SHAVER, ROY B. – California
Roy B. Shaver was the first rod maker to build laminated big game rods using strips of different types of wood. Shaver's goal was to build a rod that would not take a set and return to a straight position after repeated use. Shaver selected two different kinds of wood each for their individual properties and then glued them together longitudinally. The wood Shaver used on the top half of the rod was hickory hoping to utilize its great tensile strength and elasticity. For the bottom half of the rod, Shaver used palma brava wood for its high compression-resisting qualities. Shaver received a patent for his laminated rod on July 27, 1926
Shaver rods are easy to spot as they have a horizontally oriented triangular shape with rounded corners and their guides are affixed to the wider top part of the rod. Shaver later developed a unique reel seat with a locking butt (see photos of rods below).
Shaver - The "Zane Grey Seven Seas Rod" - Big Game Rod
