Is there a way to remove a cork handle from a blank without damaging it and allowing for re-use? I am working on a rod blank that I need to send back to the manufacturer because it has a "dent" in the tip portion of the rod. I custom turned this handle and would hate to lose all the work. WOrst case i can send it all in together and they will send the blank back to me.

I don't think you can "remove it" without damage.

Best bet is to turn it off, or down close. But that ruins the grip, of course.

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I would send it back as a whole. When you get it back if you still want to save the handle you might be able to chuck it up in your lathe and carefully bore the blank back out but it will be 50-50 at best.
Honestly, unless you have a lot of time involved in the handle it would probably be less hassle to just rebuild it.

There has been some experimentation of heating a chainsaw file or similar and placing it in the blank thus heating the glue and softening it from the inside and allowing the grip to slide off but I do not know how effective it has been in practice.

thanks everyone. This confirms what i thought, its not posible to salvage them. I planb to send it back whole and if/when they send it back i will make a spare pole for myself out of it. Worst case the tip breaks and its still a 6' rod.

Nate,
Just for an update on the post that I made yesterday about a broken grip and reel seat on a new commercial rod.

I had sent the manufacturer an e-mail asking for warranty replacement on the rod on behalf of my client. I had sent along pictures of the damage as well.

I did a follow up phone call this morning. After updating the person on the e-mail request, I asked about status. He indicated that he would of course send a new rod to replace the rod with the defective grip and reel seat installation at no charge.

So, then I asked him what would he do with the rod that I sent back to him, if I were to send it back to him. He replied that he would verify the damage and then essentially scrap out the rod.

I then suggested that since I built rods, could I buy the rod in its current condition for repair with the understanding that the client would still receive the replacement rod. He then said that that would make sense because it would save shipping cost to see a rod that he already had pictures of the damage. I had suggested a purchase price for the damaged rod of $10. He said that would work out fine. So, today he is mailing out a new rod, and I will be sending in a check for the $10 to buy the current rod back from him.

I will removed the grip and reel seat from the back of the rod, and install a new reel seat and grip from the rear of the rod, and the client will have another rod for $10 plus my labor and parts cost to put the new rod back on the water.

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So, since you indicated that you really wanted to keep the grip that you put onto the blank, perhaps you could go the same thing with your current situation. Ask the vendor if you could have the blank replaced, but then buy the current blank back from the damage depot at the manufacturer without having to return the blank and pay for shipping both ways. See if they could replace the blank based on pictures that you take and send in to the manufacturer for factory replacement.

This would let you use the rod until it broke or just used the rod at the junk cost that a manufacturer might charge you for the damaged blank.

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This process is the identical process used when individuals have an accident with their car. Lets say that the damage is moderate and the car is an older car without a lot of value. After the accident, the insurance company totals the car and gives you a check for the value of the car being totaled. But, then they give you the option to buy back the totaled car for about 10% of the totaled car price that they gave you. If you buy the car back, the car doesn't have to be dealt with by the insurance company and if the damage is moderate, you can either fix it yourself, or just continue to drive the car in its damaged condition.

So, this is essentially the same procedure that I followed with the commercial rod manufacturer this morning and I am suggesting that you do the same thing with respect to the blank that you want to be replaced under warranty.


Take care

Hi Nate,

After sending the bad blank/rod back to the manufacturer and if they offer a replacement I would ask them to cut the butt off the defective blank. Then ask them to send you the new blank and the butt end of the defective blank back to you and you offer to pay for the shipping costs. Even offer to pay something for the old butt with your custom grip.

If you get the new blank and your old grip back here is what I would do. Cut the length of the old butt to size saving your custom grip. You can use an inside sleeve to marry your custom butt to the new blank after you trim the new blanks butt to the proper length. i like my sleeves to go at least 3 inches into each section. When done no one will realize the work you did.

Capt Neil Faulkner

Capt Neill seems to have a good way to handle it , shim it an install the new section , a step further counter sink the handle a little
so the new section fits down into the handle a little , with the shim an a little TLC no one will ever know but you
just a idea I know you will do a good job

William Sidney
AK

Even if it stands out a little Good Prep in and outside of each glued well The sand nicely and wrap over All Goone

Bill - willierods.com