I just replaced a couple of stripping guides on a fly rod, and they'll work just fine.

Building a few rods and following this board, however, has uncovered a little perfectionist streak in me, and I'm not completely happy with the way the they look.

So...

Removing the old epoxy over the old thread is no problem, but I am having trouble removing and/or smoothing the old epoxy "ramp" from the rod blank to where the old thread started.

I've avoided any real heat (I did use a warmed wash rag to soften the old epoxy, nothing beyond what I could comfortably hold in my hand), and could scrape away some of that old ramp, but I'm curious about any tips or tricks that the members here have to offer to get a smooth start to the guide replacement.

Many thanks -

Take tape, and place about 4 wraps of tape around the rod blank at the location where you want to stop removing finish - in each side of the former guide location.

Then, take a new single edged razor blade, and holding it at right angles to the blank or perpendicular to the blank -- scrape off any remaining epoy left on the blank.

Do, this under a very bright magnifying light, or wearing a bright head band light under magnification or a spotlight shining on the surface of the blank and a magnifying head band on your head to magnify the area.

Now, starting from the tape, just scrape doward the center of where the guide had been located and scrape away any epoxy. You will also - likely remove finish, but no big deal since the entire area will have fresh wraps and thread coating applied when completing the guide change.

The reason that I mention very bright lights and multi power magnification is because you want to remove all of the epoy, but you do not want to remove so much that you are cutting through any blank fibers.

Always keep the blade vertical with respect to a horizontal blank to avoid "catching" a piece of graphite and slicing off a section of the rod blank itself.

Best wishes.

For myself, I will accelerate the process by using a bit of gentle heat - particularly near the butt of the rod. But, when the blank gets small - as is the case with fly rods and other low power rod blank - it is best to avoid heat because of the potential to too easily overheat the blank and ruin the blank forever.

Thanks, Roger -

I do the same as Roger. I use a heat gun on low and a foot or more away from the area. Only do short heating times. then I use the new razor horizontal with the area to remove and go very slow...similar to brain surgery. I have my wife by my side wiping the sweat from my forehead. I don'y really but that's how much I enjoy removing old epoxy. I am a perfectionist also and would have to attend some counseling sessions if I messed up a rod. Take your time and go slow!!

If the blank is painted or clear coated it is very easy to remove the finish with a razor blade. I like to use a piece of split bamboo to scape off the remnants of the epoxy. The split bamboo has a sharp edge which is very hard but won’t scratch the blank like a metal blade can do. If you don’t have a piece of bamboo (it doesn’t need to be Tonkin cane, any cane will do) use some other kind of hard wood or even a plastic credit card. You can heat the epoxy with a hair dyer to soften it up. Since a hair dryer doesn’t catch your hair on fire, like a heat gun can, it won’t hurt the blank.
Norm

Gentlemen -

Thank you!

Are you sure the ramp has to come off? Or can your new epoxy meet up with it smoothly?

Good point, Michael-

My original post in this thread was after the first coat of epoxy. I could see the sharp edge of the ramp.

After a second coat it blended in pretty well. It looks good now.

Thanks everyone for the tips.