El Duderino wrote:
Nice build, Trey. I like the reel seat hardware and thread work. I think you’ll enjoy the Steffen 5/6. I have the same rod in a four piece, and my favorite line is an SA MPX 5. It also fishes well with a DT 6. Pretty sure almost any 5 or 6 weight line will work with that rod honestly.
Thanks ! Yeah, I like Ray's seats as well. I've built out three other Steffen blanks since this one all with RL seats and really enjoy them. Plus I also tend to use older reels, a few of which have a longer foot compared to modern stuff and Ray builds his seats with a little longer wood spacer so haven't have any fit issues due to length. I DO need to fish this with a 6 wt line but have only used a heavier 5 wt and love it. I've read that Mark's 2 piece rods tend to be a little more mellow compared to the 3 and 4 piece versions which might require the heavier line weight to achieve the same action.
Rhillier wrote:
Beautiful Steffen build. I’m working on my first Steffen and plan on using Kimono silk as well. How did you finish your wraps - did you use color preserver, spar varnish or epoxy?
Thanks. So I did several test wraps with this particular green using spar varnish, TM epoxy and spar urethane and ultimately decided I liked it best with NO color preserver and sealed with spar urethane. I just finished up this Steffen 8'6" 5/6 using Kimono Castle Gray tipped with Kimono Golden Pavilion and really like the results ! I DID use a color preserver with this one. I'll post more pics of the build at a later date but here are a few to give you an idea. Have enjoyed experimenting with colors I've not typically seen used with these blanks........
JASTrout wrote:
That is well done, neat, clean serious hand skills sir. Threads are very impressive, as I have placed a few sutures in my day. And I would never attempt to wrap a rod.
Thanks ! I'm slowly getting a little cleaner with each rod I believe but still a lot to learn for sure. I look thru threads at rods built by guys that have been doing this a while and their stuff blows me away...........Certainly gives me a standard to continue to strive for. And I'd wager if you're able to suture up a wound you would have no problem wrapping a rod, just takes patience as well as practice I'm finding........
doug in co wrote:
handsome build, very nice indeed..
don't sweat the handle. Long ago I built a Fibatube 3 1/2wt blank and believed it needed a fattish handle for my big fat hands. Twenty years later I decided against that, and sanded the handle down to a much slimmer fit.. so if you really can't stand the handle after fishing it a while, it's not hard to take it down a bit..
Thanks. Yeah, it actually feels fine to me and after fishing it a while I don't think I'm losing any feel due to the extra cork. What I've found is that, for me, a grip that is on the skinny side tends to give me hand cramps after fishing a while whereas something with a larger diameter does not. I've built out three rods since this one and have used the same basic grip shape but I have sanded the grips down a bit more and they feel fine. Plus I think from an aesthetic standpoint it looks a little better having the cork taper down and be closer in diameter to the seat.