I hate to ask a question that I think I know the answer to but...

I am fairly new to rod building. I am working on a rod that is matt black on which I am using garnet (dark red) thread with a silver decorative wrap at the start of the normal wrap. I used the technique where the decor wrap thread runs under most of the length of the garnet wrap to secure one end. I was not wanting to use color preserver (exempt on the silver decor wrap to hold it in place as I work the rod). I am about half done putting on the wraps. It dawned on me that if I do not use CP, the silver thread under the garnet thread will show up like a sore thumb as the garnet will go transparent.

Is that right? If yes, I guess I had better change my plans and put CP over the whole wrap. Thanks.

No sooner do I post this question than I see Tom Doyle basically answer the question in the Trip Wrap post below.

Jim: Yup. Looks like you either need to re-do the wraps, or go ahead and use CP. You're aware that with CP the color will be a lot different, close to how it looks on the spool now. I've seen plenty of commercial rods where they just let the metallic tag ends show through, but I sure don't like how that looks.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder! I see nothing wrong with the tag end showing thru if you are getting the translucent color effect that you wish with the garnet thread. I would be certain however that the tag end is uniform and in the same plane on all guides giving the over all appearance of uniform and professional craftmanship. A gold trim would offer less a noticeable contrast in your case but I like silver trim as well with garnet.

Stan Grace
Helena, MT
"Our best is none too good"

I have thought more about it and agree that if had thought ahead, I could have placed the silver thread in the proper location and in the way you suggest, it would have looked fine (been relatively unnoticable). This is unfortunately not the case. I'll go with CP this time in spite of the fact I wanted the translucent look. I would rewrap but I was using CP to nail down the decorative wraps all along and think I might have a mess on my hands if I tried to remove all of it. Chalk this one up to inexperience.

If having fishing rod wraps that are not quite the right color is my worst problem, I'll consider myself one of the luckiest people on earth.

Thanks for the advice.