ENGINEERING
When you set out to uncover what makes a St. Croix different from other rods, you need look no further than the engineer sitting right beside the rod designer. It’s a partnership that’s produced such breakthroughs as St. Croix’s exclusive Integrated Poly Curve® and Advanced Reinforcing Technology.™ Rod performance is only as good as the design behind it – and rest assured, before we even think about sending a rod through for production, we make sure we spend as much time as necessary in the design department to assure that every St. Croix rod is engineered and developed to outperform all others.
INTRODUCING NSi
The Technology That Makes Our Rods So Strong Is Invisible To The Naked Eye. At Least Until You Set The Hook.
The 3M Company, the global leader in adhesive technology, recently introduced a new breakthrough resin that uses nano-sized (ultra-microscopic) spheres of silica as a homogeneous, non-abrasive filler between the carbon fibers of a graphite rod blank, which results in a much stronger, more sensitive finished product. We’ve named our formulation of this new resin NSi (Nano Silica), and we’ll be using it to build all of our SCV graphite rods – plus a new offshore saltwater series.
The “nano-silica” particles in 3M™ Powerlux™ Resin are uniformly distributed and densely packed in the resin that binds the individual graphite fibers, which reinforces them during compression when the rod is flexed. This significantly increases the fibers’ compression strength by resisting micro-buckling – for improved hoop and flex strength of the blank. The result is a 30% (or more) stronger blank without any change in the weight, action or power of the finished rod.
The nano-silica filler also improves the resin’s adhesive bond between the carbon fibers, which increases the internal shear strength of the rod blank while further improving the flex strength. Almost twice as hard as conventional resins when fully cured, our tests reveal that rods manufactured with 3M™ Powerlux™ Resin show both an increase in modulus for improved sensitivity, and a significant increase in fracture resistance and overall blank toughness.
The end results are astonishing. Rods built with 3M™ Powerlux™ Resin are stronger, more durable and tougher – with significantly improved hoop/flex strength and resistance to fracture. All without an increase in weight or a change in the rod’s action or power.
NSi is featured on:
Legend Elite® fly, spinning and casting rods, Bank Robber™ fly rods, Legend® Salt offshore rods and LegendXtreme® spinning and casting rods.
Integrated Poly Curve® (IPC®) Technology
Developed exclusively by St. Croix, Integrated Poly Curve® (IPC®) tooling technology has rapidly become the engineering leader in rodmaking. Designed to eliminate all transitional points in the rod blank, IPC-engineered rods feature smoother actions, increased strength and greater sensitivity.
Advanced Reinforcing Technology™ (ART™)
Advanced Reinforcing Technology™ (ART™) is an exotic carbon fiber material that adds a magnitude (10X) of strength with virtually no increase in blank diameter or weight. ART significantly improves the hoop strength of the blank by preventing it from deforming or “ovaling” under a severe load, such as a powerful hook set or fish battle. ART is also a critical part of our slim-profile ferrule design.
TECHNOLOGY
Never underestimate the power of a machine. Or a dozen.
Step inside our Park Falls factory and you’ll find a battery of machines – machines developed and built right here. Tools most rod makers would never take the time to build let alone use. Lasers for perfectly aligning and checking grips and guides. Tools of vicious torture to assure every rod is worthy of the laser aligned St. Croix logo it will wear out the door.
SHIM TECHNOLOGY
The precision assembly of a urethane shim into the reel seat using 3M® Scotch-Weld glue is an exclusive technology of St. Croix. This improves sensitivity, reduces weight and eliminates loose reel seats. It’s a vastly superior material over cardboard shims or masking tape commonly used on other rods.
LASER-GUIDED TECHNOLOGY
St. Croix employs several laser-guided machines throughout its manufacturing process. Laser-guided equipment assures perfect placement, alignment and straightness. There is really no replacement for the human element.
CRAFTSMANSHIP
There’s more. It’s called the human touch.
There is really no replacement for the human element that comes with the manufacturing of every St. Croix. People dedicated to making sure each and every rod is built with pride. The same people who take the time to make sure every step of the way no corner is cut. Period. The passion and pride that go along with making a St. Croix rod is second to none.