Hairline cracks at the end of guide feet, what is the cause?

Is it a off the rack rod?

No, it's my build

Most probably color preserver. The epoxy sits on top of the CP and hairline cracks may show up.when stressed.

Photo possible? I've never seen cracks at the foot. Usually they may form under the ring.

Very common. The guide doesn't flex at the same rate the rod blank does. They tend to be in opposition to each other. Some remedies include tapering the ends of the guide feet to the most shallow angle possible. This allows some flex in the actual guide foot. You can also use a bit more thread tension (within reason) which will negate some of the movement between guide foot and rod blank.

It is almost impossible to entirely eliminate such hairline cracking, particularly on areas of a rod blank that experience severe flex.

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Not common on my rods. I must be unknowingly doing something right.

The UV curing finish used on some rods now can also do it.

Michael, i bet you use locking wraps..they keep the whole guide stable stable when bumped.

Michael, i bet you use locking wraps..they keep the whole guide stable stable when bumped.

I think your right Tom, i remember wrapping them looser at the tips to try and cover the metal shine cause of the hard angle. Did same mistake on two rods, will take it off, grind and tight wrap. Thanks.

Don't wrap too tight! Just very snug is enough. You should still be able to move the guide with firm side pressure in order to align it. If you can't, you're too tight.

A much thinner, shallower foot angle will be the ticket.

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Yes, I use locking wraps on single foot guides. When I get done the guides can be moved with firm side pressure.

Thanks Tom.

most of the cracks that i have seen were in the butt area guides where the rod flexes the least but the guides are flexed the most by heavily loaded fishing lines..that,s probably why lock wrap works..it keeps the guide from flexing so much

You used Flex-Coat it does that and it does not like rod stress but you can simple give it a lite sanding and re-coat it to finish over those cracks.

Glenn McMurrian

I think it is easy to blame the finish, no matter what brand, but, as said earlier, the rod blank, the guide foot, the thread and the finish all come together to form this structure and all have different materials and flexing rates. Most notably the blank and the metal guide foot which are pulling away from each other to put enormous stress in a very small area of the thread and finish. When measured and mixed properly, Flex Coat has a great balance of flexibility, toughness, hardness, workability, and UV resistance.

We have found a good solution is to start the guide wrap as close as possible to the tip of the guide foot, maybe just a few wraps before climbing the foot tip. Also, using a darker thread helps as well as "good" thread tension.

Flex Coat Company
Professional Rod Building Supplies
www.flexcoat.com

I use Flex Coat Lite and have no cracks.

Yeah, don't blame Flex Coat.