Wondering how the stainless boat tops with chrome finish, like the Pac Bay XBT, will hold up to use with heavy braid - 65 and 80#. Looking at using them for musky rod tops possibly {lots of casting), and would probably use the grey finish version. Mostly concerned if grooving would be possible, and if so would you be looking at a couple seasons, or a really long time?

Thanks - Marc

Keep it simple - that's all I can handle!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/05/2016 05:40AM by Marc Morrone.

A lot of it depends on the quality of the plating but there is a reasonable chance that with enough use the braid will indeed wear and possibly groove those tops. Hopefully someone else that used those specific tops can weigh in with their own experience.

..............

Marc,
For this type of very heavy and hard use, I generally recommend the use of a guide that contains a Silicone Carbide or similar insert. I do this; even if none of the other guides have anything except stainless inserts.


Never any grooving issues with this style tip.

I only do this for the tip top, since that is were a very large % of the heavy hard wear on a rod will occur.

Good luck

I think Pac Bay makes a rugged ring tip top with tungsten carbide with chrome frame.Haven't tried them but they look like something that is durable.

If your set on the pac bay tich grey, I do like the Alps zirconium with pvd tich ring and frame. That would be a close match to the pac bay.Braid may wear down the tich layer but that would take a long time and no big deal if it does because there is hard zirconium underneath.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/05/2016 06:38PM by David Miller.

All of the modern ceramic inserts (aluminum oxide, alconite, SIC, Torzite, zirconium, nanolite, duralite, etc) are all extremely hard and can not be cut or scratched by a hacksaw blade or metal file. None of them will be grooved by any type of fishing line. Hard chrome, stainless steel, or titanium alloys are not close in hardness to any of the ceramics, and thus may groove overtime; some faster than others.

I put xbt on a lot of rods that use Mono and I would not use them on braid.