Can I salvage a handle and reel seat from a broken rod by cutting the rod as close to the fore as possible and then drilling it out?
The rod has one of those weight balance system/handles and there's a desire to salvage it and reuse it on another rod, if possible?

[www.cabelas.com]

I have been sucessful in cutting the blank close to the handle and boiling it. I was able to easily remove both seat and handle from 2 rods an individaul put in the back of his truck loaded with boulders that he was bringing home from the mountains for landscaping. Rocks + graphite rods X 2= 2 busted custom rods and a very upset builder!! (me). Thankfully ,I had two of the exact blanks and the rebuild was a quick one.

I was concerned about boiling/hot water breaking down the glue thats holding the cork handle together.

Steven,
The reason for boiling is to break down or soften the glue so as to remove the blank from the inside easier.
Using to much ebow grease could damage the cork or foam sections.

Raymond Adams
Eventually, all things merge, and a river runs through it..

I have seen many guys post that they use aluminum or brass tubing about the same size of the outside of the rod blank, and cut teeth on one end and chuck them in a hand drill and use them like a tubular saw. That's what I'm going to do to salvage parts off junk rods.

Bill in WV

I have cut them off at the front grip,taken off the butt cap and slid a slightly smaller blank right up the handle instant Grip!