I'm getting a lot of dandruff or small flakes of skin on my rod when wrapping the guides. I'm wondering do you guys use hand cream before you start wrapping? Bill

I wouldn't use hand cream, oils in it will cause havoc if it gets on the thread. Just try to keep your hands clean with soap and water. You may need to wash your hands a bit more often when wrapping a rod.

I have the same problem. I find that using hand lotion on a consistent basis really helps, just try not to use it right before working on a rod. I usually use CP, and haven't noticed any problems with contaminating the thread. If you don't use CP, there may be a fish-eye issue. I'm not really sure. The other thing I do is to keep a camel hair brush handy. I use it to gently "dust" off the wraps, before applying CP or finish.

George Forster
Fort Collins, CO

I don't use any lotions and won't even use hair conditioner because of the oils and silicon that is in some conditioners. If its troublesome for you, get a soft tooth brush and use it to brush off the wraps before continuing further into the build.

Kevin Knox
ANGLER'S ENVY CUSTOM RODS
QUEEN ANNE, MD 21657
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www.anglersenvy.com

I had the same trouble with my hands, my hands get so dry they crack and bleed often, and when I wrap alot of skin flakes get on the wraps, and sometimes my fingers start to bleed, and get on the wraps so I have to start over, then I started to wear them nonlatex gloves like they use in the hospitals, they worked fine, but sometimes when they came loose they got in the way, and made it hard to wrap, so I went to my doctor and he prescribed me some ointment over the counter called Clobetasol Propionate cream, and the stuff really did a great job on my hands, I put it on before I wrap and let it dry completely before wrapping, i have had no issues since with getting flecks of skin or blood on the wraps, my condition was from my hands being baldly burnt from an explosion years back, Hope your wraps turn out fine, tight lines!

I think your problem would be just minute dry skin off your hands, not much you can do about it, but before epoxying, i reverse some masking tape and dab it on the wraps to get any particles off..it works great.....

Do you know where the flakes are coming from, hands or scalp? Are you wearing a ball cap while working? Periodical adjusting a ball cap could be causing dandruff to fall. If it is that big of a problem, silicone and powder free examination gloves and wet your hair before wrapping or wear a shower cap.

During the winter months when my hands get dry and crack I apply a hand lotion to my hands before I go to bed at night. When I get up the next morning I shower and that removes any residue from the lotion and in about two to three days that will allow me to wrap flake free.

The point is well taken about hair care.
Take care of your hair in the form of shampoo and conditioner and do it frequently, even in the dead of winter.
Also get a good bath brush when bathing to scrub your entire body very diligently. The idea is that you want to go over every part of your body to get all loose skin cells off and washed away.
As some of the others have mentioned, I use a good hand lotion each and every night before going to bed.

For things as Lorenzo has mentioned, with deep cracks due to dryness, I go over my fingers and nails with Vaseline each night. This allows the fingers to heal and get well while you sleep.

Then, as is always the case when working on a rod, do as a surgeon does before operating. Go and do a good scrub down with soap and water and rinsing well afterward.

I also make a point about every 2 or 3 hours to do a good wash up again, especially if I feel that the skin oils might be coming up a bit.

When you scrub down, have a good scrubbing brush by the sink and really scrub your skins, fingers and finger nails. You want to be very diligent about scrubbing off any loose skin.

If you happen to be a person that has a hair issue and find that there are loose flakes coming from your head, even after treatment, then use a hair net when wrapping and finishing to keep any flakes from your head getting into your work.

Basically, consider your rod shop, when it comes to wrapping and finish work - a "clean room". Keep it clean, keep it free of dust, and keep yourself free of dust, excess and loose skin cells or flakes from your head.

The nice side effect of this is that you really improve your overall quality of skin and skin care.

Good luck
REW

I find using those CO2 canisters (maybe they are compressed air) that you would use on your computer, work pretty good on dust and skin particles. I sure would stay away from creams and oils since the body produces plenty on it own. Personal preference.

I live in MN and have dry hand issues as well. I wrapped a personal rod tonight. First I went at my fingers with sandpaper and sanded off all the dry skin. Then wash with soap and water and you're good to go the rest of the night. Use a good lotion all the time, but just wash with soap and water before working with thread. If you get some skin flakes on the wrap you can use blue painters tape.

Chuck

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"Angling is extremely time consuming.
That's sort of the whole point." - Thomas McGuane

My hands get dry and crack, and even bleed. I had to use the sandpaper treatment or the thread would sometimes catch on the skin. I use crazy glue to close the cracks. I started using "O'Keefe's Working Hands" cream before I go to sleep. It really helps.