ANTHONY: OVER THE LAST 30 YEARS, THE DEERFIELD RIVER HAS BECOME A
GO TO DESTINATION FOR ADVENTURE JUNKIES.
RAFTING COMPANIES LIKE ZOAR OUTDOORS AND CRABTRE WHITEWATER
HAVE RIDDEN A SURGE IN POPULARITY WITH THRILLSEEKING
PADDLERS.
BUT THE DEERFIELD HAS ALSO LONG BEEN A FAVORITE OF THOSE SEEKING
QUIETER PLEASURES AS WELL.
>> IT IS NOT ABOUT CATCHING THE FISH.
IT IS BEING OUT THERE, BEING IN NATURE.
ANTHONY: KEVIN PARSONS, AN ATTORNEY, STEALS OUT TO THE
DEERFIELD WHENEVER HE CAN TO FISH FOR TROUT WITH HIS BAMBOO
ROD.
A PRICELESS PLEASURE, THOUGH THE ROD ITSELF MIGHT BE CONSIDERED A
BIT PRICEY.
>> WER BETWEEN $6,000 AND $7,000, BUT THEY ARE WORTH IT.
THEY ARE.
HE IS THE BEST IN THE WORLD.
HE REALLY IS.
AND TO HAVE HIM HERE IN SHELBURNE FALLS IS PRETTY
AMAZING.
>> IS ALWAYS A LITTLE ROUGH GETTING GOING HERE.
UNTIL IT START CUTTING THE WHOLE WAY.
ANTHON PERE BRANDON, WORLD-RENOWNED ROD MAKER, WORKS
OUT OF HIS GARAGE SHOP, ONE BLOCK OFF THE MAIN STREET IN
SHELBURNE FALLS.
I FELL IN LOVE WITH BAMBOO WHEN I WAS IN MY 20’S.
I THOUGHT THEY WERE SO BEAUTIFUL.
ANTHONY: FOR THE LAST 40 PLUS YEARS, BRANDON HAS BEEN REFINING
HIS DESIGNS, AND EXQUISITE BLEN OF ART, INTUITION, AND SCIENCE.
>> THIS STRIP WHEN IT FINAL, WANTS TO BE 104,000.
A LITTLE OVER 1/10 OF AN INCH.
ANTHONY: MANY OF HIS RODS MADE UP OF SIX SEPARATE BAMBOO STRIPS
GLUED TOGETHER.
>> STRIP OUT THERE, IT IS THICKER THAN A HAIR BY QUITE A
BIT.
BUT IT IS VERY THIN.
ANTHONY: IF THAT WERE NOT EXACTING ENOUGH.
THE RODS ARE HOLLOWED OUT WITH WALLS AS THIN AS 12 THOUSANDTHS
OF AN INCH.
THE WHOLE PROCESS STARTS WITH STOCKS OF RAW BAMBOO, OFTEN
REFERRED TO AS CANE.
>> IS A MOST YEARS, I WILL MAKE A DOZEN TO 16 RODS.
ANTHONY: GIVEN H REPUTATION, THAT MEANS THERE IS A LONG
WAITING LIST FOR BRANDON’S SPLIT CANE RODS.
>> I STOPPED TAKING ORDERS IN 2008.
UNFORTUNATELY, A NUMBER OF PEOPLE HAVE DIED WAITING FOR MY
RODS.
I HATE TO SAY IT, BUT IT’S TRUE.
ANTHONY: RENDON’S SPLIT CAN RODS ARE CHERISHED BY FLYFISHING
AFICIONADOS FOR THEIR POWER AND SENSITIVITY.
HE FIGURES PROMINENTLY IN A RECENT FILM ABOUT THE OBSESSION
WITH BAMBOO.
CHASING THE TAPER.
BUT WILL THIS $6,000 ROD LAND YOU MORE TROUT?
>> THAT IS NOT REALLY THE QUESTION.
ISN’T THE QUESTION THE QUALITY OF YOUR EXPERIENCE?
IT IS ABOUT THE AESTHETIC AND SPIRITUAL QUALITY OF WHAT YOU
ARE DOING.
ENJOYING THIS AMAZING CREATION THAT WE LIVE IN.
THESE ARE ORGANIC IMPLEMENTS THAT I PUT MY HEART AND SOUL
INTO FOR 40 YEARS OF MY LIFE.
ANTHON HANDMADE PRODUCTS ARE A TRADITION IN SHELBURNE FALLS.
EVEN AT THE INDUSTRIAL LEVEL.
>> YOU CANNOT MAKE THIS PROCESS, SURE.
BUT IT IS NOT THE SAME.
YOU WILL NOT GET THAT LEVEL OF DETAIL.
YOU ARE NOT GOING TO GET THAT LEVEL OF CARE.
YOU ARE JUST NOT GOING TO HAVE THAT FINAL FIT AND FINISH IN
THAT -- IN THAT FIELD OF A HANDMADE KNIFE.
ANTHON LAMSON KNIVES AND CUTLERY, FOR MORE THAN A
CENTURY, THE LARGEST EMPLOYER IN SHELBURNE FALLS.
>> WE HAVE A GREAT TRADITION.
IT GOES BACK TO 1837.
ALL THIS CONTINUOUS MANUFACTURED COMPANY IN AMERICA.
ANTHONY: YOU YEARS AGO, A PORTION OF THE COMPANY’S
OPERATION MOVED DOWN THE ROAD TO WESTFIELD.
LAMSON STILL HAS A TOEHOLD IN ITS OLD MILL BUILDINGS IN
SHELBURN FALLS, WHERE THE STEEL IS LASER CUT AND THE RETAIL
OUTLET IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
OPERATIONS MANAGER JIM MORRISSEY.
>> THIS KNIFE WILL LAST YOU FOREVER.
WE HAVE NO PROBLEM GUARANTEEING IT FOR LIFE BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT
YOU WILL MOST LIKELY BE HANDING THIS DOWN TO YOUR CHILDREN,
GRANDCHILDREN, ETC., ETC.
ANTHONY: IN FACT, LAMSON WILL SHARPEN ANY OF ITS PRODUCTS FOR
FREE FOREVER.
>> WE GET KNIVES THAT ARE 75 TO 100 YEARS OLD, STILL COMING BACK
TO LAMSON TO GET A NEW EDGE PUT ON THEM.
THEY LOST FOREVER -- LAST FOREVER.
ANTHONY: LIKE MANY A SUCCESSFUL COMPANY, LAMSON GOT ITS START
OUT-INNOVATING ITS COMPETITION.
LAMSON BUILT A BETTER SNATH.
THAT IS A PART OF A SCYTHE, USED FOR HARVESTING HAY AND WHEAT
AND BACK TO PER BRANDIN AND HIS EXQUISITE BAMBOO FISHING ROD
HE TRAINED AS A PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER, AND HIS WORK IS IN
THE COLLECTIONS OF MUSEUMS IN PARIS, GERMANY, AND AT HARVARD
UNIVERSITY.
NEXT, AT THIS ARTIST COMMUNITY, EVERYTHING IS