Reel seat tightening grip slipping

[Bdnoble84]

I have a fenwick hmx spinning rod that I really like, but the reel seat is a rear twist. Being left handed, it will work loose over time, especially when fighting fish. Is there something I can put on plastic threads to help it hold without making it permanently tight? 

[MN Fisher]

PTFE tape - build up the threads a bit.

 

[Bdnoble84]

3 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

PTFE tape - build up the threads a bit.

 

Thank you, nakes perfect sense

[spoonplugger1]

The reason I started building rods 40+ years ago, if they can make something look and work long enough to get you out the door they'll do it, for just a few pennies more they could have had a reel seat that wouldn't give when it's supposed to ride a bit up the threads and jam when you tighten it. You don't want to know what they use to hold the reel seat on the blank sometimes.

[Bdnoble84]

i’d like to get into that someday, but at this pount in my life, its one bridge (or 500) too far. Honestly right handed people would never notice because the threads would self tighten.

[Seaworthy81]

On 10/1/2021 at 2:18 AM, spoonplugger1 said:

The reason I started building rods 40+ years ago, if they can make something look and work long enough to get you out the door they'll do it, for just a few pennies more they could have had a reel seat that wouldn't give when it's supposed to ride a bit up the threads and jam when you tighten it. You don't want to know what they use to hold the reel seat on the blank sometimes.

I’ve seen some really amazing things between the blank and the seat when I had to strip and replace them when they came loose. Like Manila rope and almost no epoxy at all. 

Try a small rubber band on the threads right below the knob. Some aluminum seats come like that. 

[MickD]

6 hours ago, Seaworthy81 said:

I’ve seen some really amazing things between the blank and the seat when I had to strip and replace them when they came loose.

Some factory rods I've gotten into used cardboard as a shim between the seat and the blank.  Lack of sufficient epoxy is high on the "failure list" too, as you say.  And not just on cheap rods.  One thing one can expect from buying a custom rod is that its structural integrity most likely will be bullet proof.  

[Chris Catignani]

On 10/1/2021 at 7:28 AM, Bdnoble84 said:

i’d like to get into that someday, but at this pount in my life, its one bridge (or 500) too far. Honestly right handed people would never notice because the threads would self tighten.

They come loose for me too...and I cast right handed.

It usually happen on something like a crankbait rod (hard casting).

I have used Permatex medium strength thread locker...but the vinyl tape works great too.

 

Next rod look for one that has an additional rig for locking.

 

[Bdnoble84]

2 hours ago, Chris Catignani said:

They come loose for me too...and I cast right handed.

It usually happen on something like a crankbait rod (hard casting).

I have used Permatex medium strength thread locker...but the vinyl tape works great too.

 

Next rod look for one that has an additional rig for locking.

 

I almost bought a shimano Clarus instead at the time because of the rod lock, but the fenwick felt better overall, and ive liked the fenwicks ive had better than the Shimanos

[MickD]

Up-locking reel seats have a reputation for loosening.   I think it depends on the design of the seat more than the position of up-locking because I build almost exclusively up-locking with Fuji DPSSD seats and don't have loosening problems.  

 

For custom builders Fuji offers a jam nut which fits their seats and some other brands.  Of course it has to go on with the intitial build, cannot be retrofit.

 

For those who are having the problem the solutions offered above will most likely be easy, effective,  fixes.

[Seaworthy81]

On 10/10/2021 at 5:07 PM, MickD said:

Some factory rods I've gotten into used cardboard as a shim between the seat and the blank.  Lack of sufficient epoxy is high on the "failure list" too, as you say.  And not just on cheap rods.  One thing one can expect from buying a custom rod is that its structural integrity most likely will be bullet proof.  

I had to redo seats on set of heavy duty ocean rods for a friend (well known name brand). Each had almost no epoxy and used a cross wrapped piece of rope for a arbor. About 6 months after purchase they broke loose and spun freely on the blank. Putting hypalon rear grips on from the butt end of a blank is no fun. 

[KDW96]

On 10/1/2021 at 12:22 AM, Bdnoble84 said:

I have a fenwick hmx spinning rod that I really like, but the reel seat is a rear twist. Being left handed, it will work loose over time, especially when fighting fish. Is there something I can put on plastic threads to help it hold without making it permanently tight? 

Ive been using good 3m electrical tape, for the last 30 yrs,on rods that suffer from this. Never once had an issue, and easy to remove if needed. 

[MickD]

Electrical tape, like suggested above, stretched very tightly over the threads and nut should work fine.  For a little more "grippy" solution you can try tennis racket grip tape or Winn's grip tape.  All should work.

 

Is your profile pic from Wawa, ON?