Replacing handle on fly rod

[bullhead 0]

Hello, I was given a 7wt rod built by a friend but the cork is shaped like a cigar. I want to replace with a full wells handle. How can I remove the old, salvage the reel seat and replace? Is this possible?

 

can

[SilverCreek 0]

Since your friend built the rod, ask him what kind of glue he used to attach the grip to the rod and how to remove the grip.

[bullhead 0]

epoxy

[Steeldrifter 0]

It is possible, but it is not a fun job at all. You need to remove all the cork by cutting with a sharp knife (fillet knife works well) and some pliers also come in handy. Once the bulk of the cork is gone then you will be left with a mess of epoxy/cork bits on the blank. That has to be scraped and sanded down as close to the blank as you can without actually damaging the blank. Then you will need to remove and guides/finish that are on the butt section ahead of the grip because you have to slide the grip down from the front onto the blank/seat. Sliding down from the front is the proper way to do it, you can slide from the rear, but to do that you need to also remove the seat and then you will not have a tight fit of grip to blank because of the taper on the rod section you would be sliding over.

Having done it a number of times for customers I will say, most times it's more trouble than it's worth unless it's a really special rod.

[SilverCreek 0]

I think heat is used for epoxy but make sure before trying it.

[mikechell 0]

If the cork is in good shape, perhaps you can just sand it down to the shape you want.

On the other hand, if it's a gift, why change it.  You might find you like that shape in your hands for that rod.

[bullhead 0]

Thanks all. It will be quite a job to do and best to keep it the way it is.

Bullhead

[gadabout 0]

Steeldrifter’s answer pretty much spells it out.  It’s a bit of work, and the results may  or may not be very satisfying.  Sliding a pre-made cork grip over the blank will rarely give as good a result as building a grip right on the blank out of individual cork rings and then shaping it.  A poor fit between the grip and blank will definitely be felt when you’re casting.

 Maybe the smartest thing to do is to learn to appreciate a cigar grip.

 

 

[Capt Bob LeMay 0]

A few things I've learned the hard way over the years about serious rod repairs... As Steeldrifter noted - replacing handles, particularly a cork handle is a chore - think long and hard before going down that road... Keep heat of any kind away from rod blanks - they're made with heat (thermoplastic) and heat will cause them to soften and de-laminate - something I had to learn the hard way... The key for me about whether to do a handle replacement (remember I'm only doing fly rods maybe one out of five as opposed to conventional or spinning rods...) is whether the reelseat and the rod blank are in good shape and the reelseat is exactly where you want it... If that's the case my first step on a fly rod is to remove the butt section of the rod and carefully cut away any guides on that section... You won't have to mark them, the residue of finish where they were will show you exactly where to re-do them -after your repair / replace that old cork grip.  Next cover the end of the reelseat next to the cork with tape to protect it - then with a knife (and as already noted,  a good stout filet knife (mine is an Old Hickory stiff boning blade with a very good edge...) and begin cutting away the cork a bit at a time...  This is best done outdoors or with a garbage can under your working area (cork chips everywhere...).  Once you've gotten down to the blank's surface get a bit careful as you remove as much of the cork as possible.... take care not to cut into the blank if at all possible... I use the back side of my blade to scrape away as much of the glue and remaining cork as possible - then holding the blade's edge at a 90 degree angle I lightly scrape and chip away any remaining glue (and for the rods I make - it's always epoxy... I'm working against...). You can thoroughly scrape a rod blank to the point the you remove finish - without damaging the strength of the blank.  Years of hard service after replacing a rod grip (either cork or veltex, or other synthetic grip material to back up my claim..) for this user...  All I'm doing with this operation is removing as much of the remaining material on the blank - so I can slide a pre-shaped cork into place when I'm done - it doesn't have to be perfect-  and if at all possible I avoid sanding the blank - since that weakens it...  

Before gluing up that new cork handle (or cork stick...) I ream it out until it's a very tight fit (done right I want to be able to dry fit it only a bit short of all the way down the blank.... then start my epoxy at least an inch or two above where the grip will be when it's forced into place as a lubricant and apply it generously down the area where the old grip was... Once it's glued in place i then use a homemade cork clamp that's long enough to reach the end of the reelseat  -two threaded rods (light stuff - about 1/8" rod..) with a 3x4 piece of 1/2 or 3/4 scrap board with a hole in the center of each one and washers with wingnuts at each end of the threaded rods to slowly and very firmly clamp that new grip tightly to the reelseat while the epoxy sets up (I prefer Fasco, two hour cure epoxy...).  The last thing to do before setting the repair up to cure out - is remove the tape on the end of the reelseat, then with lacquer thinner on a rag (not much...) do a quick clean up of any epoxy so that  you don't have to deal with it after it cures out (another of those "ask me how I know" deals... ).  Now for a pic or two...

cork clamp - very old school... and of course, homemade...

the top end of the clamp - this one was split to be able to attach it (only needed occasionally) on repairs where you can't slide a clamp in place... I have four or five different length clamps I've made over the years as needed.

the logo on the rods I build and my hat's off to anyone that can make a living building rods... for me it's just a hobby that got carried away... starting in 1971.  I"m still making every rod that I hand my customers on any charter though - except fly rods since it just takes too long to make a rod when we break one (and we break some fly rods each year..).  For my fly customers we're using TFO rods - no other outfit has the warranty service they provide a working captain or any ordinary angler...