 02/08/13
Posts: 156
Location: Nomadic
Just dug out my late father's Berkley Tri-Sport, which I haven't used in about 30 years. I'm intrigued by the labelling which reads 'Tubular Glass - Carbaloy Top'.

Can anyone tell me what the 'Carbaloy' means? I've searched the few entries on Berkey Tri-Sport here on the forum but none mention carbaloy. Was it an early use of graphite in rods?

The rod is a 2 piece 8.5 foot TS 40 model that my father bought directly from the importer in London, UK in the 1960s. The blank is brown, as is the reel seat.

I used it with a 6 weight line in my early fly casting days, but would be glad to know if others have found it does better with other lines as I plan to get it out on the water again this year.


Last edited by Mahseer on 05 Apr 2014, 18:11, edited 1 time in total.

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Post 05 Apr 2014, 10:49 • #2 
Master Guide
Joined: 04/15/08
Posts: 902
Location: Salisbury, England
Carbaloy refers to tungsten carbide, a material used for rod rings eg mildrum brand

Berkleys are well liked on this forum and (if needed) make a worthwhile refurbishment usually improved by adding a couple of extra guides and stripping off the blank paint if applicable. Try #5-7 wts too. I like a TT5 but my rod is the three piece 8'


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Post 05 Apr 2014, 18:13 • #3 
Guide
Joined: 02/08/13
Posts: 156
Location: Nomadic
Many thanks taniwhat2. I am now enlightened, and glad I kept it.

The refurbishment you suggest is pretty much what I did to it back in 1983. I stripped the blank above the label back to the bare glass (and have left it that way) and replaced the guides with single legs Fuji ceramic lined, which were considered state of the art at the time, whipped with thread that was as close as possible to the blank colour.

There seemed to be enough guides at the time, and I had no problems casting with it, but I will take another look and compare with my other rods (which are mostly 9 footers).

However, the black and jade Fuji guides do look pretty weird on it, so I will probably put something like the originals on it at some point.

I've got a brown Ocean City Plymouth 76 to put on it that I think will be a nice match.


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Post 05 Apr 2014, 18:23 • #4 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/23/05
Posts: 4966
Location: US-MT
Your Tri Sport should zing w a 7wt line. A lot of folks think rods should have too many guides, if you like it with the number of guides on it, great. Guides add weight and drag.
For the money, those old Berkleys were nice. Still are nice. Pictures, we love pictures!


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Post 06 Apr 2014, 11:53 • #5 
Guide
Joined: 02/08/13
Posts: 156
Location: Nomadic
I'll post some pictures in the coming week.


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Post 12 Apr 2014, 18:06 • #6 
Guide
Joined: 02/08/13
Posts: 156
Location: Nomadic
Here are some pictures of the rod. My 1983 refurbishment took off the glitz and the varnish but did not take off all the paint. I guess that is what I will do next and hope to find the guidance for taking it back to the glass on the Forum. The rings (guides) are same position replacements of the original 7 - using single leg Fujis. I recall it casting fine but I suspect it could be improved by shifting the stripping ring down some and adding another ring to the bottom joint.

The brown Ocean City Plymouth 76 I plan to pair it with is in another location, so I've put on a Pridex here. If I end up using it with a 7 weight line, I guess I'll need to find an OC Plymouth 77.

ImageImageImageImageImage


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Post 13 Apr 2014, 12:21 • #7 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/23/05
Posts: 4966
Location: US-MT
That is quite a diff rod than a USA TriSport.. Over on this side it would have had a spigot ferrule, and the cosmetics are much changed. Bet it is a neat rod!


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Post 23 May 2023, 12:48 • #8 
Master Guide
Joined: 01/04/18
Posts: 397
Location: Belair Maryland/Swanton Maryland
I believe this Berkley rod is an early Tri-sport that was built on materials and fittings from when Berkley purchased Roddy’s California operation and moved it to Iowa..


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Post 03 Jun 2023, 06:25 • #9 
Guide
Joined: 02/08/13
Posts: 156
Location: Nomadic
Thanks ottobahn - quite a surprise to see this thread rising from the dead after 9 years! I’ll take it fishing again next week to mark the occasion.


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