Question about E-glass rod repair......

[Cawley]

I know this isn't about fly fishing but I have a 6-6 Browning crankng stick that I use for bass and I have noticed how it has started to chip and the finish is coming off of it. It's probably 15 years old and has been well used.

Will this chipping away effect the integrity of the rod? What can I do to refish it?

Any sugestions will be greatly appreciated.

Cawley

[GonetoSeed]

If it is just the finish, then integrity shouldn't be a problem. If is the resin in the outer layer of the glass cloth, then it could fail at some point. It sounds like it's the finish. Also, sounds like you've gotten your money's worth and I bet there are a lot of great stories that come from fishing that rod.

imo, there are a couple of options. Which one you choose, imo, depends on the "value" of the rod to you personally. If you want to stop the peeling/chipping from spreading and there is no other functionality or aesthtics that you want to fix and you want it to continue to be a workhorse, then scrape (don't slice, don't sand) the old finish off in defined areas that are peeling (eg, between guides), tint a clear coat (high quality exterior urethane or a spar, although the spar will have a slight yellow tint) with a combination of pigments that comes as close to the original color as possible, and apply it with your finger, with a non-powdered latex glove to prevent permanently coloring your finger. As I mentioned in another post, a good easy source for pigments are Testors model paint that you let sit and pour off the solvent or gel coat color pigments.

If you want to return it to its workhorse and showhorse status, then the guides need to be removed, all the old finish scraped off (don't slice, don't sand), the colored applied as above or painted and clear coated, and then re-wrapped. Doing this will most likely give you another 15+ years. Those old e-glass rods make great cranking sticks.

And another option, if you don't have the materials and tools on hand or don't want to experiment on a sentimental favorite, is to run it by the Fishhawk, if possible, and let Brian take a look at it a recommend what he would/could do.

[Cawley]

Great info. Yes that rod has many storis and has caught several fish. That was the first quality rod I ever bought. Got it when I ws 14 and have fished extensively with it. Two years after I bought it they came out with a new version that David Fritts put his signature on. I actually got to watch him in a BASS tournament on Sinclair use that very rod to place 2nd. That was pretty cool.

I don't think the integrity is in jeopardy. I've got a friend who builds rods and he didn't think it would fail but I do want to improve the look of it a little. Maybe just for sentimental reasons.

If you're ever down towars Settles holler at me. I live 5 minutes away!

Thanks again and good fishing.

Cawley