Have a down locking reel seat and would like to make it an uplocking. Can I just reverse it or is there something I 've over looked .Cork is not recessed. Never doing this before I don"t want to make a mistake I can't fix. Thanks

The only time you'd have a problem here is if you have a hood that is intended to be recessed and therefore isn't finished or anodized like the threaded barrel end. If both ends look the same, go right ahead.

................

Hi, Bill

I just place those ol' reel seats on spinning rods so the threads on the barrel aren't held in the hand of the user. Those darned threads get pretty irritating when the rod's held all day with them cutting into skin. Uplock, downlock-doesn't matter. Just so the threads aren't next to skin, they're in the correct position for me!

Putter
Williston, ND

Shortening the length of the barrel of the reel seat can also be done if that seems to help with some situation, whether up-locking or down-locking.

Use a fine tooth hacksaw. Make sure to clear off the burr from the end and the thread channels. And make dang sure that the new barrel length is not too short. Open the reel hoods, and lay the reel foot of the reel you want to use between the spread out hoods. Even do this on the side or the backside of the barrel, so that you are not cheating and having the toes of the reel foot slip into one of the hoods while you are moving the hood-nut up or down. This spread will ensure that the new barrel length will be at least long enough to open wide enough to still keep the hood-nut completely on the barrel when the full length of the reel foot sits between the spread-out hoods. Otherwise, the hood-nut may damage that grip's cork or foam. You may want to add another ~ 1cm (~ 1/2") in case you use another reel some day. -Cliff Hall+++

I want to cut the reel seat to proper length .It being black aluminum I'm concerned about having a shiny thread at the end .Anyway to mask it?

Handydandy Bill reporting, The light just went on,. the thread will be hidden by the wood spacer .

"When cutting the reel seat to proper length, I'm concerned about having a shiny thread at the end. Anyway to mask it?" ..."The light just went on - the thread will be hidden by the wood spacer . -BC
... BINGO ! -Cliff Hall+++ .

P.S. - For hiding the shiny metal of a newly ground guide foot from shining thru from under a light-colored thread overwrap, a permanent Sharpie brand marker or Testor's paint is what is usually recommended. Check to see that your color preserver and thread epoxy won't re-dissolve the ink or paint as you use it. Otherwise, just use a dark enough overwrap and be done with it. ... Which, in part, explains the popularity of black and metallic overwraps - almost total masking power. -CMH