Even straight hickory can break. I replaced a mediocre generic hardwood rod with a used (seasoned) hickory one. Someone had scored a "full load" ring near the tapered end. I recognized a potential weak point but hoped that it was far enough out to avoid the main stress. It lasted a couple years - until, talking and rushing for a last shot of an outing, I put a bit too much side pressure. It broke, at the ring, but green stick fracture that held together to let me finish.
I'm currently using a fine, straight-grained, steel-fitted ramrod which I got from the Log Cabin Shop. It's so clean, it has to have been hand selected.
I already had a couple of straight grained blanks, which I culled from bundles at trade shows but they are now back up; I don't anticipate any trouble with this LCS rod.