Fly Fisher's Tribute to Old Reliable

[Rod N. Gunn]

I know this is not a fly rod forum but it is usually considered fair game. This rod is a work in progress but I just couldn't wait until it was done to post a couple pictures. I turned the reel seat from what was left of the stock from GH 67835 (thank you Ed Morgan). The sliding band is engraved with that serial number and I inlaid the shield into the insert made from the Parker (I actually made several of these). All the hardware is gun-blued nickel silver. I still need to fill the holes in the shield, wrap the guides and finish the rod but so far it looks pretty good. The old gal spent her first 100 years in the game fields and hopefully her second 100 on the trout streams (we should all be so lucky).

[Wild Skies]

Now that is mighty cool Mr. Fuller!

[10ga Hammer]

Thats got to be the neatest thing I've seen in a long time.
Congrats for the great execution of an even better idea.

[Autumn Daze]

Dave,You are ONE talented gentleman...... Awesome!

[Rod N. Gunn]

Thanks guys... I'm looking for ideas on where get tacks for those holes in the shield.

[Bindlestiff]

Have you considered a jeweler? Something like some silver wire stock made into tacks. Maybe?

[Robert Delk]

"Google" escutcheon pins and see what pops up. I believe "White Chapel Hardware" has them also.

[Captain Bob]

Dave, Here is the method I and many many others have used to affix decorative brass, copper, gold, bone, shell, and German and sterling silver inlays in Kentucky rifles stocks; I'm certain Parker used almost an identical procedure:

If you can't track down some gauged sterling wire on line, ask you wife, daughter or girlfriend where she would go to get a replacement sterling wire hook for pierced ear type earrings. Take the Parker shield with you and visit the store to find a size that will just go through the present holes. Straighten out the wire and snip off a couple pieces about 1/4"+ long using some nippers. Preserve the sharp point at one end and using the nippers crimp in a couple of dents close to the pointed end. These crimps are to serve like screw threads to grip the pins in the wood - but be sure that the crimps on pins can still pass through the holes in the shield. Then get a nice new sharp wood screw countersink bit, the more blades the better, and gently hand twist it in the outside of the the holes. Be careful, you only need to create the very slightest flare in the surface of the thin shield metal. Then you will need a wire drill bit a couple sizes smaller that the diameter of the pins. Position the shield in your mortise and drill holes for the pins only deep enough so that the pins when inserted will bottom out and will be about 1/16" proud of the face of the shield. The pin holes should be perpendicular to the face of the shield at the location of the holes. Now you are ready to insert the pins. If you wish using a toothpick you can put a touch of glue or epoxy into the holes and under the shield before repositioning it in the mortise. A trick to holding the shield in place and securing it while drilling and inserting the pins and allowing the glue to set up, if used, is to wrap the shield into the stock mortise, or in your case the rod handle mortise, with a couple standard post office weight rubber bands or some small size surgical tubing. The pins should be pressed in leaving the ends 1/16" proud. Allow the glue or epoxy to set up. Now using a very fine tooth file, which has been loaded with chalk, dress the heads of the pins flat and parallel to the face of the shield and just a hair proud. Next using a small light ball peen or flat face nail set and very light hammer, expand the pin into the flare in the shield. Letting the simple weight of the hammer, tap the center first and then a few light taps around the edge of the pin. The silver is very soft and will not need much persuasion. Clean up the pin heads with your fine tooth chalk loaded file and some polish. I have sometime rubbed the pin heads and silver inlays with my board backed leather edge tool strop to achieve a high polish. Still another trick not mentioned above, but frequently used, is to file a very slight, just a couple degrees, but uniform negative bevel along the edge of the shield or inlay. Then after the inlay is pinned in and the finish is applied, the wood will naturally expand a little and close over the edge of the piece of metal and help seal it into the wood.

[Setter Man]

Beautiful, Dave. Feel free to bring her to Michigan anytime. I'll be happy to help you bend that rod a few times.

JDG

[Bruce Day]

The silver shield in the reel seat spacer is one of the best ideas I have seen in a long time. Perfect for a custom made rod, and even better for a Parker connection.