I do alot of restores.. and unfortunately, it isnt easy finding the right guides for the rebuild.. Heck, im still looking for a jeweler thats willing to atleast write an email, or call me back reguarding setting agates into new guide frames.. I acually did a test.. I emailed a jeweler, saying i had a few agate stones i needed put into a ring setting.. Got an email back instantly.. Mentioned fishing, never responded.. Kind of amazing acually...

Back on topic, sorry..

Not having the knowledge of what exactly im looking for makes it really difficult to find good matchs.. It seems fuji is the only guide manufacturer that stamps thier name on guides...

I am not sure what point you are making with this post.

I agree if you do not have the knowledge of what you are looking for makes it extremely difficult to describe and difficult for folks to respond to your needs.

I do not think your test was fair, by your wording you mis-led the first jeweler in to thinking it was jewelry you wanted, its like asking a flag pole maker if they fix graphite poles and then you tell them "I have this graphite fishing pole...................

The other jewelers out of courtesy could have responded but in reality what you requested is not what they do.

The only suggestion I have for you to find the guides you need is to post a picture of the guide on the various social medias and hope someone responds.

Have fun

John



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/16/2019 09:52AM by John DeMartini.

I should have worded the first post diffrently...

after attempting to get 37 jewelers to respond to weather or not they could....

Either get, sell, cast, help, design using quality german silver, or equivelent metal lf weight and strength for casting.. Or possibly help me, and if not, possibly lead me in the correct direction for setting agate stones back into a ring setting as i do not have the tools or knowledge to preform the task.. I can make the metal guides myself, but would prefer the help and knowledge of a professional jeweler, or have you design them complete as Im afraid i will crack the stones, or have poor solder joints... Any help or imformation would be greatly appreciated... It would be 3 exactly the same and 1 a little diffrent for the top of the rod (insert picture here) here is a picture of one of the guides i would be needing help with replacing, it doesnt have to be exact to the picture, but this can be used as a model for casting, or smithing, or however it gets done. Thanks for your time, i hope to hear back from you..

Thats without going back into my emails and looking for exact wording how i asked... And had 37 non responses.. Just on a whim, i re-emailed 1 jeweler that says they specialize in custom casting, design, and setting stones you have (not ones you have to buy directly from them) also specializing in repair work in a non pretentious setting. We value every customer and respond to all inquaries as fast as possible..

I sent a message alomg the lines of..

I have a 3 round agate stones about the size of a bead i need set into flat ring, basically the sides of a metal ring bent down along the curved surface of the stone to hold it in place and have the faces visable and unobstructed on either side, js thjs something you can help with?

Answer within 10 min.
We can absolutely help you with this, can you send a picture of the stone or original setting to be repaired?

Send a picture of the guide, not a crappy pic either... Photography is something of a hobby, so trust me, its a really nice, close up picture, in perfect clerity of one of the guides on a 45° angle as to see the entire guide and both feet on a rod blank, taken slightly below the blank aiming up so you can clearly see all the solder joints, including where the band was mended to encapsulate the agate..

Zero response... Not even a "im sorry i was mistaken, we cant do that"

So to clearify my first post, i asked in an Extremly discriptive manor, without any responses, asked again With simular description, just dropped the term fishing guide, and got immediate response... So i think it was completely fair.

As for using social media to find the vintage guides, i reluctantly started a facebook page 2 days ago.. And have no idea how to use it.. But ill take your advise there, Thanks



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/16/2019 10:42AM by Anthony Unger.

Anthony

You've got two problems the first of which is you assume a jeweler, who is familiar with agates and perhaps nickel silver can fashion or repair a guide. You'll do better with a rod builder who makes guides. Secondly, the cost just might be more than you expect.

Send me an e-mail and I'll forward a link to the web site of a fellow I've done business with for several years and who makes agate guides.

Anthony,
When I rebuild a rod with more than one defective guide, I just remove all of the current guides and replace with current build guides and move on.

But, everyone makes choices.

Be safe

When i do allt of restorations i like to try and stay as era specific as possible... I have used new guides on old rods.. I feel ot takes from the nostalgia of the rod sometimes... Plus newer styles of guides although lighter, dont have that really attractive shapes and frame designs.. Nothing wrong with that, just looses something in the history..

I will email you as soon as i can donald, i appreciate the input guys..

I was led to contact a jeweler from a fellow well, well known rod builder...

As for being expensive, i know.. Norm acually helped me find a source for new agate guides significantly cheaper then i could previously find.. Thanks again norm!
See, even when hes not here... Hes here... Lol :)

Being how old this particular rod is, and being that the agates are still intact, i want to use the original stones.. Just a matter of preference...

Anthony, Please send me a picture of the guide you need.

Dennis J. Danku
(Sayreville,NJ)

Will do dennis..

How "vintage" do you want? I think I still have some old ring-and keeper guides - AKA "floppy rings".



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/18/2019 03:41PM by Phil Ewanicki.

Pawn shops have a lot of old rods and vintage guides. You can usually deal with them and get the rod pretty cheap especially if it is damaged. I have set crystals from a hobby store in dimpled winding checks by supper gluing them into the dimple then coating the whole thing with guide epoxy. The will not come out and it looks great for your wife or daughters rod.

I try to keep the rod as close to what would have been on it at the time it was made.. I havent had the opportunity to work on a rod with ring and keeper setup.. But i will keep you in mind if i ever do.. ;)

What works good for setting stones in anything is GS hypocement, ive used that for many situations.. kind of like a superglue, bjt wont bond your fingers