How to Shorten a Rod Handle?

[GTN-NY]

Disclaimer- I have NO knowledge about rod building!

I just bought a 6’9” spin rod to replace a 6’er. Well the butt handle is 4” longer than the 6’er. So I really only bought a 6’5” new rod. 
I fish out of a kayak and the handle hangs up on me when sitting. When I’m standing it’s not a problem. 
I figured I could just use a Dremel with a cut off blade to shorten it but how do I finish off the end?

[MN Fisher]

29 minutes ago, GTN said:

Disclaimer- I have NO knowledge about rod building!

I just bought a 6’9” spin rod to replace a 6’er. Well the butt handle is 4” longer than the 6’er. So I really only bought a 6’5” new rod. 
I fish out of a kayak and the handle hangs up on me when sitting. When I’m standing it’s not a problem. 
I figured I could just use a Dremel with a cut off blade to shorten it but how do I finish off the end?

Ask someone who does rod building

@Delaware Valley Tackle, Mike - you got any tips for the gentleman?

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

The easy fix is to slide a rubber chair leg cap over the end. Another option is to cut at the butt cap, cut off the length you want, epoxy a dowel or rod into the butt cap then into the end of the rod. Be sure to cut square so the pieces match up. 

[GTN-NY]

1 hour ago, Delaware Valley Tackle said:

The easy fix is to slide a rubber chair leg cap over the end. Another option is to cut at the butt cap, cut off the length you want, epoxy a dowel or rod into the butt cap then into the end of the rod. Be sure to cut square so the pieces match up. 

Thanks

can you sand cork to even the thicknesses out?

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

Yes just go real easy 

[spoonplugger1]

Butt caps come in different lengths and diameters, they also come in different materials. Take a single edge razor blade, or exacto knife and cut the grip at one of the cork seams, if it matches close to what you need, build a tenon, (notch) for the butt cap to set on, or build up a tenon from masking tape. Cut the blank off behind the tendon and install your cap, if your cap is built out of something than can be shaped, the part not needing shaped can be protected with a bit of masking tape and the other side sized as necessary. If it's the butt cap that needs shaped, you can install it on a short piece of steel shaft with a tape arbor on it that the butt cap can slide on to, fire up, your drill and slowly shape and size with sandpaper to fit.

[OkobojiEagle]

15 hours ago, GTN said:

Disclaimer- I have NO knowledge about rod building!

The rod designer had a reason to build the handle that length...  I'd suggest you use the rod as is for this season and decide next winter if you really want to shorten it and throw the balance and grip off.

 

oe

[S Hovanec]

16 hours ago, GTN said:

 

I just bought a 6’9” spin rod to replace a 6’er. Well the butt handle is 4” longer than the 6’er. So I really only bought a 6’5” new rod. 

 

This is the biggest reason I started building my own rods.  All of the rear grips were too long for my liking.

 

When people bring rods to me to modify, I use my compound miter saw to cut off the grip.  Sharp blade is a must to avoid splintering of the blank 

[S Hovanec]

[spoonplugger1]

Okoboji,

I disagree respectfully,  the people at Lew's had no idea what that rod would be used for, they built it in such a way, that anyone, knowledgeable,  or not would pick it off the rack and give it the old shake test, compare it to all the other similar rods, check the price tag and hopefully purchase it. Optimizing the angler's specific use for that rod was not in the top five considerations. 

Lamiglas makes the kayak specific Paco rods in 6 different powers, everything from trout and smallmouth, to large saltwater species, they all have a short handle so they don't get in the way, because frankly you have no plce to go, or move, so the rod better be friendly. They all have graphite rear grips and large foregrips so you can grab them out of your rod holder, or rocket launcher behind you easily with no interference,  they all have a heavy tether loop built into the butt so you can tether your rod to the boat and not lose it when you knock it over the side. There are other kayak special ideas incorporated into the rods, like blanks that don't blowup when you highstick them, pretty much a guaranteed to happen. You pay extra for these build ideas, it takes longer to build them in, but just how many rod/reel combos lost over the side does it take to make up the difference?  How many lost fish because you couldn't get the rod out of the rod holder? How much gas burned, or trip money spent just to lose the fish of a lifetime, or have your rod blowup and lose the fish?

If it was me, I'd slip a graphite tube, or Texalium grip the right length right over the cork there now install a rubber buttcap like the Paco rod with tether loop and go fishing. Done right for maybe $30 max.

[GTN-NY]

Spoonplugger I was thinking a slip on butt cap would be the easiest. One of these might do the job https://www.mudhole.com/Rubber-Vinyl-Butt-Caps

 

when I bought this rod I never paid attention to the grip length. All my older rods have 6-8”. I haven’t bought a new rod in a long (20yrs) time so these long grips are new to me

[The Bassman]

I've shortened several cork handles. The rubber butt cap compensates for any balance change. I've also used metal washers to make the tip feel even lighter. Works great.

[spoonplugger1]

Not a fan of the balanced butt concept,  it's not something new,  we went through this in the early 90's, didn't work than, doesn't work now. It just means we have given up on making the most sensitive, lightest rod we can produce. If you're concerned about balance and it's your first priority, then just use a shorter rod. To much of the fishing industry is driven by the new shiny thing, not by cognitive thinking about how do we make a better product. Why do we think buying the highest modulus rod, with the lightest most expensive reel is a good thing if we turn right around and install a bunch of $.25 cent washers to it, do we have any idea how much weight is needed to balance the rod? Remember where your mom, or dad had to sit to play on the teeter totter with you, or you with your kids? Somehow bass angler's have gotten the idea that they get to tired fishing and that adding weight helps. Even though physics shows of that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. In other words what you put in motion also takes the same amount of energy to stop, the more something weights the harder it is to accelerate and than stop. They throw their dinky little rods, on dinky reels and dinky baits, when for instance musky and surf anglers are throwing large heavy plugs with long, heavier rods and larger reels and seem to survive the experience even though the surf, or current is pushing and pullijg on them all day.

[OkobojiEagle]

Spoonplugger1... good to read your opinion, cynicism and all.

 

oe

[RoLo]

"How To Shorten A Rod Handle?"

 

I got a band saw in my workshop doing nothing  ?

 

Roger

[GTN-NY]

3 hours ago, spoonplugger1 said:

Not a fan of the balanced butt concept,  it's not something new,  we went through this in the early 90's, didn't work than, doesn't work now. It just means we have given up on making the most sensitive, lightest rod we can produce. If you're concerned about balance and it's your first priority, then just use a shorter rod. To much of the fishing industry is driven by the new shiny thing, not by cognitive thinking about how do we make a better product. Why do we think buying the highest modulus rod, with the lightest most expensive reel is a good thing if we turn right around and install a bunch of $.25 cent washers to it, do we have any idea how much weight is needed to balance the rod? Remember where your mom, or dad had to sit to play on the teeter totter with you, or you with your kids? Somehow bass angler's have gotten the idea that they get to tired fishing and that adding weight helps. Even though physics shows of that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. In other words what you put in motion also takes the same amount of energy to stop, the more something weights the harder it is to accelerate and than stop. They throw their dinky little rods, on dinky reels and dinky baits, when for instance musky and surf anglers are throwing large heavy plugs with long, heavier rods and larger reels and seem to survive the experience even though the surf, or current is pushing and pullijg on them all day.

I bought 2 of those weight balance butt caps for my flippin sticks. It seemed to add so much weight I just never liked them. Chucked the weights and kept the caps

[MickD]

Sometimes ergonomics is more important than balance, as it seems to be here.  It was when I built a spin rod with too long a grip, too.  I cut it off, fit a piece of cork to the end, and flush mounted it, no dowel as DVT recommends.  Dowel would be better, no doubt, but I'm just pointing out that my fix is still good after about 10 years.  

 

Advice on how to cut is to be taken seriously as it is very easy to splinter modern rods.  High speeds, fine teeth or an abrasive cut-off, taping the blank to help prevent splintering, moving the cutting tool very slowly are all important.

[BrianMDTX]

Not speaking from true experience, but an arrow saw (used to cut carbon arrow shafts) would likely do a great job cutting a rod. 

[spoonplugger1]

20 years ago a casting rod would of had around an 8 inch rear grip, a spinning rod somewhere in the 6 1/2 to 7 inch range. Because you hold the reels differently the actual amount of grip length under your arm is the same.

[GTN-NY]

7 hours ago, spoonplugger1 said:

20 years ago a casting rod would of had around an 8 inch rear grip, a spinning rod somewhere in the 6 1/2 to 7 inch range. Because you hold the reels differently the actual amount of grip length under your arm is the same.

Not sure what you mean here. If you’re referring to my photo then those are both spinning rods

[spoonplugger1]

GTN, 

I never thought about your picture just your post above about grip lengths back in the day. For instance the length I like for my salmon/steelhead casting rods is about 14 inches, it puts the end of the grip at the tip of my elbow, a 12 inch grip on a spinning version also puts the grip at the tip of my elbow. If I want to insure maximum grip length without interference with either a casting or spinning rod the same difference in grip length should work I'd think.