In rummaging through my stack of rods I came across my first flyrod, an old Heddon Pal, over 40yrs old, time sure flies. I thought that I would rebuild the rod guides, cork, etc.,. The rod is painted and has several chips in the finish. I've never painted a rod before and would like some recommendations as to how. Additionallly, what would be the best way to remove the metal ferrules for replacement. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanx
Greg DeFoe

I would recommend not removing the ferrules unless they are damaged & need repair to use the rod. They are REALLY tricky to remove & replace without doing more damage. Can you say, "headache?" If they are tarnished, polish them up. If they show brassing & you want to pretty them up, try wrapping them like a graphite ferrule, right up to the lip on the female & up as far as you like on the male (without interfering with the fit). Match the rod blank color or your guide wraps. To remove paint, you can do what bamboo builders do & use a razor, dragged the length of the blank, with the blade angled away from the direction of drag so it won't dig into the rod. The old paint will flake right off. You can also use commercial removers, again, using ones that bamboo builders use...they won't damage the materials that hold the rod scrim together, but will loosen the paint. Be careful with sanding the rod...it can damage the scrim too. Do so (if at all) LIGHTLY with fine steel wool or emory cloth. Repaint with spray paint that will flex...paints for pvc & plastic work great. If the blank is pleasing underneath the paint & doesn't really need painting, try a single coat of Permagloss to give the rod a nice protective gloss.

2 Cents,

Tim

I just stripped a fiberglass rod with citrus strip. It worked great!! I just put it on and let it set till the paint bubbled then scraped it off with a blade held at 90 degrees to the blank. I then sprayed it with adhesion promoter (used to adhere paint to plastic car parts), then sprayed 2 dust coats of Duplicolor Car spray paint, then coated with spar urithane. I've done several rods this way, and it works out great.

Bill in WV