Not new to rod building. 99% of the rods I build are for Salt Water fishing. Have ventured into building a few fly rods. I understand the need to do a reinforcement wrap on some fly rod ferrules and kind of agree that it may help to keep the ferrule end from splitting. But I do not like the look when it is wrapped. Kind of messes up the flow of color on the wraps along the blank and sticks out like a sore thumb to me. The blank in question is a flat clear black finish. I have just about every brand and type of finish ther is and as everyone knows the of a high gloss. The ferrule wrap is already coated with FC. Need some thoughts as to knocking down the gloss on the wrap. Thinking of lightly sanding with 1000 grit to make it look closer to the blank color. Any ideas out there?
Thanks
Henry

Fine grey Scotchbrite should do the trick. The fine sandpaper you have should work too but I find Scotchbrite easier to use on round surfaces. Just me maybe.

Another thought.......why not tint the epoxy with paint to match the blank color? Not sure but flat black paint might come out matte. Maybe. Not sure.

If you use black thread, low build epoxy and scuuf carefully with Scothbrite type pad, the wraps should almost disappear. They are good insurance against cracking at the female side of the ferrule!

I have sanded the ferrule wrap with 1500 grit wet paper. Not quite the effect I want but real close. The finish is now matte but still much darker than the blank as I used black Gudebrod for the wrap. I have made some test wraps using white silk. Once cured I will either Scotch Pad or 1500 to see how it will come out. I have used white silk before on another fly rod ferrulle wrap ( no CP) and although the effect was somewhat transparent it was slightly mottled.(that blank was a Green gloss). That might not be an issue when dulling the FC when cured. I used gudebrod silk .I have seen bamboo blanks with clear wraps. Is the another white silk brand that works better?

Henry

Get some Gossamer white silk, this is what we use on bamboo. It's a very fine diameter silk and will virtually disappear when the finish is applied.

If you don't want to use silk, try one of the gray tones instead of black, it will darken to match the blank almost perfectly and should be pretty transparent when you scuff it up with the sandpaper.

Terry

Also with out CP all regular nylon threads will become transparent.

Bill - willierods.com

iI do the clear "disappearing wraps using white silk thread. The Gossamer works best, but others will do. The key to getting complete clarity is applying the first coat of epoxy thinned to WATER consistancy. Not like syrup or oil, but like water! This will soak in very throughly and eliminate the micr bubbles that create the mottling or haze.