Hi guys
I picked up a Orvis rod from a customer today to replace the very cheap cork handle with a custom one. The problem is the reel seat won't loosen up I've been trying a heat gun to loosen the glue that looks more rod finish. If the heat gun won't work what will with out cutting it off. I also don't want to take off guides and work from there down.

Thanks
Mike

Mike, there has been a lot of discussion on this very issue. If I remember correctly, I think hot water/steam is the best thing to use to soften up the glue . You got to get it good and warm throughout the seat ,glue, and the blank for this method to work well.
I have never steamed a seat off, I always cut them off. A lot of builders have steamed them off with great success and I'm sure someone will chime in here and give you the steaming technique they used.

J.B.Hunt
Bowling Green, KY

I am like jay it is much easer to cut it off. Also when you replace the rear gripit is easer and you do not have to shim it. If you decide to cut the reel seat, cut it off at 15%. This will allow the blank to realign its self

Good Wraps Bob

Cut your losses on the seat (unless its something of major value) cut it off. Will be an overall much quicker and easier way of doing it. If you must keep it, steaming it off will work, but can take time and sometimes repeated warming/cooling to loosen the bond.

I have never found the heat gun to work. Was has worked for me is to put the reel seat end of the rod in a ziplock type plastic bag and emerse it in boiling water for about 10 minutes, then pull straight off...DO NOT TWIST! You may have to do this a couple of times to break it loose. I am assuming this is a fly rod. If so, do you intend to put the new grip on from the butt end, and if so how will you get it to fit snugly?

Mike,
I know you said that you wanted to replace the handle from the butt end of the rod.
But, I will ask the question - how many guides do you have on the section of rod that is in front of the handle?
I would guess that there is only one guide. Is it that big a deal to remove one guide, so that you can fit the handle and reel seat properly with minimal gaps?

Actually, if you do have a Good industrial heat gun, you can easily loosen the handle. Keep the heat on the handle until it begans to loosen - then holding the reel seat with a good glove, simply pull it straight off the rod.
A hair dryer will not work, nor will a light duty heat gun.

Good luck
Roger

Roger this is just my observation, experience and opinion. Unless you have had some experience using heat you can ruin a good blank been there done that. Sense he is removing the reel seat just cut it off, and replace it. this way you do not have to replace the back cork. All you do is cut the reel seat at 10%, remove the old handle , clean up the exposed blank, find a old rod to use as a support plug, 3 inches long, make arbors fo the new reel seat align blank assemble, glue in place stick plug inside blank glue in place. the job should be about 10 minutes max. Now this is just for a standard reel seat. If it is a fly rod reel seat just cut off and replace with a new one

Good Wraps Bob

Bob,
Good point.
As you stated, I have also ruined a couple of blanks due to heat. So, now I am extremely cautious in using any heat around a blank and typically prefer to simply cut a handle off a blank and replace it.
No big deal and the cost of the reel seat is pretty minimal.

Take care
Roger

Mike,
I just had your problem, and I will guarantee you nothing short of cutting that handle off will work. A few hours with boiling water, steam, and heat gun did not make a dent in the handle. I spent another couple of hours cutting it off, and repreparing the blank for a new handle. It has to be done carefully as well, so as not to cut the blank nor the grip. Use some small carborundum discs if you can get them. Ask your dentist for a few. They are cheap, but do the job slicing through any material we use as rod builders. Then just pry it apart. Good luck.
Sanford

If you're not planning on reusing the seat, and it sounds like you're not, just spiral cut it and pop it off the rod.

I would turn the grip down to a level just above that of the rod blank itself. Then bore/ream the new handle to fit that and install it over the old one.

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

I have been doing a lot of rebuilds, many of them have blank exposed reel seats that are glued directly to the blank. The only way to get them off without destroying the blank is to boil them, I use a turkey fryer so I can get the entire handle area submerged, this has worked every time I have used it. Like others I have destroyed blanks using a heat gun, but boiling water will never get hotter than 100º.

Hi all
This is a fly rod, and the customer likes the insert and I also need to reuse the hardware with the Orvis logo.Three guides in front of handle and hook keeper plus the hard plastic winding check.

Thanks for the input
Mike

The seat should come off --in a bag -- using boiling water. It may take several times. The handle you can probably cut off with a knife - be careful. You could put it back together from the butt, if you don't want to take the guides off. Or like said turn the old one and slide the new one over

Bill - willierods.com

Boiling water several times not working.
Mike

I re glued a -- loose -- seat. I used mid-temp lacquer thinner to get it to become fully turnable buy putting it in the exposed section of the seat. so I could move it away from the handle to get the glue out and re glue.
If you can get the end cap off ? you may be able to loosen it up by dropping the thinner around where the seat is glued to the blank.

Don't know if it will work, but it's a thought. maybe if you take some of the handle off you could also put drops of the thinner at the front of the seat also ???

Bill - willierods.com

Mike,

Just my opinion but if you damage the seat taking it off it will be much harder to replace than a couple of guides and a hookkeeper. I would assume that given the trouble getting it off it is probably glued directly to the blank (no filler). I can cut off three guides and a hookkeeper and replace in alot less time than it takes to replace a seat. And Idont' have the worry of damaging the blank in the process or the seat. If the customer is attached to this seat then I would cut off the guides etc. turn the existing handle down as Tom suggested then ream the new one to fit and rewrap.

Vic

Mike I reread your post. It appears you have a ORVIS fly. Sense when did Orise use cheap cork or reel seats? I am inclined to agree with Victor. If you are designing a custom cork grip. I would remove , what 2 guides, cut the cork off. now the main question is! Are you replacing the the reel seat? If you are I would cut it off. What type of reel seat is it? by that is it wood or composite?

Good Wraps Bob

The question that immediately comes to mind for me is this: are you talking about a graphite rod or one made of split cane? Orvis makes both, and they are better known for cane than for graphite. The blank material will dictate the handle removal procedure.

Good point Gary

Good Wraps Bob

Going to rtemove guides and hook keeper and put on handle. Bob I have seen better cork on cheap rod from big box stores this cork had more filler than derby car needs after being smashed all nite.

Mike