Reel seat & handle removal - risk to blank??

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Tigerbass
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Reel seat & handle removal - risk to blank??

Post by Tigerbass » Sun Feb 11, 2018 8:46 am

Hey guys,

I know very little about custom rod making, so I apologize if this is a dumb question!!! Is there risk to damaging a blank when removing the foregrip, reel seat, and handle off an existing rod? (I'm not talking about doing it myself, but having a custom rod builder do it).

I'm considering having one of my beloved Loomis BCR 803 rods lengthened a few inches and "blinged out" a little bit. I wouldn't want to risk Damaging the blank though.

Also, could you guys recommend a few rod builders? I know there are several on here that do custom work.

Thanks, Pat

surge
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Re: Reel seat & handle removal - risk to blank??

Post by surge » Sun Feb 11, 2018 11:09 am

I have done it and sure there is risk. I personally wouldn't touch an expensive rod I do not own.

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Mattman
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Re: Reel seat & handle removal - risk to blank??

Post by Mattman » Sun Feb 11, 2018 1:33 pm

Sure there is a risk. Especially with reel seats that fit snugly against the rod blank. Like a Fuji ECS.

A good experienced builder shouldn't have trouble though.

Damage to the paint on painted blanks is going to happen. Reel seats don't come off cleanly. Really, any epoxy on paint is going to leave some sort of mark. Typically, I pretty much count on stripping the blank bare on a full rebuild if the blank is painted. And on a full rebuild I'm correcting the bad guide spacing and excessive use of double foot guides too so just stripping the paint is the most cost effective route.
Matt Davis
Otterods-High performance fishing rods

Tigerbass
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Re: Reel seat & handle removal - risk to blank??

Post by Tigerbass » Tue Feb 13, 2018 8:02 pm

Mattman wrote:Sure there is a risk. Especially with reel seats that fit snugly against the rod blank. Like a Fuji ECS.

A good experienced builder shouldn't have trouble though.

Damage to the paint on painted blanks is going to happen. Reel seats don't come off cleanly. Really, any epoxy on paint is going to leave some sort of mark. Typically, I pretty much count on stripping the blank bare on a full rebuild if the blank is painted. And on a full rebuild I'm correcting the bad guide spacing and excessive use of double foot guides too so just stripping the paint is the most cost effective route.
Thanks Matt. Any idea what a stripped Loomis BCR GLX blank looks like? Would it look similar to the older MBR GLX blanks?

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Mattman
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Re: Reel seat & handle removal - risk to blank??

Post by Mattman » Wed Feb 14, 2018 5:57 am

Tigerbass wrote:
Any idea what a stripped Loomis BCR GLX blank looks like? Would it look similar to the older MBR GLX blanks?
I've redone a half dozen or so BCR's and they all look like most everyone else's blanks. Just a straight up sanded blank. (Unlike the Legend Elite blanks)
Matt Davis
Otterods-High performance fishing rods

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