I've never removed a wood grip before. I'm rebuilding an old boat rod with wood grips. I need to replace the reel seat and need advice on reomoving the front grip. It's a heavy, solid fiberglass blank. Can I use "in-direct heat" to loosen the rodbond? The wood in in very good shape and I don't want to damage it. The front grip is appx. 6" long "oak".
Thanks,
Jeff

Jeff,
If the wood has been well glued with epoxy, my guess is that you have about a 1 chance in 100 to remove the grip without damaging the grip.

You can certainly try some of the things you suggest, but if I were doing it, I would run it down along side a band saw and cut the grip off of the blank. Then, I would turn a new grip from wood on the lathe, glue it up and move on.

Good luck
Roger

Cut through the reel seat, replace and then splice everythning toghter after the new seat is installed. This was discussed in the last couple of weeks with an enhancement of cutting at an angle to assist in alignment.

Chris Richer
Iroquois ON

Chris

It is a solid blank Would you over sleeve to reglue them together ?? Heavy Rod ??

Might be better to cut it off and make a new one

Bill - willierods.com



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/07/2011 02:58PM by bill boettcher.

As Chris posted - Cut near center; heat & remove both halves of the reel seat; replace with new reel seat. No matter what - you will have to cut the blank to remove the solid glass rod (blank through two wooden pieces). Chances are the original wooden pieces did not meet in the center of the reel seat anyway.

On a tube blank you would insert a section into each piece of the blank and glue

How would you put a SOLID blank together Like I asked -- Over Sleeve

Bill - willierods.com

If this is solid glass rod through two wooden grips. Need to check first by heating the metal reel seat IF the wooden grip will NOT come out of the metal reel seat then cut the metal reel seat. Replace with metal reel seat heavy walled aluminum or chrome over brass. You should need Nothing - nada - zip - zero because the original blank never flexed under the reel seat to begin with.

Thanks guys for the suggestions.... I'll give it a shot this weekend. Not sure what I'll try, but will let you know how it turns out.
Thanks a Lot,
Jeff

Ken is spot on about the way these are built. I repaired a ton of these for people. The blank only goes about halfway through the seat if you are lucky. Sometimes heating the seat and twisting the butt and fore grips in opposite directions will seperate the deal. They didn't use such good adhesives back then. The ends of the grips most likely are the arbor for the seat. Do not cut the wood grip as this will ruin the reason this rod is being rebuilt. It's not the same a turning some cork or EVA.

Freddwhy (Rapt-Ryte)

OK

This is one of those older rods where the handle - separates from the seat And is just stuck from salt and grime Not a Blank that goes all the way into the handle Got a couple of those laying around here some where ??

Try WD-40 several times and let sit overnight Then spray again

Bill - willierods.com

No I don't believe it is a ferruled handle.

Freddwhy (Rapt-Ryte)

The blank runs all the way through the handle to the butt / gimble.
Jeff

Try the heat Several times and try to twist it

You may have to cut it and replace It is not real long

Some times I take a squeeze bottle and drip lacquer thinners into the fore grips -- of eva -- and they come loose Wood have not tried

Bill - willierods.com