I used rod building epoxy to glue my reel seat and cork grip to my fly rod blank. I broke the blank and have replaced it. How do I get the cork grip and reel seat off the existing blank? Thanks for your help!

The grip is pretty much toast, the blank can be drilled out of the reel seat probably. Can't guarantee that without seeing the reel seat.

Gene,
Unfortunately, I agree with Spencer.
You can try different methods, like heating the rod with boiling water, a heat gun etc.
However, the likely hood of being able to salvage either the grip or reel seat is slim.

I have been able to salvage a couple by starting with smaller drill bits and gradually increasing the size, until all of the blank has been drilled out.
However, really tough to keep the bit straight - on a glued up handle and grip. (even with the use of a lathe)

Good luck
Roger

The seat SHOULD be able to be boiled and removed easily enough ... as long as you used Rod Bond or similar. The cork is toast since the amount of heat necessary to loosen the grip from the blank is also enough to make the rings separate.

If you don't care if the rings separate can you still salvage the rings themselves?

Not likely that you can get hot water to loosen the cork as cork is a great insulator.

Gene, Cut the reel seat free of the old blank and bore it out to fit the new blank . Your arbor material is already in the reel saet.

I removed 2 legend elite spinning seat once. I soaked them in hot until the flexcoat arbor let loose. Then i chucked a metal reamer in a metal lathe and fed the reel seat on by hand. It worked pretty decent but it was a lot of work and the nut on the seat seemed tight afterwards. I have to say st. croix uses some extremely strong glue, i think its a 3m glue.

make it easy on your self. get a new handle and seat. Build the rod. Then in your spare time you can play with the handle and seat. I have drilled seats and handles out and saved a few. They are a real pain.

Bill - willierods.com

I agree with Bill! I rarely find it worth while to try and save handle components.

Thanks, Guys. I'm gonna order another reel seat and grip. Makes life much easier. Do you have a favorite source for reel seats and cork grips?

I sure appreciate all your suggestions. This is really a terrific forum.

Gene

Angler's Workshop carries Struble, Bellinger, Pac Bay, Hopkins and Holloway, their own line, and probably a few other reelseats. I also like their cork.

UNLESS you put that reel seat on with concrete or something similar ... it WILL come off. Submerge it for 15 minutes in boiling water, grab it with a thick rag and twist. POP goes the weasel. I have recovered every single expensive seat that has crossed my bench.

I am confronted with a similar problem and you guys have been a great help. I started a 13 ft bank rod for a guy who moved away. He was a smaller guy and wanted the seat 28" from the butt. Well it is too short for most so now I have to move it to 34". It is an AFTCO ARS-4M so I don't want to damage it or the blank. It won't fit in boiling water so I guess I will try the heat gun. Any more ideas PLEASE let me know.

Hey Jim Gamble, my friend suggested that this could be done. He also heard that you can put a ziplock bag over a cork and dunk it in boiling water, and you can save a cork handle as well. Have you ever tried this?

Thanks in advance :)

Hey Jim Gamble, my friend suggested that this could be done. He also heard that you can put a ziplock bag over a cork and dunk it in boiling water, and you can save a cork handle as well. Have you ever tried this?

Thanks in advance :)

What is the best way to remove a reel seat from a fly rod. There's a pin in the base of the seat that apparently has to be removed. What the best way to do this. Once the pin is removed, then the heat can be appied.