I have an old Sweetheart rod - 8-1/2' 7 wt. I honestly have no idea how I came across it, I think it belonged to a friend of mine in high school that I've lost track of.
Anyway, the wraps are falling off. The original varnish is completely gone and it's just thread, mostly loose thread. No missing guides, the eagle claw plate that was on the grip is gone, no rod tube or cloth sleeve.
Pondering cleaning it up and using it infrequently. Everything I've wrapped in the last 10-15 years I've used flex-cote or pro-cote epoxy, but I'm wondering if I should use a varnish on this old rod? I'm not very good at getting nice clean level epoxy, just serviceable.
Just musing here - I realize it doesn't really matter.
If I ever find my old friend I'd give it back to him, it'd be nice if it was close to original.
A modern polyurethane varnish will give you the '70's look with less yellowing and better abrasion resistance than the original rod varnish. I'm not sure you can still find the exact same varnish used back then because the formulations change over time and the manufacturers are secretive about exactly what's in it. I've never liked the thick epoxy look. It hides the thread craft underneath... be it good thread craft or poor thread craft.
-steve
Voodoo CP Ultra one part
Thank you. I think the varnish sounds like a nice touch - even with my poor threadcraft :)
I don't know what voodoo CP is - do you have a link? (google turned up nothing specific)
Nevermind - found it.
Voodoo Rods site (you found). It used to be Bullard's. Jon Vadney turned me onto it.