Printing and allowing customers to read recent threads on the board have proved to be very valuable to me in selling upgraded blue water rods. One simple comment by Jay Lancaster stating that IFGA blanks made poor stand up tuna sticks due to short stroking needs of the stand-up angler sold two upgraded fast taper tuna sticks sold two rods for me.

I know it would be nice to change clientele at times but I feel rodbuilders lose a lot of opportunities for sale to many potential customers. Good building techniques can be backed up with the use of good communications and the use of sound marketing skills.

I have one more issue that I could use some help on. I understand the nature of thread finishes and what they should be used for. I apply finish to thread only and work mostly with gloss black or natural graphite gloss blanks. The whites would be a special case due to yellowing and I would like to leave them out of the subject matter. I called some guys back who I quoted prices to who did not buy and asked them why they did not order a rod from me. Two told me my rods were not finished as well at the commercial rods. I do good finish work with flat surfaces and clean edges and upon furthur questioning I discovered they were sold on the total coverage concept. They thought the commercial rods were better and stronger.

Most of the commercial rods on the market in nearly all price ranges are finished from end to end, i.e., thread and blank. The guys that build these rods are successful and must have a reason for doing so. Here are my questions -

1. Is the total suface area application of finish more appealing to the eye from a marketing aspect? Do they simply look better?

2. Does it protect the blank finish from chipping or add any measure of long term durability to the rod?

3. Do customers think that it adds strength when compared to a rod with none on blank?

4. Finish should not bond to the blank materials of construction but will it bond with the finish on the blank itself? Why is long term cracking not an issue to force the commercial guys to discontinue the practice?

5. Are there valid reasons why the technique of complete surface finish application should not be done. On the rods I am concerned with weight is not really an issue.

Again thanks for any comments - they will be used by me or the customers!

Bill Stevens




Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/02/2006 11:42AM by Bill Stevens.

Bill, I know that some people would not do this to their rods for various reasons. I do it to all boat rods, and even finished the whole blank on two 12' surf rods. I like the looks and feel of one continous coating running the length of the blank. I'm sure it doesn't provide any added strength and wouldn't do it on a rod where weight is an issue. I've seen rods finished this way that are many years old and fished hard, and they still look good. Try one and see for yourself.

Hi Bruce,
What finish do you use to coat your rods?
Rick Popola

It looks "shiny." That's why it sells.

From a performance standpoint, however, it's one of the worst things you could possibly do. It's heavy (this may not matter on a very heavy rod), prone to peeling and scratches easily. I've seen some that held up okay, but others really didn't hold up very well.

So the question is, do you do what it takes to sell the rod even though it may not be the greatest thing to do? Or do you stick to your guns and refuse to do it and not sell many rods?

I don't do it. But on a very heavy trolling rod if you did do it you really aren't hurting much.

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Richard, I use flex coat high build,,,,,,,light coats (usually three or four).