Used both with good success for salt water fishing. I like both but am concerned with using braid with alconite for 3 to 4x a week for 3 or 4 months.Alconite is much cheaper SIC expensive Alconite lighter Sic heavy. Like Alconite how abt heavy use over years?

Then use Aconite very good material
your worrying too much Going to give yourself a hart attack

90 % of guides out now will handle braid - for how long ??
You want to be sure Get the Top End ring material

For you or a customer ?? Are you giving A -- Life Time Guarantee

Bill - willierods.com

I have a spinning rod with an Alconite tip that I have used for the last 2 years with 10lb braid. There is no wear to the ring at all. I have used the rod probably twice a week most of the year for both years. I have also used tips with Coalite (Kigans) with excellent results. No wear on either material.
The rods I built for my tournament customer are Kigan Coalites and they are used and abused. I have not had one failure over two Bass Pro tournament seasons.

David Dosser
Coshocton, OH

very good Bill lol

Very few of the guides being sold today have any wear issues. This is true of nearly all of the guides on the market.

Good luck
Roger

roger wilson Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Very few of the guides being sold today have any
> wear issues. This is true of nearly all of the
> guides on the market.
>
> Good luck
> Roger


X2

I have two surf rods I built in 1998, Rebuilt in I believe 2005. Still have original Hardaloy Guides replaced the Tops with alconites. Have probably caught a thousand fish on those two rods including quite a few over 40# No Problems ,No grooves,No Damage

I have a St.Croix Avid spinning rod with Alconite guides that I use with Braid.
Doing some working as a guide and doing my own fishing, I get on the water at least 3 times a week year round.
This rod is over eight years old.
The finish gave up and I rewound the guides last year.
The guides are still as good as new.

Garry2R's

like I said
Ya don't have to spend big bucks for good guides

Bill - willierods.com

I actually like alconites better (weight/price reasons) but do spend the money for a sic tip top in demanding applications.

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

Russell,
You say that you spend the money for a Sic top in demanding applications.

Out of curiosity, have you actually seen any wear in an Alconite tip top?

Roger

No Roger, it isn't because of wear problems. It is a matter of preception. You would have to live where I do, catch the fish I do, and on the tackle that I use.

A sailfish/wahoo on 12# test is capable of a several hundred yard run at speeds of 60 MPH. You would have to experience such an event to feel that the extra money for a SIC tip is worth it. I could be wrong. It may make no difference. I am probably a victim of marketing but I tell myself I can feel a difference.

The difference in cost is a few bucks. I might spend that on one or two live baits on a given trip. When I look at the cost of that tip over the long haul is isn't a matter of consequence in the grand picture.

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

been using alconites and braid for a good number of years now, no problems here. I have had SiC tops crack from a misplaced backcast tho. I really like that Ti framed alconites are available now.

I just built a super high end fly rod for one of my good friends. He is the type that likes the best of everything. Cost is never an object, it has to be the one at the top of the list.

So, I used Fuji Titanium SiC for the strippers and the top. They are beautiful and expensive guides.

For any rod I build for myself, I always use Alconite guides. They are excellent, and I read on here they are more stress fracture resistant. They don't have the name or the "buzz" but in practice they are great.

I can't imagine that even a life time of use, would damage them in any way.

Drew

I have never seen an Alconite Guide fail.
I do believe they are the best value for money guide on the market today.
That is for actual fishing applications.

Marketing has convinced many people that SIC guides at their over inflated price are better.

It is far more likely a blank will be damaged rather than a single Alconite guide.

I always try to steer my customers to Alconite.

I have some where between 70 or 80 personal rods, built with Alconite guides.

My only exception is in doing a period restoration. Those old guides are bloody hard to find at times. LOL.

Paul.

I fish therefore I am.
www.hookeduprods.com

I started to use SiC guides when they first appeared and they were a huge improvement on agate, white ceramics and wire guides available. Then they were affordable and I used them on all builds. The cost made them prohibitive for a while but I was lucky enough to find a manufacturer producing good quality guides with SiC rings at an affordable cost and I use them on most buuilds. Old habits die hard!!

ESFNEM Col
Port Kembla, NSW
Australia

I've been fishing 30 lb. Fireline on my M/H bass rod, in the weeds, about 5 days a week Spring thru Fall, for about 6 years and the Alconite guide rings and Alconite tiptop ring are still perfect. I recently built an Inshore Lite with Alconites, and have confidence they will last as far as wear is concerned. I'm also a big fan of Hardloys. I've been fishing 30 lb. Fireline on my surf rod, for the last 7 years, and that has Hardloy guides. No wear at all so far on the rings.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/22/2012 07:24AM by Arthur Wamback.

The issue with choosing SiC over other ring materials is said to be reduction or elimination of line wear or failure due to heat buildup, rather than guide wear. This would, I suspect, be most apparent with saltwater fish. SiC guides are supposed to dissipate heat better. I wonder if they generate less heat from friction as well? Has anyone experienced a difference in line wear or failure between SiC and other materials?

Comments deleted



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/20/2016 05:24PM by John E Powell.

I was speaking to a Pac Bay represenitive and he said that it was the particles of sand that collect on the line and act as an abrasive. Its been a while but Im sure he said that.Is there any truth to that ?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/23/2012 07:37AM by Maryann Cohen.