Ring Types

The guide is an integral part of the fishing rod.  Consider this ... without guides, fishing would be much more limited.  The creation of guides has allowed fishermen to increase their range and accuracy for casting all kinds of lures and baits.

 When you think about it, the rings found on guides and tops are probably some of the most critical areas of concern for fishermen and yet, most fishermen are usually least concerned with rings.  However, when you consider the strain and wear on a line and the amount of friction build-up that occurs on the guide rings, they're as important to the overall performance of a rod as all the other components.  So when deciding on the purchase of a new rod, doesn't it make sense to consider the type of ring that will best suit the fishing conditions in which you plan to use the rod.  And, Fuji has more rings and frame styles to suit your fishing needs than any other company - take a look

SECOND GENERATION ALUMINIUM OXIDE

An updated version of the aluminium oxide ring, this ceramic ring is diamond polished to an ultra-smooth finish and is permanently mounted to the stainless steel frame.  The most significant difference between the hard ring and this guide is the absence of a polymer shock ring because of its durable nature.  These Aluminium Oxide guides are available in several frame styles, and in stainless and black frame finishes.

Fuji's most popular guide and tip, Hardloy is produced from a special blend of high grade Aluminium Oxide. Because the Hardloy ring is diamond polished and permanently mounted to the frame, this results in lighter weight, greater heat dissipation and decreased line wear. The final analysis - increased performance.

ALUMINIUM OXIDE

Fuji revolutionised fishing with the introduction more than 35 years ago of the original ceramic guide which ushered in a new generation of guides and tips. Now every Aluminium Oxide ring is diamond polished to a mirror finish and either assembled with a polymer shock ring or bonded directly to the frame for increased impact resistance. Aluminium Oxide guides are available in stainless steel and black frame finishes.

Fuji has developed a new material fro their Guides and Tips called the Alconite Ring. This ring has been adapted to the Fuji New Guide Concept Frame and has the following features:

Here is some information on the Fuji Silicon Carbide (SiC) rings for Fuji Guides.

GREAT HEAT DISSIPATING ABILITY

The picture on the right above demonstrates the line damage caused by the tremendous amount of heat build up when using a conventional guide. This heat is produced by the friction of the monofilament line in contact with the conventional guide when the fish makes a hard run.

The picture shown on the left proves how the SiC ring dissipates the heat from the point of line contact, eliminating line wear.

This is especially important when fighting that big fish. That's why FUJI boat and trolling rod guides and tops are designed with the SiC rings mounted directly to the brass frame. This allows the heat to dissipate rapidly from the ring to the frame. So the next time you build or purchase a rod make sure you get genuine 100% FUJI SiC guides and tops.

SUPER HARDNESS
For the guide surface to remain smooth it must be made of a super hard material.
SIC rings are 12 times harder than stainless steel and nearly twice as hard as aluminium oxide
SUPER LIGHTNESS
SIC ring weight is 1/3 that of stainless steel and 1/6 that of tungsten carbide ring.
LOWER FRICTION
SIC rings are diamond polished to eliminate friction and heat build up. Less friction means less line wear and breakage.

For the fisherman who demands the ultimate quality in every component, Fuji has designed a guide with a gold Cermet ring in titanium alloy frames.  This model offers a super-light, super-strong frame that is totally corrosion resistant under all conditions.

The very latest in ceramic technology, Gold Cermet guides and tips continue to be an innovation in the field.  This dynamic material provides a non-corrosive, gold ceramic ring that features the hardness of ceramic and the durability of titanium.  This combination produces a hardness that rivals Silicon Carbide, while remaining lighter and thinner than SiC or any other ring material.  Add Fuji's diamond polishing and the Gold Cermet ring boasts a finish that’s twice as smooth as the SiC ring.

The result?  A guide so lightweight, it rarely affects the action of the blank.  A guide so smooth it outperforms all others on the market.

  Comparision of Rings

See the table below for comparisons:

Results of tests done on different rings in Japan.
Ring Grade  Best Better Good
Type of ring S A L O
Name SiC Ring Alconite Ring Hardloy Ring 'O' Ring
Material Silicon Carbide Reinforced Aluminium Oxide High Grade Aluminium Oxide Aluminium Oxide
Colour Graphite Black Polished Black Grey Dark Brown
Hardness 2200~2400 1300~1500 1200~1400 1200~1400
Specific Gravity 3.2 4.2 3.4 3.8
Heating Conductivity 0.15 0.11 0.02 0.03
Material Strength 55 45 25 30
Heating Test over 500 times over 300 times 145~200 times 20~30 times