How to Fix a Broken Fishing Rod
Determine where the break occurred., Cut off the frayed ends of the break., Measure the diameter of each cut piece., Glue the male ferrule end to the end of the rod that includes the rod tip., Glue the female ferrule to the end of the rod that...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Determine where the break occurred.
Where the rod broke determines what you'll do next.
If the rod broke near the tip, you'll either have to replace the tip top/tip ring or cut the broken tip and put a new, larger tip top on the rod.
See "Fixing a Broken Rod Tip" for details.
If the rod broke somewhere else, you'll have to cut out the break and insert a ferrule. -
Step 2: Cut off the frayed ends of the break.
Trim the ends until each is neat and square. , You'll need these diameters to find the right size of ferrule to buy. , You can use an epoxy resin glue that sets as fast as 5 minutes, although some professional rod repairers prefer a 2-part epoxy that takes longer to cure to allow more time to position the ferrule correctly.
Don't separate the male and female ferrule until finished with this procedure. , Allow the cement to dry thoroughly before continuing.
If the break occurred near a rod guide or the reel seat, the rod's action will be largely unaffected.
If the break occurred elsewhere in the middle of the blank, the ferrule will dampen the action, particularly if it is a metal ferrule. , You want to build up a "sleeve" that covers either side of the ferrules up to the point where you can no longer see any damage.
Let the glue cure completely before continuing. , This requires using a lathe specially designed for fishing rods; if you don't have such a lathe, you can use fine sandpaper instead.
Whichever method you use, work slowly.
Do not bend the rod while doing this, as this will split the epoxy sleeve. , Once the wrappings are in place, coat them with a thin epoxy resin or polymer.
If the rod broke near enough to a guide, you can move the guide over the splice before wrapping the ferrules.
You can also further disguise the break by adding decorative wrappings elsewhere on the rod. -
Step 3: Measure the diameter of each cut piece.
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Step 4: Glue the male ferrule end to the end of the rod that includes the rod tip.
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Step 5: Glue the female ferrule to the end of the rod that includes the rod handle.
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Step 6: Cover the area where the ferrules meet the rod blank with epoxy.
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Step 7: Lathe the splice to get it as close to the original diameter of the rod blank as you can.
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Step 8: Wrap the ends of the ferrules
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Step 9: and the epoxy sleeve
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Step 10: to match the wrapping around the rod guides.
Detailed Guide
Where the rod broke determines what you'll do next.
If the rod broke near the tip, you'll either have to replace the tip top/tip ring or cut the broken tip and put a new, larger tip top on the rod.
See "Fixing a Broken Rod Tip" for details.
If the rod broke somewhere else, you'll have to cut out the break and insert a ferrule.
Trim the ends until each is neat and square. , You'll need these diameters to find the right size of ferrule to buy. , You can use an epoxy resin glue that sets as fast as 5 minutes, although some professional rod repairers prefer a 2-part epoxy that takes longer to cure to allow more time to position the ferrule correctly.
Don't separate the male and female ferrule until finished with this procedure. , Allow the cement to dry thoroughly before continuing.
If the break occurred near a rod guide or the reel seat, the rod's action will be largely unaffected.
If the break occurred elsewhere in the middle of the blank, the ferrule will dampen the action, particularly if it is a metal ferrule. , You want to build up a "sleeve" that covers either side of the ferrules up to the point where you can no longer see any damage.
Let the glue cure completely before continuing. , This requires using a lathe specially designed for fishing rods; if you don't have such a lathe, you can use fine sandpaper instead.
Whichever method you use, work slowly.
Do not bend the rod while doing this, as this will split the epoxy sleeve. , Once the wrappings are in place, coat them with a thin epoxy resin or polymer.
If the rod broke near enough to a guide, you can move the guide over the splice before wrapping the ferrules.
You can also further disguise the break by adding decorative wrappings elsewhere on the rod.
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David Mitchell
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