Two questions.

Customer wants to restore two rods. The first is a Harrington that someone did a real ugly job on the finish.

The entire rod appears to have been coated with thread finish. Its lumpy and bumpy. Obvious drips from where the finish settled. My plan is to knock the high spots off carefully with a razor blade, than sand the blank down to the paint, than refinish with Permagloss. Any other suggestions?

Next same customer wants an old Harnell re-wrapped in factory colors. He is going to send me some pics, anybody have any idea what thread colors those were?

1. Your approach to cleaning/stripping the blank is correct. However, you might want to consider taking it to an automotive shop and having a nice paint job applied.

2. No way to know at this point. When you see it, you will know.

Ted a couple of thoughts first many old Harringtons and Harnels that were sold in Florida in the early 80s were counterfeit actually less expensive blanks were painted Black covered in flex coat and sold as harringtons I am sure it happened elsewhere also as the blanks were expensive and sometimes difficult to acquire.
This was mostly with the 500 series, do the rods have the white grips.
I don't recall harrington factory rods except for a brief period in I believe the early 90s where a company manufactured the rods which were suposed to be made on harrington blanks.
The only colors I remember from the rods I saw that were made here was Green or Red with yellow NCP under wraps.
Careful use of heat will allow you to actually peel off the finish with a razor blade. Care must be used naturally
Doc Ski would probably be the best person to ask re the Rods
John

Ted,
The Harnell colors back in the early sixties were bright red with bright yellow trim. I believe the heavy saltwater rods had a yellow underwrap with the bright red wrap. When I was using Harnell blanks, I used the red/balck classic twist with the Guderod Sunrise yellow as trim. Personally I think this was a better combination that the Harnell colors. If the person wants the restoration to be exactly as the original, then you will need to use the red and yellow. As I was writing this i had a thought of using red metallic wrap with a metallic gold trim--kind of a variation on a theme. Anyway, I hope this helps.

Mike Blomme

Ted, From my rewrapping experience Red and Yellow is correct.
Dennis J. Danku(Sayreville,NJ)