So it has been difficult to get an answer though my searches.
I am curious which is a "better" blank.
MHX HM are lighter an significantly cheaper than the Eternity.

Hard to decide and I don't want to start throwing money around to find the right rod.

Posted blank weight are not necessarily accurate. The graphite in the Eternity blanks is of a higher modulus and built in the US. Best? I like the Eternity and many other RS blanks better than the MHX blanks.

I have built on both and they are are both very good blanks. For the money and the ease of using the warranty the MHX is a very good buy, almost like buying one and get one free for the same price. People using both these blanks like them very much. "Better" is often in the eye of the beholder. For about the same price as the Eternity you can get a St Croix V. The Point Blank blanks are also very nice and are within your price range. However, no matter which blank you decide to use, it is important to note that the way you build the rod has a lot to do with its overall feel and performance. The choice is yours, they are all very good blanks..
Norm

Jon - I have built 2 rods on the HM blanks. The first was my personal shakey head/jigworm rod. I love it! Very crisp and sensitive. [www.rodbuilding.org]

Another was for a customer and he loved his.

_________________________________________
"Angling is extremely time consuming.
That's sort of the whole point." - Thomas McGuane

That is an easy one. Eternity all the way!! Point blank and the hm's are about on par with one another. The eternity is head and shoulders above both of those. The new immortals are equal to the point and the mhx imho. With either the Scv from st. croix or the eternity you'll have one of the most sensitive blanks out there. I would also have to toss in the north fork hm to the mix of premium top tier blanks

The Point Blank blanks are some of the most unique designed blanks I have seen in a while although they are made in China. They are also some of the best casting and spinning rods I have ever used. The Eternity series appears to have changed for the better without the gloss coat. I have not seen nor handled this new series of blanks made in the US. I think it is going to be hard to beat Point Blank in price point and design. Looking at the Eternity dimensions, I don't see any innovation. Looks like the same mandrels with different materials and country of origin. The North Fork Composites HM blanks are the standard to judge all others and I would suspect that there might be a little NFC in the new Eternity.

Jon,

You can't really tell if you are comparing the two on paper. I'm just getting into rod building myself and just received my first blank, a Rainshadow Immortal 7'2" Medium Heavy. It seems to be a VERY nice blank, but when compared to the Falcon, Powell and Dobyns medium heavy over the counter rods I currently use (as well as my buddy's GLX844 heavy) it feels several levels above those in terms of stiffness. It's like an extra heavy at MINIMUM ...at least in bass fishing circles. I know there are no industry standards in this area and I just found out how wide the separation can be.

I even saw a post where a Rainshadow rep was suggesting a medium light in either their Eternity or Immortal for a 7/16 - 9/16 Biffle head jig. In the bass world that is typically a heavy or extra heavy rod.

I'm sure the Eternity would set itself apart if comparing apples to apples.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/27/2017 09:07PM by Tim Spencer.

The higher the modulus the stiffer the blank will feel, and this is a subjective comparison. For an objective comparison need to have CCS numbers. Trouble is many manufacturers do not use them, so one is left with guessing or doing the objective measurements themselves. I have found out over the years that higher price does not necessarily mean higher quality. At a certain level one experiences the curve of diminishing returns between price vs performance.
Norm

Tim..... I just finished a 7'2" Medium Immortal and you are correct it felt more like a MH.
I also built a 6'8" Medium and it felt much closer to what I am used to.

I wound up ordering a 6'9" MH Eternity for my heavy cover plastics.

Norman, I can certainly understand how subjective some of these comparisons are, especially with sensitivity, action and differences in one power to the next. However, there comes a point where the difference is so great that it is no longer subjective ...as in about three powers worth. Anyway, no biggie, just an observation on that blank.

Well I hope the MH Eternity doesn't feel like a telephone pole!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/27/2017 08:57PM by Jon Salter.

Lol! You won't have any hookset problems I promise. ...if it's like the Immortal I received.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/27/2017 09:10PM by Tim Spencer.

Tim , I realize that and did not mean to disparage your opinion or sense of feel. If I offended, I apologize. I know when you have the blanks in your hand it becomes easy to tell the differences between various blanks from different manufacturers. The point I was trying to make is if you do not have the blanks in your hands and you are relying on the product description and/or the opinions of others to make a choice you are basically guessing as to what you think is the right blank. Most Manufacturers do not have a standard and objective way for defining or describing their blanks, and everyone has a different opinion as to what is the right blank for them. One of the nice things about going to a place that has a lot of blanks from different manufacturers on display (like the ICRBE) is that you can personally wiggle and flex blanks for direct comparison. Other than personally feeling the blanks you are thinking about, the next best thing would be to objectively compare them through a system such as CCS. I have been fortunate to have built on a lot of different blanks over the years and I still have a hard time saying which one is the best. Everyone has a opinion as to what they like but it may be different from mine or yours. Some people like the stiff feel of a high modulus blank, others do not. There are a lot of very good blanks out there, and they are all a little different.
Norm

Norm, the issue I am running into is that I don't have access to any shop that carries rod building supplies so I am attempting to make choices without having to buy a bunch of blanks.

I completely understand, and that is why picking a blank can be so frustrating! The Eternity you chose is a very nice blank I am sure you will like it. It is a high modulus blank and thus will feel stiffer than other blanks that you may have used, but it will also feel very light in hand and have a nice responsive feel. Many of the high modulus blanks are more powerful than what the manufacturer lists. Fortunately, these HM blanks usually have a broader lure range than what is advertised. So there is some slop in the system which works in your favor. There are no rod building shops near me either, but when I travel and I'm near a shop I make a point to stop by. Last year I went to the ICRBE and spent a lot of time feeling blanks and looking at components. It was very informative. There is nothing like seeing something in person.
Norm

Norm, oh absolutely no offense taken. I'm learning and will take all the advice I can get from you experienced guys. Yes, like Ron I really don't have that place I can walk into and compare blanks. Taking that first shot in the dark just to get a feel for a manufacturers line of blanks could get a little expensive...without the hands-on. Thanks for the advice by the way!

What is ICBR? I assume a convention or such ..?



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/27/2017 11:09PM by Tim Spencer.

Tim, I'm not familiar with the various rod brands you mentioned so I can't really comment on the degree of difference between them, and the 7'2" MH Immortal blank you mention. I built a rod on that Immortal blank, and I would say in power it compares to my heavy power Shimano Crucial, and heavy power G Loomis GL2. And if you look at the numbers the blank is rated for, it falls in line with both of the rods I mentioned.

The Immortal 7'2" MH is definitely a powerful blank. You're right when you guess that you'll have no problems setting the hook, or moving fish on the hook set. I absolutely love the rod I built on that blank. As far as the other comments on how the Immortal blanks line up in named power versus other manufacturers named power goes. I've only built on 2 Immortal blanks thus far, and I agree with the observations about them being more powerful than other manufacturers listings, but the numbers bear that out.

The ICRBE is the yearly International Custom Rod Building Expo which is associated with this site and RodMaker magazine It will be taking place in Winston Salem NC on Feb 18 & 19. This is open to the public so if you are anywhere near by try and show up.
[www.icrbe.com]
Norm



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/27/2017 11:37PM by Norman Miller.

Thanks David, I had read your thoughts on that blank before. You know, I'm assuming I received the correct blank. ..it was 7'2" and labeled as MH. ..hmm Well at least I know where I stand now and which direction to go power wise in that line of rods.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/27/2017 11:57PM by Tim Spencer.

Tim, if you're ever looking for a blank in the Immortal line up that fishes like a medium power, at least like a medium power of the factory rods I've fished, the 73 ML would be the one you'd want to look at. I built a rod on that blank. Very light and very sensitive, and of course that gorgeous titanium chrome finish. An awesome rod!