Split Cane

Meeting Ted Oliver

This was a truly magic experience. I was lucky to pick up a rather well-used 'Oliver's of Knebworth' twelve foot split cane float rod. The promise was obvious; the cane is delightfully straight but there are a few issues. Firstly, the butt ring has been replaced, albeit with something that in itself was a bit special (a wonderful agate item that will look great on an LRH I am restoring), then there were various replaced whippings and last but not least a loose ferrule.

Then I managed by some wizardry to locate a rather special seventy seven year old man, the one who had made that rod all those years ago!

Ted Oliver, of Oliver's of Knebworth, holding his wonderful double-built shark rod (2013), quite possibly the finest British rod-maker ever.