I found a nice Lew Childre & Sons medium action graphite spinning rod today but it is rather beat up. I want to restore the rod with new handles, reel seat, and guide wraps. I have built several rod kits in the past but have never had to go about disassembling a rod for the job. Are there any web sites that go into how to remove cork handles and reel seats to restore a rod? Or can anyone offer any advice on how to get the job done without damaging the rod blank? Thanks for any info you can provide!

You can spiral cut the seat with a dremel tool or even a hacksaw. Don't cut the blank! Then peel or break it off in pieces.

Cork can be cut off in chunks with a pocketknife and then shaved off the blank. If you have a rod lathe you can just turn it down to almost the blank's surface and install a new one over that one. If installing from the butt end, then you would turn the old grip so that a new one will fit on from the end with no shimming required.

Rodmaker magazine has run some articles on deconstructing a rod but its pretty much just common sense. Go easy and safely and don't damage your blank.

I've got the cork handles off tonight (foregrip and rear grip) and have found what appears to be a metal tube running the entire length under the handles and reel seat. I assume that I am not to remove this metal tube but only the reel seat, and then install a new fore grip, reel seat, and rear grip over this tube. Am I'm on track with this project so far? This might be an older rod that I've stumbled upon today!?
Gary R. Yaden

It would appear you are in luck. The old handle on the tube makes things easy. The tube is probably straight with no taper. So you can assemble parts from the rear. You seem to be on the right track. Check back if you run into any proplems.

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Thanks to all for the input - I've subscribed to RODMAKER and have ordered several back issues to get some moe help on this project. Thanks to all again!!