Last night I tried to inscribe a rod with a Pentel Gel Micro Fine Pen and discovered something important; it dries extremely fast and you don't get a chance for a do-over if you don't like your first attempt. The is the kind with a ball inside that you have to shake to mix the paint. I only waited about 10 seconds to try and remove the first try and I had an extremely hard time getting it off. I wouldn't recommend the method if your penmanship is bad. Maybe I used the wrong kind of pen? My buddy is right. He swears by using a quill pen dipped in acrylic paint diluted a bit with water to inscribe rods. This way, if you don't like the signature you have plenty of time to remove it with alcohol.

I use a quill pen, but not an acryillic ink. The inks I use are Silver, Gold and white to match the highlight theme color of the rod, even down to the MFG label font color. The ink does dry very fast also but I don't find it to be of much consequence. After the color preserve has been applied and other decals. I carefully tape off the inscription area with masking tape making sure I get a good seal with the blank. I have to shake the ink very well to get the metal particals to suspend the best they can. I load the quill as far up as posible , dab off the tip on some clear plastic (baggie) to make sure the flow thickness is satisfactory, then letter away quickly as there is only so much good flow time with a quill, but enough to write a name. If it does not look good I remove the lettering with turpentine and a rag making sure to clean all of it up as the particals like to settle next to the tape edge so I try not to push the wiped ink over the tape edge if possible, then I clean the quill off completely, shake the ink back up and try again. If you look at the members photo galley under my name you can see simple block lettering, its a trial and error, practice makes perfect, sort of thing. The trick is make the ink removal and clean up easy, and prepare for it, then practice . Acryllic inks sound like they offer you so easy in this area with the extended drying time, but I sort of like the quick set as it does not smear.

Chris! Great inscriptions. My writing has always been bad. I need to practice a lot more on a scrap blank, I guess. Thanks

Decal Connection!!!!!!!!!

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!!

Mike, I do have decals from the Decal Connection, but I always seem to end up with some imperfection. Either I tear it, bend an edge, etc. They scare me! LOL!

Hate to hijack the thread - but I have to agree with Mike!! I got some decals from Decal Connection and they are awesome. If you have trouble with them, read the article in the recent rodmaker (was it 9-1 or 9-2, I forget). They are actually very easy to work with - I haven't ruined one yet, and I'm all thumbs. They give the rod such a professional touch - I have a bunch with my name/logo and I had 4 made up for some rods I built for a buddy with his name and rod specs. He LOVES them - and his little boy is demanding a rod with HIS name on it :-)

Another option is to get clear blank decal material in sheets. Then use your pen to write on the decal material, and put decal on blank. It's easier to write on a flat surface, and if you mess up, you can just start over with out any chance of damaging the surface of the rod.

This sounds like a good idea; I may try it. My handwriting is so bad, though, that I don't know if even this would work.
Decal Connection is a great solution, too. If you follow the instructions they go on well, and look good. Also, I have started printing my own labels, following the instructions in one of the recent Rodmaker magazines. This works really well, if you follow the instructions exactly. I have been able to match pretty closely the blank color for the background, so they look almost as good as decals.

What I always have problems with, though, are the labels furnished by most blank manufacturers. The St. Croix are not too difficult, the Loomis are a little bit harder, and the Rainshadow are very difficult for me to put on. I either get fingerprints underneath, or wrinkles, or something just about every time. Have tried holding them with tweezers, all sorts of things. I have just about quit putting them on when I can avoid it.
Steve Broadwell

Decals are the way to go, I'm just not going to have a seperate decal made up for every client (with their name on it) that has me construct them a custom weapon for them. They look nice but I like the professional look of the MFG label on one side (UP) the 1st thing ppl ask is what blank is that, then who made it up for you. On the bottom 2/3rds of the rod I like the hand written script, Now that I can do it well, it shows another aspect and capability I have, I have had written a message from a son to his father in another language. Plus with the MFG label on top of the blank (well slightly skewed toward the operator) this leaves the right side of the blank still semi-upright and open a prime spot for the personilization, which can be read fairly easily from the right side, The left side below the MFG label which is slightly crowded that way I put the built BY: C.D.K. and the date which reads from the left side but not as exposed.

Go down to your local Archery shop and have them save carbon arrow shafts to practice writing on.

I try to do a couple things with the MFG decals or anyones, I plan it out so I hide the left and right decal edges under the thread trim tags, and I usually cut down the decal as there is usually too much excess clear space on the decal. I may only cut down one side at 1st, the top, Then I use the bottom side to put the tip of my exacto knife on when I'm aligning the label just left of top-dead-center for a right handed fisherman. Then when the decal/label is stuck down I then carefully cut off the excess clear bottom part of the decal, wrap with a sheet of paper and burnish all well, especially the edges.

Training Decals: a.k.a. Coil Set
Also sometimes I cut out a fish decal, all around the fish, this has lots of odd edges and points that might want to curl up on you. I take a pen and wrap the cut out fish length wise onto the pen, then wrap a piece of paper over it and tape the paper down, This sets a matching curl into the decals and it wants to stay wraped around the blank rather than pull up when coated with epoxy or acrylic paint, especailly if you treaded to much on the backside sticky on those odd points. This works well for full blown retangular decals also

I use the best of both worlds and know how to adapt either to the job at hand.

Bruce,

I use a quill and speedball arcylic pigmented ink. Wipes right off with alcohol if you "screw it up" and starting over is a breeze. I write directly on the blanks surface or on top of a coat of finish, both ways work great, never had one single problem.

I use Decal Co on larger incriptions, but if a person just wants their name on the rod I use the speed ball. Like you I have a hard time dealing with the waterslides, so dont feel like you're the only one! :)

DR

Duane, I, too, use a quill pen dipped in acrylic craft paint. Last night I inscribed my initials and rod specifications. I have a problem with the color intensity of the lettering. It always seems that no matter how thick I make the paint, the colors fade, even before I put finish over them. It drives me nuts. I like the decals, but I always create some kind of imperfection during the job. I'm of average intelligence, but I don't understand why everyone claims they're really easy to master. I guess practice will eliminate those problems. I want my rods to look good, but not like a factory finish. I figure that if I want a factory-looking rod I'll go buy one. Take care!

Bruce,

Are you topcoating the speedball? with a coat of finish? I do ALL of mine and fairly quickly too. I usually let the writing sit about 10-30 minutes and topcoat. I've NEVER ONCE seen the ink fade! Thats a shock to me.

I only use the white, and I shake the bottle like mad before I ever dip the pen...any of that help?

Now on the waterslides......ME TOO! I just can't seem to get a "perfect one". And.... I have a WHOLE SHEET of them to play with. I can't say I've ever had one look perfect. Close, but no bannana :)

Give me the vinyl one like the fish decals ANYDAY. Those I can DO and get perfect everytime.

DR