I know that if I don't use CP on nylon thread that the thread becomes translucent. How translucent? Will you be able to see the guide feet? Should I use a sharpie to make them black again? Does someone have a photo of what happens?

Unfortunately, I don't have the luxury of testing it. I'm pretty sure that I want to do it, but I'm concerned about the guide feet.

Yes you will be able to see the guide feet. So if you want the color on any black or gunsmoke feet not to show silver or grey on the tips, you'll have to color them.

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Sean. I never use CP. To me, the wrap just looks classier without it. If you are using a dark thread, the wrap is pretty opague and may turn almost black against a black or dark grey blank. I use colors mainly so that I can see the thread better as I wrap. With any bright guide, you must pack the thread very carefully and bevel the end of the guide foot so as to avoid "glints" through the gaps. This is less a problem with A thread. Also, I have found that Varathane varnish as the undercoat preserves a bit more color than Klass-Kote epoxy paint does. I recently wrapped a rod with gold thread and this ended up splotchy and pretty translucent, as did a light grey thread I used several years ago. The guide feet are plainly visible with the gold and light grey. IMO stick with a medium dark thread to dark thread for the best results.

Sean,

Pick up most any factory fly rod and the wraps are translucent. That is the effect you are looking at. How dark it will go depends on the finish and the black color. Dark blue and navy blue gudebrod go to essentially the same color on a dark grey blank even though they are fairly different on the spool. Same with green and dark green on black blanks. They are almost the same color.

Some finishes don't darken the thread as much. Gudebrod 1-part finish is almost like color preserver and doesn't darken the thread really at all. Permagloss penetrates the thread instantly and seems to darken the threads the most of what I've seen. Most of the epoxies are the same and a miniscule amount less than permagloss (only noticable side by side).

Contrary to what Don says above, I also use light colored threads without CP for some effects. Sage's XP rods are a good example. The thread is gold (a medium to light color) and the blank is a dark olive. The thread goes to a nice olive color on the blank and looks pretty good. Some combinations are better than others, but it seems to work best with warm colors rather than cool colors.

Thanks,
Rick

Sean, and fellow rodbuilders, I think it depends on what look you are going after. For instance, I just completed a 12wgt GL3 and an IMX flyrod. With subtle differences in handles and wraps, I set both up with basic black guide wraps with silver single-line trim or inlay bands. I want those trim/inlay bands to stand out in contrast to the black wraps as much as possible. While you could pick out the silver band without CP, with CP, they appear almost untouched, bright and silvery. On many rods, though, the translucent look does caused by using no CP under the finish, does look classy. But, to me, only when wrapping guides without trim or inlay bands
Patrick Vernacchio

Try thread as close to the color of the blank as you can get w/o cp for a neat effect. IMHO. Ralph