This One Factory Makes the Entire Rod Industry Look Bad

Step inside Cashion Rods with Reid McKinstry for a behind-the-scenes factory tour showing exactly how American-made fishing rods are built from the ground up—starting with in-house carbon fiber rod blanks (yes, they build their own blanks) and the prepreg carbon fiber material stored cold for consistency, then precision-cut patterns, rolled on Japanese high-carbon steel mandrels, heat/pressure curing, tape-wrapping for durability, and multiple quality control checks before the rods ever reach an angler’s hands. You’ll see why Cashion’s “raw blank” texture is part of their DNA (durability + sensitivity), how they find the rod spine/spline for proper guide alignment, the craft steps like reaming cork grips, building carbon fiber grips in-house (including dyeing for series colors like Icon and John Crews), and how their custom-built guide wrapping machines keep thread wraps consistent—before final guide alignment, epoxy curing, and the “final boss” inspection. We also talk about the Cashion Icon, Element, and the newer Z2 series, why a $130 American-made rod is a big deal, and what’s coming next with new decal automation and future product launches—then we wrap this stop of the Factory Tour Road Trip and head to Humminbird next. - Daren Wendell 🔥 Content ---- https://www.wendellfishing.com 🎙️ Podcast ---- http://www.KayakFishingObsessed.com 🔥 Uncut Fishing ---- http://www.KayakFishingUncut.com ⛑️ KFAST ---- https://kfast.co/ Some product links are affiliate links which means if you buy something I'll receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank You! 🔥 CASHION RODS: Get 10% with Code "WENDELL10" 🔥 https://www.cashionrods.com/ *STORE* 🏪 - Wendell Fishing Store – https://29c062-5.myshopify.com/ *BECOME A CHANNEL MEMBER* 🔥- Benefits Here:    / @wendellfishing   *COROS ADVENTURE WATCH* 🔥- Coros Nomad Watch: https://dada.link/ZVDRFn *AMERICAN FLAG ROD SLEEVES* 🔥- https://livfishing.co/WENDELLFISHING (Use Code WENDELLFISHING for 10% Off) *Malone Trailers* 🔥- https://maloneautoracks.com/ (Use Code WENDELL15 for 15% Off) *Kayak or Die Merch* 🔥- https://29c062-5.myshopify.com/ *LIVE VIDEO/AUDIO SETUP* 💣 - YakAttack Boomstick Pro: https://geni.us/YakAttackBoomstick (Amazon) 📸 - GoPro 8 Black: https://geni.us/Go_Pro_8 (Amazon) 📸 - GoPro Media Mod: https://gopro.com/en/us/shop/mounts-a... (Gopro.com) 🎙️ - Lav Mic: https://geni.us/GoProMicLarkM2 (Amazon) 📷 - Gopro Chest Mount: https://geni.us/ChestMountHarness (Amazon) SOCIAL: 👍 - Facebook:   / wendellfishing   🎦 - Instagram:   / wendellfishing   🕦 - TikTok:   / wendellfishing   💻 - Website: https://www.WendellFishing.com #Wendellfishing #KFOShow #KayakFishingObsessed #fishingfreaks *TIMESTAMPS* 0:00 How Cashion Rods are Made 0:48 How to Build a Cashion Rod Blank - Prepreg - Cutting 5:50 Mandrils for Rod Blanks 7:15 Tacking the Mandrils 8:30 Rolling Table - Rolling the Blanks 9:30 Wrapping the Rod 11:20 Cooking the Rod Blanks 16:00 Rod Blank Sanding and Cutting 20:00 Splining the Rod and Decals 26:13 Wrapping Machines 29:00 Quality Control Station 30:39 Carbon Fiber Grips 33:18 Epoxy - Final Quality Control and Shipping