I had an old spinning rod . It was a Fenwick graphite 6'_6" blank. I removed the reel seat ,grips,guides and hook holder. Now I want to restore the blank. What paint do I use spray paint or brush? How do I prep the blank?

There are several ways to do this, some better than others.

Are you looking for a newly refreshed factory color finish? If you may be down to simply getting a can of enamel in the color you want and hitting the blank with it. I would spray rather than brush. Some will go overboard and clear coat over the color but I think end up in a situation of diminishing returns.

Or, you could use somethink like PermaGloss to just clear coat the natural charcoal color of the blank.

Do a search on this forum for "blank refinishing" and you'll likely turn up a hundred pages of variations on how to do it.

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I have clear coat and spray paint plus paint in a can. I didn't know if there was anything special. Thank you.

Does the blank have any deep scratches?

For a factory finish ...I'd try sanding the blank smooth if there are any light scratches and whatnot, fine wet and dry, then compound and wash.

Then brush on a 4 to 1 mix of terps and epoxy finish

Let it rest in a dust free room untill it cures.


That said i did a cheapo rod, sanded it smooth and gave it a coat of black satan paint, rattle can, some 25 years ago, still holds up.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 05/09/2023 10:03PM by Josh Bryan.

Sam,
Funny thing is that no “after the fact” coatings seems to hold-up as well as a factory finish. It has been frustrating to me to not be able to discover the absolute, ultimate answer. It is pretty much accepted that the manufacturers utilize a “squeegee-diaphragm” of sorts to coat their blanks, either clear or color. But a factory finish simply seems to be more durable / scratch-resistant than what is available / performable to the rest of us. While PG may be the best available clear coat available, it is not as “bullet-proof” as many suggest. A HIGH QUALITY, 2-part automotive paint (with flex additive) sprayed by a reputable automotive body shop may be your best avenue to pursue; but then, you’ll need to afford them with a proper method of holding / spinning the blank. Next best solution is a rattle-can, 2-part paint such as “Spray Max” which is available in custom colors or clear-coat; it is certainly not cheap, but may suit your purpose. Good luck!

Mark Talmo
FISHING IS NOT AN ESCAPE FROM LIFE BUT RATHER A DEEPER IMMERSION INTO IT!!! BUILDING YOUR OWN SIMPLY ENHANCES THE EXPERIENCE.

I sprayed my blank two times and gave it one coat of clear and it turned out very nice. Thank you for the guidance

Glad to hear it. The old Fenwick rods are good products.

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