Here's a question from the Volume 4 - Issue #2 issue of RodMaker magazine:
"I am restoring an old graphite blank. Which is the best product
to apply on it. U40 Permagloss, Gudebrod rod restorer, rod varnish or
anything else?
What is the better procedure to prepare the blank's surface? Sanding
before it with finest sandpaper? Thanks." Marco . . .Italy
I am assuming you are talking about refinishing the blank's surface.
In which case I think you will do best to scrape off most of the old
finish that may remain with a single edge razor blade held at 90 degrees
to the surface. Yes, some final sanding may be necessary, but it should
be kept to a minimum and preformed with very fine sandpaper. The thing to
remember is that you do not want to sand into the graphite fibers
themselves. Scraping normally does not damage these fibers as heavy
sanding can.
You are most likely to get the best results with a urethane finish.
I have used various exterior clear gloss urethanes found at the hardware
store and the U40 PermaGloss is also excellent, if not the best choice
in this situation. Some like to brush or spray the urethan on, although
I have had excellent results saturating a piece of cheesecloth with
the finish and wiping it on the blank in a single smooth pass. Most
often you will require two or three coats for adequate depth. In a
future issue of RodMaker, we will detail a blank refinishing tool
which you can make for applying an exterior finish to a clean rod
blank. Look for it sometime later this year. ~ Tom Kirkman
Publishers note:
If you have any tips or techniques, send them
along! Help out your fellow rodmakers!
~ Publisher, FAOL
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