Fenwick 80lb IGFA- question for Sal

thorhammer · November 02, 2015, 03:28:21 PM

Quote from: xiphias on October 24, 2015, 11:21:43 PM
If you are interested in Gudebrod thread, let me know. I can spool some up and mail it. 221,207, and 524 I think?

That's a great offer, thanks! I won't profess I know the numbers, but I had the thought I could send you actual guide wrap from the rod and match as best you think. What do you think?

xiphias · November 02, 2015, 05:13:30 PM

That would be fine. If you strip a guide and look at the inside of the wrap, I bet it looks completely different than the top because of fading. I don't think Fenwick used color preservative, which really wasn't a big deal and still isn't. You would probably want to skip it as well. I'll message you with my address and you can mail me a sample. I have some other colors which are close, but I'm pretty sure these are the ones I used to repair Fenwicks.

thorhammer · November 02, 2015, 07:00:14 PM

Yessir they are way faded without even pulling one off. If you have NCP great if not I preserve anyway just to seal thread from air bubbles. I'll mail a wrap out when I get back this week from NJ. You're the man! I might have some spools; I will check and we can square up on the $$$

Thanks again!

xiphias · November 02, 2015, 08:26:12 PM

I'll take a look at them. Don't worry about $. I have lots and lots of thread. Just glad someone else will be putting it on rods and coating over it. I have both NCP and transparent/standard in the brown. I think the NCP will match up better without adding CP as it will darken up a bit with only coating, then fade a little over time. Same with the yellow and orange NCP. They look fruity now, but I'm pretty sure it's what they used without the CP and with that quick-to-yellow/amber fast-cure brittle coating (to save time at the factory). I also found that the water-based CP often just semi-seals/traps the air, then releases "phantom bubbles" a few hours after I leave the coating rack when I'm usually asleep. And if it isn't too late for the torch to pop and smooth them, it only brings out more (usually after I leave again). I like just straight polymer coating, real warm and thin, completely soaked into the thread, then I coat it again after it cures with the time I saved from not using CP. I am also not really sure how well CP "pre-coat" ever helped color retention over time on NCP thread, but it definitely keeps it from darkening with coating. Just my two cents on the rod finishing.

thorhammer · November 02, 2015, 08:35:21 PM

Sage advice right there. You see what shape these are in and if the fenwick decal weren't in great shape I'd spray them black and re wrap in easier pattern. It's going to take a little time to match the diamonds on both; it's not even well done from the factory. However I love the old skool color combo so I'm going to give it a shot. Whatever motors I put on there will probably get Ande pink to complete the throwback.

xiphias · November 02, 2015, 08:52:18 PM

Always loved Ande Pink. Strong, Soft, Dependable.

It was my go-to for #25 mono. Bluefin ate it and I never confused it with the reels spooled #20 or #30 clear. Dad's system, I can't take credit for it.

Dominick · November 03, 2015, 12:02:36 AM

Hey guys Xiphias just joined about 3 weeks ago. Here he is acting like an old AT pro sharing his stuff. Thanks Xiphias it'll come back to you. By the way welcome to the site. Dominick

thorhammer · November 03, 2015, 03:44:01 PM

Quote from: Dominick on November 03, 2015, 12:02:36 AM
Hey guys Xiphias just joined about 3 weeks ago. Here he is acting like an old AT pro sharing his stuff. Thanks Xiphias it'll come back to you. By the way welcome to the site. Dominick

x10. Stand up dude in my book!

UKChris · November 03, 2015, 04:55:25 PM

Thanks for the extra snippet Sal (sorry - been away a while).
Lucky you to get both butt styles. I think the interesting point is that yours are 'proper' Unibutt whereas my one is a Varmac chromed brass seat and an Aftco (straight) butt.

Pity they are not interchangeable.

Regarding the Harnell Unlimited, I had to re-wrap mine as the overwrap whippings were in a sorry state though I retained the pale green underwrap. I refitted the original Mildrum rollers as they are fine - only needed a clean - and wrapped them in place with dark green as I could not get the original speckled thread.

I'm partway through doing the same with the Harnell 80.

I'd like to hang them over the fireplace, crossed like swords, but can't get the necessary permission

Cheers

foakes · November 03, 2015, 05:05:05 PM

Xiphias is right --

Ande Pink is a good line, made in Germany.

Some have made statements that it is too stretchy -- but that is not a problem, generally.

The other positives are strength, limberness, abrasion resistance, etc.

Never had any complaints from clients -- they all use and like it.

I change out all of my line, if used every season, anyway -- cheapest insurance for your next trip.

Best,

Fred

thorhammer · November 09, 2015, 08:19:16 PM

My largest catch, shark about 225, was caught on Ande Pink 50, and it was old....I leaned on it hard enough to torque a solid glas Magnaflex about 15 degrees out of aligment, and it it still like that to this day... ergo my only acid wrap lol.

thorhammer · January 05, 2016, 09:11:12 PM

Quote from: xiphias on October 24, 2015, 11:21:43 PM
If you are interested in Gudebrod thread, let me know. I can spool some up and mail it. 221,207, and 524 I think?
[/quote

hope you had a good holiday! I'm going to take you up on the offer, but I have reconsidered doing the whole rods and will just need enough to replace the Aftco roller tops. Gonna see how well I can restore what's there before I try to match original diamond wraps since I wrap totally by hand (no jig at all, thread sits in a dish). let me see if I can find spools and will send out.

John

thorhammer · January 05, 2016, 09:15:49 PM

Revisting the idea of replacing the butt on the 80 with aftco aluminum butt. I'm going to pull the gimbal to see what's under there first. Anyone please weigh in on whether you think the blank is strong enough to cut away reel seat and foam covered butt and remount in a ferrule for storabutt.

I just can't think a full size 80 lb chair rod was meant to be trolled in holder with foam butt and nylon gimbal.

thanks!

John

UKChris · January 18, 2016, 01:50:09 PM

I suspect that if you cut off the rear foam grip you might find that underneath is a bit of something or other that has been joined to the white 80lb Fenwick blank to make that rod one-piece, with the joint being covered by the black reel seat.

My feeling is that if you carefully cut the reel seat in a spiral and peel it off without cutting into the blank, you should find the end of the white Fenwick blank butted up against the odd bit making up the butt. So long as the end of the Fenwick blank is undamaged it would be fine to epoxy it into a new ferrule of a new Aftco Storabutt or similar (size 4 - personally, I'd go with all silver to match the rollers and be in keeping with the period of its original construction). Even the odd scratch won't be a problem as the metal of the ferrule plus the metal of the real seat will reinforce it.

If you can do this without damaging the original foregrip and if the original whippings are all OK you'll have a very nice and fishable rod. I love those Fenwick rods.

Good luck and please let us know how it goes.

thorhammer · January 18, 2016, 03:00:41 PM

Chris, what you state is exactly what I'm expecting to see. I've probably stripped three dozen reel seats thusly and this one should pop off with Dremel as you indicate. Def going with siver storabutt no 4. If I misalign I'm only out a twenty dollar ferrule and not a 130$ butt to recut

Will post pics after the operation; I would rate the rod a nine cosmetically and ten functionally so def worth this procedure

John