Shortening a Rod Handle?

[tinboat]

I have a few older, conventional St Croix musky rods that I use for Striper fishing here in NJ.  I have one, which I picked up used, that has an extended handle.  The original owner said that they extended the handle for surf casting.





I would like to take 6 inches off of the handle to get it back to the original length.





I have no idea how they did the extension.  How would you proceed?  Just chop 6 inches off and then deal with what's left or start at the butt cap and work your way up one cork ring at a time?

Thanks - John

[Midway Tommy]

If they truly extended it like the say and it has lasted this long they obviously incorporated some type of rod/blank extension into the original blank and add-on. They may have drilled the epoxy in the end of the blank and inserted an appropriate sized blank extension, etc. Epoxy can be softened when subjected to heat but it is difficult, at best, to get enough heat transfered through the cork rings. If you have replacement rings and butt cap, if it were mine, I would start where the original rod butt cap was and split the added rings with a knife or fine metal back saw, then peel them off to see what I have and how it was added. At that point I would decide how to proceed. One very last ring and a OEM type butt cap can easily be added by removing a ring (the last one) on the original blank. Personally, I'm not a big fan of the composite type butt caps. I prefer a flared & rounded end with a cork hole plug like that used in the old Tennessee style grips. While they do wear a little I've never had one come loose or pop off.   

[Cor]

I would cut the cork away to see where and how it was joined and retain the butcap to replace it at the new location.     You can't really do too much wrong that you can't  fix again.     When you take a fine toothed saw to it, wrap some masking take over the section where you are going to cut, this helps to avoid the graphite splitting.

If I look at the decal on the rod 7"6' and a different code, I do wonder if it was in fact lengthened, as it looks like factory markings?

[tinboat]

If I look at the decal on the rod 7"6' and a different code, I do wonder if it was in fact lengthened, as it looks like factory markings?

The other St Croix rod that I photographed is 7'0". I was comparing the handles. I'm pretty sure the factory put the same handle on their 7'6" and 7'0" musky rods.   The rod that is marked 7'6" is actually 8' long. 

[Newell Nut]

First just get a new butt cap like the one on the rod. If you want the rod to be 6 inches shorter then cut six inches off. using a razor or box cutter trim back enough cork to allow you to put the new butt cap on with epoxy. No need to worry about how anyone extended it if it has not broken. keep it simple and be happy.

[tinboat]

keep it simple and be happy.

Sounds good...

[otownjoe]

What Newell nut said is exactly what I would do. It is a very easy process. Joe

[bill19803]

Newell nut had  it in a nut  shell  get  your  hack  saw  and get er   done

[thorhammer]

yup. get a cap for a buck at hardware store and rock on

[tinboat]

That was easy!  The hack saw worked fine.  Since I can't fish around here for about six weeks, I ordered a butt cap that matches the other rods.  Thanks for the help. - John

[oc1]

Could you tell how the rod had been extended?  Before you glue on the butt cap put on a reel and check the balance.
-steve

[tinboat]

Could you tell how the rod had been extended?  Before you glue on the butt cap put on a reel and check the balance.
-steve

Actually I could not see how the rod had been extended.  I used a flashlight to look up the blank as far as I could and found nothing.  The six inch piece I cut off is clean too.  I probed with a piece of wire, but didn't hit a joint. Could the splice be above the reel seat?   The cork handle never looked as professionally done as my other St Croix rods, but perhaps Cor is correct and it was a factory job?

Thanks - John

[oc1]

The butt cap is a little funky but the handle doesn't look like it had been extended to me.  The cork is too uniform.  They would not mark a 8' rod with 7'6" though. 

You might want a little lead in the new butt cap to give the two rods the same feel.
-steve