I received my first shipment of K series guides today and wrapped two rods this afternoon.
These guides have the most unusual look about them. But their very unusual design should work very well to shed tangles, which is what they were designed for. One of the unique things about them besides their unique swell out of the side to shed loops, is the rather extreme angle of the guides, in particular the smaller guides.

Also, these guides have excellent locking flares on the foot, so no locking wraps are needed. That is actually a good thing, because there is essentially no vertical arm on the lower leg to wrap a locking wrap anyway.

The test casting with 6 lb braid was very superior. I think that wind knots will be a thing of the past with low diameter very limp braid.

Take care and be safe

Roger

I'm building a couple of spinning rods right now w/ the K series guides. I sure hope they help w/ the tangles bcs I do love braided line.

Todd,
Based on the design and the little test casting that I have done, I expect that your days of braid tangles should be gone.

Roger

I did the guide wrap finish on the rods today and ran into another unique situation with the K series guides. Due to the design of the area around the guide foot and the upright ring, the guides almost have the effect of a closed front tunnel.
You can actually do a nice job of filling in the area of the guide tunnel at the front of the guide, but you have to use a different technique than you would use for a more conventional guide design. i.e. you essentially have to wick in finish from the side of the guide and have it thin enough so that it will self wick back into the center tunnel area of the guide.

It is not a difficult or a big deal, but just be aware that it will be different from a conventional guide design when you come to do the finish work. This same part of the guide design is also why one can't really use a locking wrap with these guides.
But, as I said in the original post - the design of the guide foot is both long enough as well as having enough locknig flares so that a locking wrap is not necessary.

Roger

I still have never had a tangle with SV or HV guides so I can't say that shedding tangles is why I would use them. I can say that if you have wind knot problems the shape of the frame and where it connects to the ring creates a corner where a wind knot can get caught and cut off other then that they seem to be nice guides.

I looked at the K guides in the recent catalogs, but couldn't determine if they weren't an answer to a question I hadn't asked. Aesthetically, I like them, regardless. For that reason, I would consider using them. However, I didn't see any fly guides with a similar geometry. And, since the only places my Power Pro ever gets tangled is at the tip top or the first couple of guides after that, then what are the benefits of using K guides lower on the blank? I've never managed to tangle any braid around a guide with a 25 or 16 ring. Am I missing something? Again?:)
Slainte,
Hunter

From ghoulies and ghosties,
and long leggedy beasties,
and things that go bump in the night,
Good Lord deliver us!