If this post needs to be moved to a different forum, please do so.  Just wanted to get this out there....
I have a rod I used to fish with when I went with my Dad to Pymatuning in the early 60s. I know it's much older than that.
It's a five and a half foot square steel rod. In the rod seat it says A True Temper Product, Geneva, Ohio.
On the bottom of the rod seat it says Speedlock Pat no 1534674 Also, it has red agate liners in the ferrules.
It's moved with me several times, seen much better days, and I am trying to restore it back to good condition. I'm just trying to date it and get some history on it. Any info or direction would be appreciated. I'll get to the reel that's on it in a later post........

I have 4 steel rods in my basement.  they were my dads from the late 50s.  one is square and all still have the shakespere knuckle buster baitcasters on them.  learned to cast these when i was 9 or 10.  convinced they are the reason i like baitcast reels today.  i checked a few years back, still alot of these rods out there.  not worth a whole lot.  i should get off my****and clean up the rods and reels(real simple to work on).

Yep, that's it.  I have a green Shakespeare Sportcaster direct drive baitcaster on mine.  You are right they aren't worth a whole lot.  i've seen the reels go for around $20 in excellent shape.  This is just a labor of love and i was trying to date the outfit.  I know true temper quit making them in '50 I believe, and somewhere around  1940 I think they were still beinf stamped American Fork and Hoe company (soon to be spun off to True Temper).
You are right about the knuckle buster, only about three inches between the handles on the reel!  I let the rod get pretty nasty over the years, but started cleaning it up and I have it pretty close to the way it looked when I used it.   Took the reel apart and cleaned it and I can't believe how well it works!  I know it's been at least 30 -40 years since it was used!
Must be a reason i never tossed it!