Harnell rod history

[Handcrafter]

Well I finallly got the time to go and find the Harnell book, here is the opening page that gives some history to the Harnell line from 1945 forward. It also has the specs for the blanks is anyone needs them.....Lynn

[Pajaro]

Attachment 185676Well I finallly got the time to go and find the Harnell book, here is the opening page that gives some history to the Harnell line from 1945 forward. It also has the specs for the blanks is anyone needs them.....Lynn

Some additional history on this brand that I have not seen in print elsewhere. My father, Ed Weigel and Grandfather Maurice Parker entered into a partnership with John and Jean Harrington in the late 1960's when Harnell was based on Glencoe Avenue in Santa Monica (Venice). Harnell was on it's last legs financially and needed an infusion of cash. My father built out a facility in the Wagon Wheel area of Oxnard, Ca and with the Harrington's moved the Harnell factory to Oxnard (I believe that this was in 1968ish). After a short time as partners the two parties could not get aligned and parted ways on poor terms following a lawsuit that required my father to "buyout" the Harringtons stake in Harnell (this included all the factory equipment, mandrels and materials). The Harrington's were no longer allowed use of the Harnell brand. John and Jean resurfaced in Oxnard as Harrington Rod Company without the Harnell brand name. My father, using the original mandrels, started the Blue Royal Rod Company. The Harnell brand was not used by either company. Following a steady but ultimately unprofitable run, Blue Royal Rods was sold to Gary Loomis in the early 1980's (before Loomis was a known brand). The Harnell brand was left inactive and was picked up and manufactured overseas for a period of time (I am not clear on these details). Following the death of John Harrington, Jean moved the Harrington company to Missouri and continued to make rods from time to time and at somepoint reaquired the inactive Harnell brand/trademark. I beleive that Jean sold this business to a couple in Oregon to resurrect the Company. I would have to dig into my mother's business records to confirm the dates of what I describe above, but think that from memory I am pretty close. I still come across Blue Royal rods from time to time and add them to my collection. I find it interesting that those original mandrels that were spec'd by Mr. Fennel's eventually became Blue Royal Rods and then Gary Loomis rods. Someday, I will take the time to write out the history with more detail. This story was on my mind as I was cleaning out a shed on my father's property (he died in 2006) this weekend and found cases of Guderod thread and aluminum reelseat material whose boxes were addressed to Harnell. Funny how that stuff had survived all these years.

[Handcrafter]

Wonderful story, I love the history. My Harnell rods will always be some of my true treasures. I can remember seeing someone fishing along the shore in Berkley, Ca with a long black rod with red/yellow wraps and it became #1 on my bucket list..Thanks again...Lynn

[Louie D]

I have two harnell rods and would like to know how much I can get for them. The model 308 has never been used and in the original sock with name tag. and model 608 I think used but in great condition . loitus@msn.com

[-Æ-]

Looking on Ebay, they are mostly under $100.

[Louie D]

Looking on Ebay, they are mostly under $100.

Thank You

[X~Stream]

My father, Gary Loomis, aquired the equipment and mandrels from Blue Royal Rods, after quitting Lamiglas after a management disagreement with Dick Posey in late 79 or early 80. He moved everything up to a small building in Woodland, Washington, right next to the shut down Lamiglas carbon fiber arrow shaft building. He used the equipment and some of the mandrels to setup Loomis Composites Inc (LCI), with 4 partners / family friends. About a year into it, he was approached by a man from Tiawan to form another blank/rod company in Tiawan. He was in Tiawan do the final touches to Loomis Franklin Chang (LFC), when after another disagreement he quit LFC. By the time he had flown home, the partners had locked himout of LCI. He kicked open the door and took his blank and mandrel prints and went home. About one year later he started G.Loomis inc, also in Woodland.

LCI floundered around for a couple years before being sold and moved out of Woodland. The equipment was reaquired and reassembled into its original building in Woodland, and has been making product under the name of Talon Rods for quite a few years now.

One of the original partners then went off and started Tridon Rods in Longview Washington and soon after, relocated to Oklahoma. That company was then purchased and renamed as Shikari. That same expartner then went to Squim Washington and setup a blank plant for the late Bob Batson called Cascade Composites.

My father sold G.Loomis to Shimano, and has since aquired the equipment and mandrels of Cascade Composites and the mandrels of Shikari, and has started a blank plant called North Fork Composites.

There is alot more of how all of these companies are actualy tied together in one form or another... but that will have to wait for another time... if anyone is even interested. I guess what I really wanted to add to the Harnell thread, is that really... it's still alive and prospering!

[ButHound]

Thanks for the info, I have two of Loomis rods and just picked up two Harnells, I look forward to any further info You may post.

[mag minnow]

I'm very new to this site and glad to come across such an informative thread. Very interesting how so many
individuals and companies are intertwined. Thanks for sharing these details...I'd love to read more...

[tom s]

Did your father know Howard Ashby and Bob Barry from Conlon Rods?Maybe also Havey and Jerry Rodstien of Roddy Rods?Tom