What are people using for ferrule lubricants on sanded graphite blanks? I've used "U-40 Ferrule Lube" for some time and find it does a good job on finished blanks, but am not totally satisfied with its performance on sanded graphite blanks.

Tom doesn't approve, but I use Chapstick. Use it sparingly. Always seem to have it available. Also works good on lightbulds in hard to reach spots. They never stick.

I have heard of using candle wax.......................... !

Dont really know what is recommended for unsanded blanks .

May be Tom K. could come to our rescue ???????

Mal

I've used the U40 on both sanded and unsanded type blanks and it has worked well for me provided I take the rods apart at the end of each day.

Mark,
Older metal ferrules required some sort of lubricant. Modern graphite ferrules do not. They are not designed to be used with nor do they require any lubricant.

Emory is correct. This specific question was raised at a seminar I attended this weekend and we all agreed with that answer.

Then the seminar didn't give you the right answer. U-40 Ferrule lube is not what you think. It is dry teflon and does not change the fit of the parts nor does it attract grime or grit as most waxes might. It will prolong the proper fit of the ferrule mating surfaces and extend the life of the rod.

St. Croix says to use their ferrule wax.

Emory Harry is corrct. What is more important than lub is how you assemble the 2 parts. You just don't slide them togather. When assembling you do it with a twisting motion 1/4 turn. When you take them apart you reverse the twist and pull apart 1/4 turn. Make sure both parts are dry and clean when assembling.
Good Wraps Bob

Integral graphite and glass ferrules depend on friction to hold the sections together. This is one reason why a dry, clean fit is preferred. However, a dry fit also ensures that these ferrules will undergo accelerated wear that they might not otherwise if they were lubricated. Keep in mind, that the major fly rod companies consider 3-years to be the average "lifetime" of a fishing rod. Most ferrules, assembled dry, will work well and last at least that long. Beyond that, and if the rod is used much, problems can and do develop with regard to ferrule wear.

Proper lubrication can and will greatly extend the life and fit of these ferrules. The problem is, exactly what do you use to lubricate them with? Most waxes or greases can change the fit of the ferrule due to their own viscosity. They also tend to attract grit and dirt that in turn will mar and accelerate the very wear you're trying to prevent.

The U-40 Ferrule Lube is a bit unique in that it doesn't change the fit of the ferrule nor does it attract or hold any dirt and grit. It was formulated specifically to address the problems of ferrule lubrication with an eye towards the failings of other products commonly used for this purpose. It works extremely well and does exactly what it was designed to do - lubricate and protect the ferrule and preserve the fit of the mating parts. (Do not use this product on the new St. Croix SCV blanks, however, as it will remove the paint/finish.)

If you must use wax or chapstick, fine, but once you apply it, remember to use a finger to remove as much of it as possible. With such products you want only the very thinnest possible coating left on the ferrule. No, I don't use these type products on my ferrules, but recognize that others do and some with what they claim are good results. All I can add is to apply these very sparingly and take note if you see any scratching of the mating surfaces. If you do, remove the wax, clean and reapply. Or switch to U-40 Ferrule Lube.

The problem with unsanded blanks is that the amount of actual contact area of the supposed mating surfaces is greatly reduced. The ridges left by the unsanded resin comprise the portion of the male ferrule that actually makes contact with the inside of the smooth female ferrule. You may find that the actual surfaces in contact are less than 50% what they are on sanded blanks. Sometimes this simply does not allow you to have enough surfaces in contact to provide adequate friction to keep the rod sections in place. About the best you can do here is use the "bayonet lock" to securely attach the sections and apply good pressure as you bring the parts into contact. It is almost impossible to use too much pressure when joining the sections. So don't be afraid to join them very snugly.

It's also a good idea to dis-assemble rod sections at the end of each fishing day. Temperature changes over a period of several days often have a lot to do with sections becoming stuck.

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This may be criticized big time but I usually just rub a little oil off my nose and rub it on the male ferrule right before I join the section. Never had a section stick and have never had a rod come apart while casting either.

Marc

It probably won't hurt your graphite ferrules, but it will corrode metal style ferrules, even though it was often touted as the proper way to lube them.

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David,

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The only possible thing I can imagine is that you are not joining the sections as snugly as you might think. Overloading the rod, if that is in fact, what you are doing, would certainly be hard on the ferrules but should not cause them to fail if the sections are properly joined.

Try more pressure when joining them and ditch the St. Croix wax. If you need a product to lube the ferrules with, use the U-40 Ferrule lube.

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here's my two cents on this subject. I've been told to use just about everything possible. Different waxes, oils, and powders. But, the u-40 is by far the best. I Steelhead fish right through winter time in Wisconsin and Upper Michigan (very cold) and have had problems with moisture getting inside my ferrules. Then it freezes, and it's a pain to get them apart. When I started using the U-40 that was the end of that. Also, friction is a killer to our ferrules. The continous disassembly and twisty from alot of casting can where down your ferrules. U-40 is nice because it does put a protective layer on the ferrules and it doesn't collect dirt or dust.