I did a search on this and got either unrelated posts or a billion that still didn't answer my question, so sorry for bringing up more gel pen writing questions.

Anywho, here it is: when writing on my blanks, sometimes the gel pen I use doesn't stick well. How do you prep your blank so the ink sticks well?

AC
FishinFreaks
Rogers, MN

A coat of clear first, then do this : [www.rodbuilding.org]

Aaron, I clean the blank with alcohol. Then I use a sanford uniball gel pen fine point. I write on a piece of paper to get the ink flowing well then I write my inscription. I don't write to quickly but not real slow either, just fast enough to let the ink flow. If you make a mistake it comes off easily with alcohol. I then spray the area with a light coat of fix-a-tiff by Krylon. Then I epoxy finish. You may need to try some different pens as they are not all the same in the way work on a blank. I tried three pens before I found the wright one. Tom

Bill, when you say a coat of clear, what exactly do you mean? A coat of finish? Like the LS Supreme I use? (I haven't finished up my LS yet. I'm making the switch to Threadmaster after all the feedback I've been hearing on it.). Anywho, back to the question. "Coat of clear"...what exactly is that?

AC
FishinFreaks
Rogers, MN

Yes Finish. I put a coat on the blank first, not the complete blank, just where the inscription will go, just to give some backing in case I have to take the inscription off. Less chance of sanding or scraping to the blank. Some say it gives a floating effect to the writing.
You can put it right over the blank also.