Sam began to produce and sell high quality split bamboo fishing rods in about 1929. While he specialized in fly rods he also made rods using the same techniques for all types of fishing, including deep sea, or salt water fishing. Very few of his rods are known to exist, other than his fly rods. He produced the rods for his personal use, gifts to close friends and sold many to supplement his income. My mother, Sam's granddaughter born in 1929, lived very near Sam and his wife for the first seven years of her life. Her earliest memories indicate he was making fly rods when she was a very little girl and believes he may have been producing them for some time before she was born. At about age eleven she came to live with her grandparents for a period of one year. During this time she acquired vivid memories of her grandfather spending hours on almost a daily basis working on fly rods. The kitchen was closed off and huge kettles of water were boiled to create steam for the process. When he began the gluing process he would stay up all night long to complete the rod he was working on. It was thought Sam's wife, Martha would also sew the cloth bags to hold the rods however his granddaughter Roberta insists he actually sewed the bags himself. According to my mother Sam produced fishing rods up to about 1949.

It is commonly known by family members Sam's fishing rods were made entirely by hand using dies and jigs to plane each bamboo strip. I recall my grandfather (Sam Olin's Son) telling me he had the Planing Forms. Unfortunately when my grandfather passed away they were lost. He was also an accomplished wood worker and made furniture for his family and his granddaughter. Sam made grips of his fishing rods were turned on a lathe by his own hands typically using walnut. The rods themselves are a true work of art, and truly unique in there construction. While there were a few well know rod makers who twisted the bamboo strips, Sam was obsessed with perfecting this process. In my humble opinion he did just that and it is a trade mark of his rods. He used this process even on his Bass rods and salt water rods. Some Bamboo rod experts who have seen the rods have indicated the number of twists used exceeded the number of twists traditionally used by known makers who use a twist method. By my count on the 8 foot rod I have, between 6 and 8 complete turns over the length of the rod. Another notable feature is the finish of the rods.

Some experts have looked at the rod and believed the finish had some imperfection or damage. This due to what appears as spots or a mottled look. I can assure you neither is the case, the finish is as he intended. As my mother recalls he would dab on some type of India ink with a sea sponge to the shafts before lacquer was applied, giving the rod a dark rich spotted finish. In all the known rods Sam applied a small piece of gold and then burned in the name Olin, and the lacquer applied over this.

Only recently have I learned that he would also put the name of the rod owner on it. In an Email I received from someone who came in possession of one of the rods, describes the name "Loy Rockholn Taft Calif" also inscribed on the shaft.

ferrules appear to be made of Nickel and rod eyes made of agget.

Family lore states he had made rods for a few very distinguished people, including a President. This is however unconfirmed.

At present we have no idea how many rods were made but we do know of the existence of a total of eleven rods including the four we have.

Be sure to visit the Sam Olin rods discussion on Classic Fly Rod Forum.