I have 2 old Penn 20-40 rods. The guides are in good shape. I am just going to re-wrap them. Any one in the repair bizz got any tips on removal of the guides and underwrap. Also need some help in properly preping the old blank.
Thanks
Wayne

Check the FAQs page on this site. It has all your answers.

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Wayne,
I just use a bit of gentle heat to soften the finish. Then use a straight edge razor on the metal side of the guide to slice through the thread. Again with gentle heat and a craft stick, you should be able to pretty well clean up the blank without damaging it.
Since you are doing an underwrap, you don't need the blank perfectly smooth for a nice job. Of course, the smoother the better. If you do use a straight edged razor to remove the final residue - simply scrape back and forth on the finish and glue area with the blade held virtually perpendicular to the blank. That way, you don't run the risk of slicing into the blank material.

Take care
Roger

Wayne, As a precaution, with blue painters tape, mask off each guide at the end of its wraps.(just in case you go a little wild with the razor blade) Next, starting from the center and ending at the end of the guide foot, slice the thread along the top of the foot. ( that way you won't chance scoring the blank) Next, if the previous builder used CP , you should be able to peel off the thread you just cut in one ring or band. The remainder of the thread, beginning at the guide foot, if you have good eyes,find the tag end and while holding the rod loosely, pull on the tag end, and with a little luck you will unravel the rest of the thread. Sometimes the thread will break and you will have to pick at it to get it started again, it's not as easy as it sounds but , it's not hard to learn.Sometimes you wont even have to remove the underwraps (it comes off that clean) unless you want a different color. Then, there are times its a struggle from start to finish and you wish you never started the job. Oh,before I forget, wear eye protection! When your unraveling the thread as I described, the old finish cracks and flies off like shattering glass and could get in your eyes. Again I say, WEAR EYE PROTECTION ! To clean up or smooth out the area your going to wrap, I chuck the rod in my lathe and while it turns, I use Scotch -Brite held against the wrapping area to dress it up. That blue painters tape also lets you know where those old wraps began. Before wrapping, I clean the area with a small amount of alcohol on a rag (you never know what was on that rod before it came into your shop.)
If all goes as planed , then you can celebrate by wringing out that rag.
Just stay at it and try not to hurt the blank,
Dennis J. Danku

Thanks for the tips. I would have most likely ruined the blank cutting under the guide foot. The forums are a great learning tool for the newbies like myself. Special thanks to Dennis for the safety tip. I'll make sure I break out the goggles.
Wayne