They are new so i got one of the first and built it.
No CCS available and i needed an 8 wt so that is what i bought.
Finish is so much better than many blanks i have worked with, wish it came in matt black or natural but whatever its pretty.
REC 20 12 double foots then snake 4's to a large tip.
Cast it monday before running to Orvis to get a new Hydros IV and and 8 wt line to use on it for a flounder trip to Laguna Madre.
No 8 wt so i pulled out a fresh water SA 9 wt line and as a result of my strange results called my buddy who can cast better than anyone i know or have heard of.
He brought a Hydros 5 with a RIO 9 wt bone fish line and off grass( not even loading from water) threw a 100 ft with a 9 wt.
One double haul and it got 100 ft out there.
Guess i wont be buying a hydros IV and 8 wt line.......

batson: you have built an amazing blank. It casts like a dream
I Finsihed a sage this week and its up there in that league.
My buddy favorably compared it to his Orvis T3 and newer model helios tip flex and said its better.
But that T3 is a 9 wt. So is his helios and i think so is your 8 wt.
I already have a TFO 9 which this outcasts with the same 9 weight line.
I wanted a 8 wt.
What a pity you chose not to publish CCS numbers for your otherwise awesome blank backed by one of the best customer services in the industry.

Lou,

It is an 8-weight, at some distance and with some amount of 8-weight line.

Only the CCS would have provided you with the specifics, however, so I do agree with you that more blank makers need to supply this information.

.............

Did you measure CCS?

Tom,
its just such a lost opportunity for me tomake and sell rods.
The rash of 'microwave' sales around me is slowing and this could have been the next thing.

Here is a blank i can put confidently next to Sage or BVK's for my customers, they are THAT good and well finished.
I have worked with other blue blanks where the touch of paper towel and isoprop would remove the finish.
I no longer use those US made blanks good as they otherwise are.
This is a strong finish.
Straight sections.
Good ferule fittings.
My buddy thought he was throwing a $700 plus rod blank.
But short of me buying one of each, wrapping them up as demo rods, how do i convert this liking to a suggestion of the right blank for my cutomers problem?

Yellowstone outfitters did a 2014 off the shelf rod shootout for 8 wts.
They rejected several precisley for what i stated above: they were 9 weights.
They defined that as being a rod that cast better at 30 50 and 70 with a 9 wt line than a 8.
Sounds how i would measure it too.
This with one double haul dumped 100 ft salt water bone fish taper SA leader coming off grass. Not even water loading the cast.
After that i am in backing. Efortlessly cast after cast.

These are blanks for rod builders.
Not finished rods on some big box shelf where numbers sell product.
CCS would boost my and therefore their sales.

Sorry if i was ranting, no offence meant to an awesome company and great product.

I will borrow a 8 wt VXP for this trip as anything more would make catching pomps and flounder in the gulf not so much fun.

Rick , no i did not measure CCS.

Remember, you can label it for whatever line you want. So write it down to sell as a 9-weight if that is how you think it would work best for your customers. Likewise, the 7-weight might be the one you feel would work best as an 8-weight for your customers and you can label it as such.

....................

Lou,

From what I am reading you didn't even cast it with a 8wt line is that correct? If that is the case how do you know it doesn't cast a 8wt line just fine? Infact by overloading it with the 9wt line you actaully slowed the rod down. This could fit your buddys casting stroke better, if he picked up the pace chances are the 8wt line would cast even farther. I have a 5wt fiberglass fly rod that can cast anything from a 3wt to a 7wt line depending on how fast you want your casting stroke to be. Does that make it not a 5wt rod?