I purchased from a elderly man a rod he had built 12 years ago that i got to know from years fishing at Kure Beach, NC. Used mostly flounder fishing from pier. The rod measured 8', i thought until the rear handle (wood) came loose. After a few search here, my neighbor and i carefully cut the reel seat off with a dremel and thats when i discovered the rod was only 62". The handle(18") was glued 2" inside the reel seat. I had planned to replace the wood handle with cork because handle was a little long for my comfort. Would i be better off if i got a new reel seat and keep the wood handle and put back way it was, or get a cork handle and epoxy 2" inside of reel seat. I just finished my first rod (ul), so little experience at this. All suggestions and ideas welcome. Thanks.

Many of the old boat rods have chrome over brass seats that were fitted onto a solid hickory wood butt. Then, the blank was fitted into a short 2 inch or so ferrule that stuck into the forward end of the seat. The seats were heavy and strong and could handle this type assembly pretty well.

You have several options. You can buy a new wood butt, or if the one you have is okay, just clean things up and reglue with epoxy. Or, replace the wood butt with a section of aluminum pipe that you can oversleeve with cork or EVA.

.......................

Thanks for the quick response Tom. I think i will keep the wood handle. I need to replace the reel seat since it was cut off. Do you think i could get by with a graphite seat or go with a more heavy seat? Thanks.

Roger
Greensboro, NC

I'd inner sleeve it with a fiberglass blank to your desired rear grip length and mount a new reel seat on the bottom of his existing blank, a graphite seat would be fine. I've done a few grouper rods this way and never had a problem.

If you are going to keep that wood butt, you're going to need something there in the middle that has that kind of strength. So, either a new chrome over brass seat or do what Scott suggests, although I'd recommend sleeving the outside of the blank with an aluminum tube and building a new handle on that.

................

Are you planning on stripping down the entire rod or do you want to just fix the handle? The blank isn't solid, right?

Roger...Both Tom and Scott are right on...I have restored many a wood handle to cork or eva using alum. or fiberglass, either works fine, the one drawback to fiberglass is the size availability when you can readily find alum. in many diameters...either way make sure you have a direct link between the butt section [ferrule] of the rod to the alum. or fiber. if you are using a graphite reel seat ,as if there is a gap under the reel seat it will break from the pressure within time.

Tight Lines
Tight Wraps
Fishin'Stix by Fred

Tom, Fred, , and Scott are ALL right.

I may have some old blanks you could pick from for use as the inner sleeve of this project. Email me if you want to discuss it - I'm in Morehead City.

Uncle Russ
Calico Creek Rods

Tom, Scott, Fred, Russ, thanks for the ideas and advise. Sorry i was unable to reply before now, butt i had to leave for work. Just 3 more years. Yea

Scott: I have stripped the rod and the blank is solid at the butt where the reel seat was located.

Fred: There is a solid piece inside of the blank where the reel seat was located.

Russ: Thanks for the offer. I may take you up on the offer. I havent decided which way i will go yet. How is the fishing there?

Roger
Greensboro, NC