The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

I have just stripped the rings off a Norcro “The Crofter” #8/9 fly rod and the middle section is very badly stained where the old guides have been left to rust for what looks like quite a few years.
I’m hoping someone has some idea on how I can elevate the problem in some way.

Malcolm

Oxalic acid might work, but I suspect the staining goes right into the fibres of the cane and may of reacted with them to form some sort of stable compounds that nout will shift.

I am yet to find a way to get rid of it, just a light sanding cleans them up enough, and just over whip.

Same here. I have tried quite a few things but nothing was successful so I just sanded them down and whipped over them leaving the rust staining that is on show as part of the rods history.

edited

I have always left the rust marks in situ because I could not fathom out how to remove them, the only thing I could think of would be to try and paint the cane over the marks,with a suitable colour, trying for a suitable shade that would tone down to the original cane colour .I have no idea how you would colour match, but it must be possible.

Spoke with SWMBO who does a bit of artwork occasionally, and it seems that maybe an acrylic paint could be the easiest to mix and match, being waterbased it would just come off quickly if things went wrong .

hmm… I have quite a few cane sections some with rust marks , I may just have a go as an experiment.Not sure how it would take a varnish coat though, hopefully once dried it would be ok.


David

I posted recently on using transparent 'stain' pigment acrylic paints to colour match shades of cane. A smidgeon of white can be added if a degree of opacity is required.

I have never tried to remove them ... working on the basis that they add to the 'history' of the rod ... like battle scars to be carried with pride rather than hidden or removed ... but that's just me.

AshbyCut wrote: ↑Mon Sep 06, 2021 10:47 pm I have never tried to remove them ... working on the basis that they add to the 'history' of the rod ... like battle scars to be carried with pride rather than hidden or removed ... but that's just me.

Spot on for me also, I just make them smooth and rewhip over them. 90% of the time they end up fully covered by the fresh whippings.

Thanks
BB

It's usually only a problem if you're re spacing rings during a rebuild.
Oxalic acid works quite well with repeated applications.
Soak a piece of kitchen towel in the solution, wrap it around the stain and leave over night.
If it doesn't completely remove the stain, it does make it less obvious.
Be careful of the fumes and wear disposable gloves.
You need the water to be very hot when mixing with the crystals.