I'm having trouble getting some of my multi piece rods apart after a few hours fishing time. They're not stuck! Just sticking a little. Maybe my mits are too big or sweaty but I was thinking there might be a way to mount something on the blank that would allow the user to get a better grip on the blank sections so they can be rolled or twisted apart.

What about flocking a couple of little areas on either side of each ferrule? Or maybe gluing down some non-skid rubber around the blank on either side of the ferrule?

Sure would make things easier if there was something you could wrap or paint on the rod sections to serve as gripping points. Any ideas?

A worthy idea but I'd be concerned about the weight that such a thing might add to the rod, particularly on light, slender rods with ferrules in the upper 1/2 such as on 3 and 4 piece models.

Grip friction is only one part of the puzzle - the small diameter you're trying to hold onto doesn't help. Did you read the article on ergonomics in the issue before last? A normal adult hand isn't going to be able to transfer a lot of rotational force to such a small diameter cylinder. So you really need to provide a more tactile surface and a larger diameter at the same time.

So why not just carry a bit of that non-skid rubber material you mention? Wind it around the rod a few times to build up the diameter a bit. That will pretty much kill two birds with one stone. You should be able to keep a couple short strips in your vest or shirt pocket.

One last thing - on hot summer days, things can expand and make that ferrule fit a bit tighter. I have a fly rod that I dearly love, but the ferrule has always seemed to stick a bit on hot days. A couple weeks back I had used it for a few hours and was having trouble getting it apart. I was just about to run up the car's AC and try to set it in front of that for a few minutes to cool it down when Sammy Mickel mentioned that he still had a bottle of ice cold water. He poured just a tad over the ferrule and it then came apart rather easily. Just one more trick to have at your disposal.


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Try some of this stuff.
[www.anglersworkshop.com]

Regards
Dave

Fishing is Life the rest is just Details

The suggestion Dave made regarding U40's Ferrule Lube is right on the money. All my multipiece rods get a double dip.

I don't think he's having trouble with his ferrules getting stuck - just trouble grasping them to get them apart.

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The little rubber sheets used for gripping and removing jar lids would be handy. You can get them a Wal Mart. Cut them to any size you like.

In the early to mid seventys I had trouble with the ferrules tightening up on me in Canada on all my smaller diameter rods due to the ever changing temps...along came U40 ferrule lube and I never had that problem again...I also was a double dipper and as Jay says pack two of those rubber gripping sheets in the tackle box for your buddy's. [one for each section]

Tight Lines
Tight Wraps
Fishin'Stix by Fred

I use paraffin wax on the ferrules and it works like a charm. Bill

Back in the early days when rods had metal ferrules I would take a lead pencil and mark all over the male ferrule. The graphite in the pencil lead would keep them from sticking. I never tried it on a rod without metal ferrules.