Can you fix scratches and nicks on rods?

[mojobass]

I have a couple of rods that I hardly use but today on the sunlight I noticed that there are minor scratches and nicks on them. But I have heard once it gets down to the graphite that becomes the weakest part of the rod and that's where it usually gives out first. I've heard people use clear nail polish to fill but that doesn't sound like a good idea. I recently saw a commercial on WFN with Billy Mays a product called FixItPro that fills scratches and nicks but didn't want to jump the gun without any experienced advice. So my question for the members that might know the answer, what is the best solution?

[SRT8 smoker craft]

clear nail polish has worked for me in the past but if you know a rod builder they could fix it properly for you.

[BassAsin]

a few lights wraps with light fly thread and some head cement and i have nevr had a rod break in a "weak" spot from scratches or knicks

[mojobass]

I don't think mine is deep to the point where it's hitting graphite, but just looking at those scratches and nicks is bothering me LOL. I might give the nail polish or the fix it pro a try, I'm pretty sure a finish on a rod should be some what similar to a car. The fix it pro does say it dries on even and clear, so let's hope that works out.

[jace]

surface scratches can be filled in if your rod has a clear finish. if you don't like looking at marks, light scratches can be polished out of a blank if it's bare, unfinished graphite like many top shelf rods/blanks.

 

deep scratches that cut the fibers cannot be repaired. that likely is where the rod will snap. this is especially true for nicks made near the tip of the rod from a bad cast where the lure hits.

[ChrisK]

I wouldn't worry about the nicks and scratches unless they are deep. They give character to a fishing pole. Ive got an old Loomis I use for Walleye and I don't think there is a spot on the pole where there isn't a scratch or a nick. The thing is 20 years old and still my all time fav.....I also never sand down my cork rod handles either. I guess its a personal choice to make when it comes down to it.

 

Cheers !!

[fishinguypat]

how do you fix the breaking parts by the rod eyes ?

[cuzza]

how do you fix the breaking parts by the rod eyes ?

 

If you mean the lacquer on the whippings then clear nail varnish would stop it getting worse but the proper fix is to re-whip the rod eye and re-lacquer that.

[MJL]

Scratches in the paint of the rod blank will not compromise the structural integrity of the rod. Raw unpainted graphite is a durable and fairly scratch resistant material by itself. On the last rod I built, I actually took an exacto knife to a second hand float rod blank I got and rebuilt it as a mostly unfinished blank.

 

You can see the difference between the old paint job (red) and natural graphite

 

I left some paint at the ferrules on the mid and tip section

 

If you’re worried about the cosmetic look of the blank, you can try polishing them out as J ace recommended. I have used a silver polish on gloss painted rods called “Flitz” and it has taken out small surface scratches – Clean up with soapy water and finish off with Pledge furniture polish or a car wax. I’ve had mixed results using this method so it’s best to try it on a small portion of the blank first before you go a head and do the whole rod. Only works for gloss painted rods.

 

If you want to fill in the scratches by refinishing the paint job, you can try a light rod building finish. Trondak U40 makes one called Permagloss which was designed as a clear coat for rods. I’ve used this in the past to put a clear finish on blanks. It is considerably lighter than the regular 2 part rod building epoxies designed for finishing guides (even lighter than the ‘Lite’ versions of epoxy). Use Permagloss in a well ventilated room as the fumes are INSANE. Unlike normal 2-part epoxies, you gotta work fast with Permagloss as it sets up almost instantly. My friends also use spray paints designed for cars without problems when they want to re-paint or re-finish their rods – When they do this they strip off all the guides and ferrule wraps and do the whole blank. The idea is that whatever finish you put on the blank should remain flexible at all ‘fishable’ temperatures or the finish may eventually crack up on you over time. I have no experience with the FixItPro product you mentioned.

 

Hope this helps