Mr. Osthaus: I hate to say it but "old" seems to be the one constant here. Only older folks seem to have the soft spot for things like damascus and bamboo. I see very few folks younger than 50 showing much interest in either. Like you, the plastic stuff just leaves me cold. It's very efficient (i.e., works very well) and requires almost no maintenance but...I found that I miss the feel of a rod loading and the "hiss" of a silk line going out through the guides. It may be more nostalgia than anything....but so be it.
