I have a few high end blanks I have built into rods (1 is GLX and 1 is Legend Elite) both of them I used double foot guides all the way out, both are 6'6" MHF used for bass fishing, I have recently started using Fuji New Concept Alconites on all my rods and I LOVE the way they bring out the best in a rod blank. What is the best way to remove my old guides and all traces they were on the rod?? I've removed plenty of guides over the years that were broken for replacement and put new ones back on in the same place, but with the concept guides it's different spacing all together. So how do I get rid of all the old Flex-Coat to prep the rod for new guides????? I'm sure I'm not the first person that has wanted to do this, A light sanding or scotch brite pad maybe??? I'm not sure

Thanks, Steve

This may not be the norm, its how I learned from experience. I use the same alcohol lamp filled with denatured alcohol (used for removing bubbles from epoxy. I carefully go over the epoxied wraps with it evenly, the I use a razor blade carefuly scrape a channel the length of the wrap exposing the wrap. With a burnishing tool I lift the wrap in sections or whole. I have been successful with this technique and its fast. You may have to use a #600 garde snading paper or pad to take the clumps that remain.

Correction, I expose the blank when scraping the the length of the wrap.

Just be careful not to cut into the blank. I usually take a single edge razor blade and shave off the wrap on top of the guide foot/feet and peel from there. This way I am cutting/shaving against the guide and not the blank.

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After you remove the guide, try LIGHTLY scraping with a souldering iron or wood-burner. The finish will get soft and peel off before the blank is damaged. It helps that these are matte finished blanks.