Oxidation or Mildew?

[ChileRelleno]

A few of my rods got left on the porch all week, all the heat, humidity and rain, all week.
So I get home yesterday and notice that two of the rods have a white chalky, powdery looking blemishes on or under the clear coat of the guide wraps.
It doesn't wipe off, seem to mark or scratch with a fingernail, but comes back quickly.

Is this mildew or some sort of oxidation?
How can I get rid of it, any suggestions?

Pics are worth a thousand words.

[foakes]

Chile --

There are products for boats and showers that remove mildew and mold --

However, most are just a mix of:

1/3 vinegar, 1/3 bleach, 1/3 water.....must be a well ventilated area though.

You can make your own -- but the bleach may corrode your guides if left on too long -- so be careful and ready to rinse it off after a little experimentation.

The sooner the better to get it on your gear -- then just rinse it off.

I would use 12" gloves and old clothes -- but this works well.

Best,

Fred

[ChileRelleno]

1/3 vinegar, 1/3 bleach, 1/3 water

Thanks Fred, I'll try that in the AM.

[foakes]

After cleaning, rinsing well, maybe cleaning and rinsing twice -- wipe the gear as dry as possible -- keep it in the house.

Then after about 12 hours, use Gel Gloss and a soft microfiber cloth to protect and bring back a good shine.

The spray on the left works for quick cleaning -- but the cream on the right is the best choice for long lasting protection and gloss.

If you don't have this, or know about it -- it is available in the cleaning departments of hardware stores or household cleaner type areas of stores.

Will look better than new.

Also -- the above mixture is safe, if well ventilated (I would take it outside) -- but never mix ammonia with bleach.  It forms a gaseous chemical reaction that will spoil your day -- if not your life.  Keep the kids back when cleaning your gear.

Best,

Fred

[Cor]

Can't say I've ever seen something like that on/under an epoxy coating.
I suspect if its "under" you are going to have a more serious problem.

Good luck and let us know how you sorted it out.

[oc1]

If it won't rub off but can be scratched off it doesn't sound like mildew.  My guess is moisture in the finish.  Are the two rods from the same maker?  If the stuff Fred suggests doesn't work or it comes right back I would try scrubbing with acetone.  If there is moisture in the finish the acetone will pull up the damaged top layer and dry  what is underneath.  The acetone could dull the finish on the undamaged parts though so go slow and do some tests before treating the whole rod.
-steve

[oldmanjoe]

 Looks like moisture under the finish...     Has the cellophane bubble  tape look .    And i don't see it on the rest of the rod.        joe

[ChileRelleno]

If it won't rub off but can be scratched off it doesn't sound like mildew.  My guess is moisture in the finish.  Are the two rods from the same maker?  If the stuff Fred suggests doesn't work or it comes right back I would try scrubbing with acetone.  If there is moisture in the finish the acetone will pull up the damaged top layer and dry  what is underneath.  The acetone could dull the finish on the undamaged parts though so go slow and do some tests before treating the whole rod.
-steve

Two different rods.
One is a Penn Fierce combo rod and the other is a much used/loved Seeker that I've had for 30+/- years.

Yes, it does seem to be under the clear/gel coat that is over the wrap threads.
Like a fingernail forces it aside and then it fills back in.

If I have to, and it is of reasonable cost , then I'd contemplate having the rod redone.
Tough old Seeker blank with a lot of memories, be a shame to trash it.

[ChileRelleno]

Looks like moisture under the finish...     Has the cellophane bubble  tape look .    And i don't see it on the rest of the rod.        joe

Could it be stripped, rewrapped and refinished?

[Newell Nut]

Any rod can be stripped and rewrapped if it has personal vintage value to the owner to justify the cost. The cost of course depends on what you put back on it.

[Swami805]

Try a heat gun or blow dryer but don't go nuts and cook the finish. That might get some of the moisture out.

[droppedit]

Is there any cracking at the guide feet? If so that is where the moisture is coming from. Usually this will dry out if the humidity is low enough or you can force it out like mentioned with a hair dryer. If the cracking is real bad a re-wrap is in order but it might just need a little more finish on it. I've also seen moisture enter thru the tunnel of the wrap. This is one of the problems with the NCP thread. If the finish isn't thin enough when applying it will not saturate the thread enough thus letting moisture in. I've used Afcote for many years and it worked well with humidity but it is like all the other items that disappear, not enough demand to keep it on the market.

Dave

[ChileRelleno]

I've had two rod builders on other websites tell me it is oxidation.
They say the fix is to scuff the areas, rub with acetone and then refinish the areas.

Scuff I can do, acetone I could buy, but the refinishing is the kicker for me.
At the very least I'd need a quality epoxy gel (?), decent brush and a rod drier... No go there.

To really do it right I know the guides need to be removed, rewrapped and refinished.

Do I really want to drop $150-200 on this rod? Yes & No. 

[Midway Tommy]

It looks like mildew but it could also be lacquer blush. Most old rods had standard silk or nylon thread with color preserver applied to retain the thread colors. Color preservers were/are basically no more than 50% clear lacquer and 50% lacquer thinner. If those rods got hot enough and were in high humidity it is feasible that the lacquer softened enough to allow moisture to get under the outer finish and into the color preserver creating blush. This lacquer blush article doesn't mention the use of lacquer retarder to get rid of blushes but it is what painters use to fix or eliminate them. Retarder slows the drying process down, thus preventing blush. The problem with applying it to your rods would be getting it under the outside finish coat and into the color preserver/threads. You will probably have to at least remove the finish coat and more than likely rewrap them to bring them back to original condition.    

[oc1]

You may be able to rub it down and, if needed, brush on a thin coat of polyurethane varnish from the local hardware.  I wouldn't use epoxy without knowing exactly what is on the rod now.  The varnish is reversible but the epoxy is not.

Imagine leaving a cold beer sitting on a fine mahogany table with French polish finish.  The next morning there will be a white ring under the beer that will not come off.  It's the same sort of thing.

-steve