I'm hoping to build a Sig V 4 wt fly rod in the near future, and would like to use Alconite single foot guides...reasonably priced, and I'm a sucker for polished chrome. Would they work well, or are they really significantly heavier than REC recoils and Fuji silicon carbide guides? A related thread discussed the latter 2 types, but not the Alconites.

I don't have the weights to compare, but I can say that the Alconites are a very nice, light guide and many builders use them on fly rods (myself included, although I don't do many) The SIC are lighter but whether there is enough difference to justify the much higher price, is up to you. Personally, I'd go with Alconites unless someone else was footing the bill!!

Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!

I like the Chrome Alconites and a step above the FUJI Hardloy's that dosent break the bank , and at least the chrome are seldom seen compared to the black framed version. With the guide feet ground the SF's weigh= CLAG 8mm=.35 gr. CLAG 7mm=.25 gr. CLAG 6mm=.20 gr. CFAT-6mm TIP 4.5=.50 gr.
The SIC's may be lighter but only marginally as the Alconites are suposidly some 35% lighter than the Hardloy, is it worth the big dollar for the extra nomimal amount of weight and other benefits they provide?

Which sponsors have Recoil guides.

Myles,
Angler's Workshop has them and you can order straight for REC also.

I recently weighed an alconite tip top, a Rec recoil tip top and a standard wire tip top as I was building a 6 1/2' 2# fly rod. To my surprise the alconite was the lightest. as a tip top. The guide comparison gave the advantage to the plain wire single foots but the difference from hi to low for a 7 guide total was about 9 grains.

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

Thanks Spencer.

Patrick,
I was like Mike and thought SIC was lighter than Alconite, there is a post on it somewhere I couldn't find it. But one of the forum regulars had posted difference between the two and the alconites came up a touch lighter, don't quote me on this but I think it was something to do with the ring size not the material. If you do a search it is there somewhere, someone who really knows their way around the search function might be able to find it and that someone is not me.

Here is a thread from last year that you all should find interesting.

[www.rodbuilding.org]

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

And here is another one.
What food for thought? There is a feast in the archives if you know how to hunt.

[www.rodbuilding.org]

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

I may just be imagining it, but SIC "seems" much, much slicker to me. And, I can get a fair bit more casting distance with a fly rod that has SICs on it, vs. the Alconites. Again, this isn't scientific, just anecdotal. There's just something about a good fly-line zipping through a set of SICs--it just flies through.

thanks guys...I feel good about using the Alconites...but I am going to have to try the titanium SICs at some point.

I would go as light as possible for the SIG V's as any weight on them at all is noticable,more so than any other blank I've used.

Recoils or SF wire guides are a good choice fot the 4wts,but if you go ceramic,I would spend the extra for the Fugi titanium SIC's.