I've ordered some transparent paua shell veneer, the vendor I bought it from recommends that you use 3M 77 to apply (glue) the veneer to the blank. I read in an old thread that some use CP to apply it. I have cason's CP both the regular and the water based. Which should I use. I will use the regular for some silk thread I'm using but not sure about the veneer at least which one to use to apply the veneer. Any help would be much appreciated.
Thanks
Bob

kevin knox has a dvd that covers applying abalone. it is very comprehensive and worth the investment

I just emailed Kevin to get a price on the DVD
Thanks
Bob

That veneer will be OK, but the depth of color will not be optimal. I have that shell and you won't need the dvd for that. My DVD deals withBending veneer around the rod, keeping the cracking to a minimum to no cracks at all. The transparent veneer is machine cracked or "fractured" and my method is not necessary.

Use a thread underwrap for color, thereby giving you lots of possibilities for the final effect. 3M will work fine for adhesion and is less painful than CP for that application.

I've done split grips in that manner with the thinner veneer you are talking about. My only objection to the material is it's fairly delicate and you have to work with the grain. It doesn't roll well if you try to go cross grain.

Doing an inshore split grip right now with the opaque, but flexible green abalone.

Thanks for the input,
I'm going to use it on a gloss black blank and do a simple cross wrap on it. using silver metallic and black thread maybe silver metallic and gold metallic. I won't know until I get it on the blank. and play with some thread. The Stuart butt and the All American @#$%& spiral roller guides are silver (really stainless guides and aluminium butt). It's a Batson FSU56H blank, I will be using it for fishing off Bob Hall Pier on South Padre Island. It will be my fighting pole on a slide line rig. Mainly will use it in the spring, fishing for king mackerel, shark, tarpon and large jacks.

Bob

Bob I used the transparent shell with a coat of finish dried underneith for a customer. It gave it depth and was kinda cool! The CP held it downjust fine and if you usemudholes heat method you skip all that soaking and boiling which not really needed. Just pre roll it on the blank then slide it up the blank use the cp and slide it back. I have no cracking problems unless its a real small blank. If that's the case nothing will prvent the cracking pick another mediom

The vinegar boil method produces the least amount of cracking (if any) and allows you to do the job in a few minutes. Kevin has probably done more work with abalone than anyone else in custom rod building. I'd take his advice.

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kevin's method also uses the more vibrant abalone which has more color and really pops

I have done a bit with raw paua - The abalone that Kevin sells has a sticky back and a coating over the shell (much easier to work with)

My best results with raw paua are with double sided tape. Apply the double sided tape, then soak in vineagar to remove some of the calcium and follow Kevin's method.