I am rebuilding one of my dads old tuna rods (fiberglass 6 1/2’ 50 lb rating) that has a wooden (oak, I believe) butt. One fellow on FB says that I should not use the original butt due to it being too likely to break leading to the loss of the rod and reel and potential injury to the angler. I’d really like to use this rod as I caught my first tuna, and many others, on it and it’d be a nice way to keep my dad “on board” now that he’s gone. So two questions.
1. Is breakage actually likely.
2. Is it feasible to drill out the butt and epoxy in a section of old rod blank or aluminum tube to reinforce it?

Many thanks,
Ken
P.S. I don’t want to turn it into a wall hanger.

What makes this FB person think it's likely to break? The fact that it's wood? Or did you mention something to him that you aren't posting here? Like it has a split in it or something?

As far as drilling it out to reinforce it with an old rod blank or the like. No doubts you could, but do you really need to? Has the grip somehow been damaged to where you wouldn't feel safe using it?

David Baylor Wrote:
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> What makes this FB person think it's likely to
> break? The fact that it's wood? Or did you mention
> something to him that you aren't posting here?
> Like it has a split in it or something?
>
> As far as drilling it out to reinforce it with an
> old rod blank or the like. No doubts you could,
> but do you really need to? Has the grip somehow
> been damaged to where you wouldn't feel safe using
> it?

No splits or cracks that I can see. No damage at all that I can see, rod dates from sometime in the mid ‘80s. It’s the rod I had a massive yellowfin boatside on and then lost back in the days of the chunking fleet south of Block Island.

I'd be surprised if it already doesn't have an aluminum lube inside the wood and reel seat, most of the old rods like that I have been around do, when brought in for repair.

No tube inside it. I’ve had the gimbal butt and reel seat off of it. It’s just wood

If there are no splits or signs of rot (soft spots) I would use it.

May be a ring test would work on wood. Hang the handle from a string and tap it with a metal rod or small hammer, if it sounds solid it is fine. Or try holding one end and tapping the other end on a hard surface to see if it feels solid.

Last thought, if it lasted this long without issues I would not hesitate to use it.

Have fun.

I think John makes a good point. Unless there is damage, if it were going to break it probably already would have.

Ken,
Since your ask the question, you are worried about it.

If you use the rod in its current condition, you are likely going to be worried when using it.

So, remember, the rod, remember your father, and then cut the grip off the rod and install a new one in his memory.

You can do an inlay in the new grip to remember him.

Then, you can enjoy the rod with no worries and be happy every time you use it.

Best wishes.

p.s.
I have several items that I inherited from my father, after he passed. Yes, some of the items needed to be rebuilt. But, every time that I use any of those items, I smile and remember the times that we shared when using this particular object. So, of course use the rod, but update it so that you can use it in full contenment knowing that he would have approved your decision to update it.

It might be oak, but a very good possibility that it is also Ash(Think baseball bat) and I have seen very few of either break subject to the force it is going to undergo.

Ron Weber