Fixing shimano eyes

[triumphrick]

Has anyone succesfully been able to pop back in the ceramic inserts on a Shimano 20# rod?? I have a buddy who dropped off a reel the other day for cleaning and asked about the rod. Most times this happens, the ring splits and we replace the eye. This one the ring is good but the ceramic is missing. Any thoughts?? I haven't located a ceramic that will fit yet or would have already tried it....

[octavio8]

I've never successfully replaced just the ring on a fishing rod guide. The ring pops out again quickly. The easiest thing to do is replace the entire guide. You can do it yourself or have it done at a tackle shop. Flex Coat epoxy( http://www.flexcoat.com/epoxydex.html ) and some rod wrapping thread is all you need to do the job yourself. I find tinkering with stuff therapeutic. Here's a good place to buy rod repair supplies. http://www.mudhole.com/

I got so tired of constantly replacing guides on my rods that I replaced ALL the guides on ALL my rods with Recoil titanium wire guides. I did it myself to save money because the Recoil guides are fairly expensive. http://www.reelseats.com/catalog/index.php/cPath/29_40 The guides are simply coiled pieces of solid titanium wire. They won't rust or come apart and there is no ring to pop out. They're extremely light weight too. The guides snap back to shape if you smash them. I've stepped on Recoil guides accidentally or had them bend completely flat against the rod and they immediately spring back to shape. One of my rods with Recoil guides is five years old and I never even think about the guides. I don't worry about corrosion or fear knocking a ring loose. I toss the rods in the bed of my truck and go. Getting accustomed to the springy sound they make when you're fighting a fish takes a while, but I don't even notice it now.

Good luck!

[north coast]

I don't know what they do when they put those things in ,but whatever it is,I haven't been able to duplicate it. I don't know why I still try. They always pop back out,and usually at the most critical part of a fight with a big fish.I've tried heat ,superglue, you name it.fugetaboutit, Replace the guide.