Well the U8 reelseat that I bought from Andy Dear isn't going to work with the cigar style grip that I'd prefer to use with this flyrod blank. So, I have to find a good quality down locking reelseat for the 9 foot 4wt fly blank. Would also like to find a "blued" reelseat, now REC makes several black versions of there seats, what would anyone recommend for a nice looking alum or nickel seat for this blank? I only build rods occasionally and this ones for me, so I want to make it a little unique. The blanks an olive Allstar so I want to try the blued seat to match the blank and whatever color of thread I end up using.


Tim Kelly

Buy a nice nickel silver reel seat and insert and blue the hardware yourself like the boo guys do with their seats, ferrules, checks, etc...

golden witch carries bluing agents for blueing nickel silver as well as aluminum i think. different solutions. personally, i like aluminum rings, i think they hold better with wood inserts. the anodized black aluminum looks different than blued NS. your choice.

we have a poster here on this board who makes his own titanium rings i think for double ring fly reel setas. maybe he'll respond.

there are various nice choices out there. struble and bellinger both make what are considered the standard, better reel seats in downlocking. venneri offers some very nice models too. struble offers one which can work as down OR uplocking. you should also check out REC which offers, sometimes, a smaller and arger version of DL cap and ring. if you want something which looks a bit different, check out rush river rods, kind of an old word charm to the hardware. i tried something from jim breau at jimbrureau.com i think. very nice quality reel seats. and don't forget to look over golden witch's seats in 2-3 designs for cap and ring downlocking seats. plenty to choose from.

eric
fresno, ca.

Thanks Eric and Mark,

You both have given me some great advice, I'll check these options out and try to come to some conclusions with this.


Tim

tim.. post a photo of your final rod. that olive color sounds very interesting. you may want to update your prfile too to include your email address. or grab mine. i have some links for you.

eric
fresno, ca.

Eric,

Have changed my profile to include my email as an option, I hadn't thought of that option. Thanks. May consider the REC (AUS) reelseat now for the blank, it can be ordered in the pewter or champagne. Familiar with the pewter finish but not the champagne. What does the champagne look like? Pretty sure I'll use the fiddleback maple insert with either of these. What guides would look/match with the champagne seat?

Tim

i would recommend bellinger reel seat in black aluminum. beautiful woods available. i have tried bluing ferrules and reel seats. have had good luck with nickel silver ferrules using birchwood casey brass black but not good results with reel seats. it may be because the reel seats are work hardened and ferrules are machined (the ones i buy anyway). just my experience and anecdotal. cetainly there is some bluing agent that would do it because you see them all the time. just not sure which one would work on a a work hardened nickel silver piece.