Winding, or Whipping, the Rod
Before whipping on the guides, take a fine file and round off the sharp edges of the base to prevent the possibility of the silk being cut. Measure off the required distances at which the guides are to be affixed, and fasten them in position by winding with a few turns of common thread. Ordinary silk of No. A size may be used, but No. 00 is the best for small rods. Most anglers agree that the size of the silk to use for the whippings should be in proportion to the size of the rod—heavy silk for the heavy rod, and fine silk for the small rod. Size A is the finest silk commonly stocked in the stores, but one or more spools of No. 00 and No. 0 may be ordered from any large dealer in fishing tackle. As a rule, size 0 gives a more workmanlike finish to the butt and joints of fly and bait rods, while No. 00 is about right to use for winding the tips. In fact, all rods weighing up to 6 oz. may be whipped with No. 00 size.
The Mountings Used on a Bait-Casting Rod Consist of a Reel Seat, Butt Cap, Taper Sleeve, Narrow Agate Guide, Agate Offset Top, One Ring Guide, and a Welted, Shouldered Ferrule (Fig. 9)
In whipping the rod, the so-called invisible knot is used. Begin the whipping, as shown at E, Fig. 10, by tucking the end under the first coil and holding it with the left thumb. The spool of silk is held in the right hand and the rod is turned to the left, sufficient tension being kept on the silk so that it can be evenly coiled with each strand tightly against the other. A loop of silk, some 4 in. long, is well waxed and placed so that its end will project a short distance beyond the last coil which finishes the whipping. This detail is shown at F. In whipping on guides, begin the whipping at the base and work over the pointed end of the flange, winding on sufficient silk to extend about 1/8 in. beyond the pointed flange of the guide base. When the last coil is made, cut off the thread from the spool and tuck the end under the whipping by pulling on the ends of the waxed loop, as shown at G. Cut off the ends neatly with a sharp knife.
Both Ends of the Silk Thread are Placed under the Winding to Form an Invisible Knot (Fig. 10)
For colors, bright red and a medium shade of apple green are the best, since these colors keep their original tint after varnishing, and are less likely to fade than the more delicate shades. Red finished off with a narrow circle of green always looks well, and red with yellow is likewise a good combination. Narrow windings look much better than wide whippings, and a dozen turns make about as wide a winding as the angler desires. For edgings, three or four turns of silk are about right, and these should be put on after the wider windings have been whipped on and in the same manner, although it is best to tuck the ends of the edging beneath the wider winding when pulling the end through to make the invisible knot.
Varnishing the Rod
After winding the rod, see that all fuzzy ends are neatly clipped off, then go over the silk windings with a coat of shellac. The shellac can be made by dissolving a little white shellac in grain alcohol. Warm the shellac and apply it with a small camel's-hair brush, giving the silk only two light coats. Allow the rod to stand a couple of days for the shellac to become thoroughly dry.