Fly Rod Reel Seat

I have a fly rod with a wooden insert reel seat and half wells foregrip. The reel seat is worn out, , metal is split on the reel seat on both ends. I want to remove the reel seat if possible - is that possible without melting he blank beneath with a hand held torch? or should I just saw it off and put a new handle on with new reel seat?

your help is appreciated

thanks guys

Carefully cut it off. Any heat that will dissolve the bond of the epoxy holding the seat to the blank will ruin the rod blank as well.

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I've taken reel seats off 2 ways. I have put the reel seat in boiling water and let it sit for a few minutes, use gloves to twist it off. This has worked a couple of times for me and is the least invasive to the rod. Just be careful not to twist to hard or you could break the blank. This method is a good first try for a reel seat that may have been attached with a glue that is not as durable as an epoxy. The second method is to cut it off with a dremel tool and a very small cut off wheel. I cut very carefully down the length of the seat on two sides not cutting deep enough to cut into the blank. Go real slow and check the depth of the cut. After I have cut enough, insert a screw driver into the cut and twist along the cut. This will cause the seat to split away from the blank. The name of the game with this is to tread lightly.

thanks guys, that is what I figured, wanted to make sure.

i just removed one yesterday using my dremel and cut off wheel "but" i built up the shaft next to the cutting wheel using some tape that allowed just enough of the cutting wheel to cut the seat and nothing else , it acts somewhat like shim or depth setting guide.