WHAT'S NEW AT THE TENKARA PATH SHOP FOR 2023

NEW SHOP, DESIGN CHANGES AND NEW PRODUCTS

A quick look again at the transformation of my wood shop into the "den of tenakara bliss."  I am working on getting my wood shop organized and set up permanently in my garage.

Before...a wood working shop.

After... a tenkara sanctuary.

IKEA really hit it out of the park on both my fold down fly tying table and as you can see Fezzik loves the new recliner.

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Changes to Some Tenkara Path Products

Line spools continue in three models but we are reverting to the single track only.
Change #1)  I still love turning out my line and fly keeper spools. I am happy with the three great designs and will continue to make the magnetic, spring and cork variations. The first big change coming is that I will likely stop making spools to order and will instead make spools in advance and sell only the ones that I have made  in stock.  My life has taken a shift in my magic business and in my work for the University of Colorado Health Sciences and maintaining a life-work balance is important to me.

Change #2) I have enjoyed having a wide range of wood varieties in the past. I plan on keeping most of these but due to supply inconsistencies I may be limiting the kinds of wood I use for the spools. I like using wood that is repurposed and responsibly harvested. So as I find new varieties you will see those options added. Acacia is one of the easiest woods for me to get so I will start with that wood and add others like cherry and beech. Currently I have a special stock of olive wood and such specialty woods will be made available as they come into my possession.

Change #3) Originally my spool design was a single track design. Later I came out with a double track version. Over the years I have made and used both and I have decided that the double track is a redundancy of design. Structurally speaking, making double tracks is more difficult to do as it requires me to turn two tracks in the thickness of 5/8" to 3/4" thick blank of wood depth. This has to be done carefully and often times walls of the tracks become too thin and their integrity is reduced ending up in cracking or breaking. Many times I have had to start all over when a track wall gets too thin. Frankly, the single track is a much more sturdy design AND the single track still allows you to hold a supply of tippet on the spool first with the elastic band holding it down and the line in use can be taken up on that same larger and wider track. So I am returning to the spool's simple design origin.

Tenkara path leader lines
In the past I have sold the tenkara path level lines as singles, triples and six packs. In the future I will not be selling them as singles but instead as doubles, triples, and six packs. The double pack will be cheaper per line than the old single line prices. Best of all,  buyers will be able to choose their colors for each order for all quantity pack and will be able to mix and match the solids and variegated lines with each order. Shipping will continue as always be free for these in the USA.

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Some old favorites will be available again
This last spring I came out with some river driftwood fly displays that were gobbled up pretty quickly. I bring the select pieces of wood home from my adventures, clean them up, bore some holes, finish them and add resistor clips to hold the flies.  I also have some wood pieces that I will make into fly bench tool caddies. Those who have purchased Bobbin spools for thread in the past will soon see a new option as well that is one part buy a thread spool and one part get some silk thread.  I will list these under silk tying thread and the bobbin comes along with it.

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Expect a "Spring Cleaning" sale soon too.
In my clean up and shake up of the shops, I found several spools including some prototypes and other interesting things that I will be posting in the very near future. Still working out the sale details. So much to do before I can even think about that.

I am excited about some new products.
I have some really exciting new items I will be releasing soon too. I have always wanted to offer some fly tying supplies. but of course don't want them to be things you can get anywhere else. Expect some new shop additions in the very near future.  Check into the store by the end of February to see what these newest offerings are.