I'm looking to restore two old rods.
Both were striped down.Which includes guides,thread and most of the finish. The rods have old paint and i want to bring them back too there original appearence.What steps do i have to take.DO i have to sand and paint and seal. What do i have to do.

Sand paint all the way down to but not into the glass. Do not leave any paint on the blank. Do not use anything but decreasing grit paper. Do not use steel wool or scouring pads. Clean the blank with alcohol. Apply the paint in multiple thin coats. Use the first coat as a primer to raise the grain, then use 600 grit to remove the fibers that may be sticking up. Then apply the rest of your coats.

I my self do not like to paint rods. So I take mine to a friend who owns a auto body shop and have him do it.By doing this I save time and money. Besides his painting evenvierment is much more controlled than mine. Most rods cost me a repaire job or ten bucks

Me - I like to restore old solid fiberglass boat rods. The paint or varnish must be removed. I agree with the sandpaper method, I finish up with a real fine grit wet sandpaper like you would use on a car that needed sanding before painting. In any case try not to dig into the blank, it looks frumpy with a bunch of holes in it when you try to rewrap it. I use a common flexible urethane once my blank is done to seal it. Several coats will do fine. If you want to paint it , go to clemens for pigment that you can rub on - I have used the black for years and its great. Fits my stlye.

Good Luck