Overwrap & Refinish

After you are satisfied that the patch is as even as possible with the original blank, overwrap the blank with thread to match the original guide wrappings and refinish with a thin-consistency guide epoxy or polymer finish.   To disguise the repair if it is near a guide, this guide can be moved and repositioned over the splice, re-wrapped and refinished.   The break will be virtually undetectable and will not seriously impair the performance of the original blank.  

If the break is under the reel seat or the grip, the repair is even easier to hide, although it may take more time to remove the original grip/reel seat, ferrule the blank, and reassemble.  The basic steps are the same. Remember to overwrap with good quality nylon (non-NCP) thread prior to reassembly and make sure the thread runs well past the splice; it is the thread that will keep the sleeve from splitting and the repair from breaking again.  

If the break is neither near a guide nor under the reel seat or grip, the repair can be made to look like an additional decorative wrap.  This will look best if more than one decorative wrap is replicated in the same design elsewhere on the rod blank.   An alternative is to wrap the splice with a nylon string closely matching the original rod blank color.  Eliminate application of the color preserver and apply the 2-part epoxy directly to the new nylon wrappings.  They will virtually disappear, as the color of the blank will show through the new windings.

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