Second Life Rod

[ChicagoEd]

Hey all, looking for some tips on rod cleaning and restoration. I fished out a nice combo this summer and wanted to try and bring the rod back to life. Its a nice looking custom built 7ft one piece rod with split grips and micro guides with a spiral wrap. Reel seat is Pacific Bay and guides seem to have ceramic inserts. I think its a Rainshadow blank because it has the CB70MH designation. When i fished it out of the river the rod was loaded with caked on muck. Couldn't even take a finger nail to scrape it off. If I had to wager I bet the combo was sitting at the bottom of the river for at least a couple seasons. I figured I'd use the winter to work on it. I don't think it's a very expensive custom but it does look to have been done with a lot of thought and care. Now that the cold weather is here I finally started. I soaked it for 24 hours using dawn and water. Some of the muck loosened up, then using a damp rag I gave it a good wipe down. Still a lot of caked muck so I tried some CLR on a rag and gave it a good scrubbing. I was finally able to get rid of most of the caked on muck but there are still some stubborn spots. I was looking for any advice on what to use. Are there any cleaning solutions that you have used for similar problems? 

Also, once I have the blank clean, what do you recommend to bring the rod back to a nice finish? Something like pledge maybe? 

Also, for cork, I assume using an extra fine grit sandpaper is the best bet? Cork looks to have a nice alternating design of dark and light cork but its in terrible shape, a bunch of different shades of black. Not sure if it can be restored but worth giving it a shot before I think of replacing. 

I tried adding pics but won't let me because file size is to large. Thanks for any advice.

 

 

[Angry John]

Be very careful with chemicals as you can damage the blank. I would use warm water and a hard tooth brush.

[ChicagoEd]

Be very careful with chemicals as you can damage the blank. I would use warm water and a hard tooth brush.

 

I tried that, warm water, warm water with Dawn, and even let it soak overnight.  Didn't work for me.  CLR did remove the most gunk.  But yes, I think it was too abrasive.  Some parts of the blank have a solid black matte finish and other parts of the blank have a screen looking pattern...almost as if the scrim is showing.  Ah well, lesson learned.

[uncustered]

Try a plastic knife... Water and soap.

[ChicagoEd]

Try a plastic knife... Water and soap.

 

Tried that, and also plastic razor blade.  Didn't take much off.  It just rolled over the rock solid muck.  I plan to try again with different cleaning solutions.  

[adam lancia]

I'd try some simple green, shouldn't hurt the finish.

[F14A-B]

Yea, if the scrim is showing, it seems a lost cause to me, but best wishes....

[smalljaw67]

If you have scrim showing you can assume the blank is done, most blanks will break with a small nick and you can see screen, I'd say it is probably done. You may want to save to components if they are still good, a cheap magic eraser works great on the cork handles and if you get the guides clean, check the ceramic rings with a Q-Tip, run the cotton part along the inside of the ring and do so slowly so you go over every part, if there is a crack it will pull the cotton away from the swab and if that happens the guide is junk.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

Denatured alcohol is the harshest solvent I use on a blank and will work on cork sometimes but the best for cork is a Mt Clean Magic Eraser. I'd put a wrap and some epoxy over the suspect spots  and hope for the best. If the fibers aren't compromised you might be ok.

[ChicagoEd]

If you have scrim showing you can assume the blank is done, most blanks will break with a small nick and you can see screen, I'd say it is probably done. You may want to save to components if they are still good, a cheap magic eraser works great on the cork handles and if you get the guides clean, check the ceramic rings with a Q-Tip, run the cotton part along the inside of the ring and do so slowly so you go over every part, if there is a crack it will pull the cotton away from the swab and if that happens the guide is junk.

Thanks for the info.  Will definitely try to clean out and test the guides.  I was hoping I didn't have to strip the rod down to the bare blank, never built a rod before so if it comes to that I think trial and error will be my new friend on this project!

[ChicagoEd]

Denatured alcohol is the harshest solvent I use on a blank and will work on cork sometimes but the best for cork is a Mt Clean Magic Eraser. I'd put a wrap and some epoxy over the suspect spots  and hope for the best. If the fibers aren't compromised you might be ok.

I will definitely try denatured alcohol on the tough spots.  The epoxy suggestion is a good idea I think.  However, the entire length of the rod has trouble spots so I'm wondering if I should epoxy the entire rod.  Is that a good thing to do?  Or is that too much epoxy?  Regarding the blank, I definitely think it's the scrim that's showing on many parts of the blank.  I wish I could post some pics for you to see but I keep getting a file size error.  Anyway, I don't see any substantial nicks on the blank, no cuts or anything like that.  It seems more like the cleaning solution I used simply melted away a layer of the blank.  The more I "tackle" this restore project the more it seems like I just need to strip the rod down to the bare blank and start from scratch.  I was really hoping I didn't have to do that.  Never built a rod before.  Lol mudhole must love people like me...just can't throw out a rod that has the potential to be restored.  Let's first see what a further cleaning will do.  Thanks DVT!

[ChicagoEd]

I think you can view the picks with this photobucket link.  Not the best pics but you still see how the scrim is showing and the woefull condition of the cork.  

 

http://i1117.photobucket.com/albums/k593/edwarddlopez/47D632D9-BFE4-49EB-ABBA-BD61A79763C8_zpsn4vy6yz7.jpg

[Tim Kelly]

Looks fine to me. I think the blemishes you highlighted are just where the blank has probably been given a coat of varnish when it was finished at the factory, and it's slightly lifted. Me, I'd just fish it as it is. Think of it as you "rat rod".

 

No reel with it?

[ChicagoEd]

Looks fine to me. I think the blemishes you highlighted are just where the blank has probably been given a coat of varnish when it was finished at the factory, and it's slightly lifted. Me, I'd just fish it as it is. Think of it as you "rat rod".

 

No reel with it?

"rat rod" I love it!  Good, a few people have mentioned rod integrity looks fine.  I will continue to clean her up and see if I can get her looking good.  

 

Are rods given a coat of varnish...like a clear coat?  Or is it epoxy down the entire blank?  I know epoxy is used on the wraps. 

 

It did have a reel.  Rod had an old Bantam CU200 on it.  Reel was encased in a block of mud moss and slime.  Some portions of the reel had some solidified crap inside...had to carve it out.  I let it soak in a soap and water bath overnight and cleaned off all the gunk.  The spool still turned but the frame was pitted and it has a terrible grinding feel.  Almost like its running through sand.  I might give it a go next winter to see if I can possibly restore it.  The parts will likely cost me more than buying the same reel from fleabay.  But its not about the money right ;-)  There's a certain satisfaction in bringing something back from the dead.  Especially when it's fishing tackle!  

[Tim Kelly]

Yes, like a clear coat. I think most blanks are either painted or clear coated, no doubt some are completely raw, but I think most are coated.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

I will definitely try denatured alcohol on the tough spots.  The epoxy suggestion is a good idea I think.  However, the entire length of the rod has trouble spots so I'm wondering if I should epoxy the entire rod.  Is that a good thing to do?  Or is that too much epoxy?  Regarding the blank, I definitely think it's the scrim that's showing on many parts of the blank.  I wish I could post some pics for you to see but I keep getting a file size error.  Anyway, I don't see any substantial nicks on the blank, no cuts or anything like that.  It seems more like the cleaning solution I used simply melted away a layer of the blank.  The more I "tackle" this restore project the more it seems like I just need to strip the rod down to the bare blank and start from scratch.  I was really hoping I didn't have to do that.  Never built a rod before.  Lol mudhole must love people like me...just can't throw out a rod that has the potential to be restored.  Let's first see what a further cleaning will do.  Thanks DVT!

You don't want to epoxy an entire blank. That would be too heavy. If anything, you'd use Permagloss etc. A wrap and/or just a finish over the rough spot in front of the handle is not a bad idea but at this point I would just pick and choose spots along the blank and decide on each if they are worth addressing. Go ahead and fish it. If it breaks, all you're out is some time really.