Fiberglass paint touch-up

Question
Recently I've aquired a few vintage Fenwick fiberglass spinning rods, some of which will need to be "refreshed". Though mostly only minor wear, there are two having deep scuffs through to the fabric. I have a compressor and airbrushes, what I need is your suggestion, as to what paint and coating if required, will afford me the best results. I have noticed that Fenwick's "Cinnamon Brown"  color has varied, over the years, making this project a bit more challenging. I truly do
appreciate the opportunity to benifit from your experience.
Sincerely, Matt  

Answer
Hi Matt,

If you have a way of using an easy cleanup water based paint, it will work.  The key is to get the color right.  If you can blend the color successfully and recoat the entire section or the entire rod with a clear, it will hold up....much the same way paint repairs are made on autos...or were when I did that sort of thing years ago.  

I think the critical issue is bringing the original color up on the older faded rod blanks.  Using a good compound is going to brighten things up and reveal the true color.  Then you know what to match regardless of what products you choose to use for painting.

And, of course, remembering that the rod will bend and flex and some sort of flex agent needs to be added to the paint.  I'm sure they have one for the water based paints...it's likely even the same one.

Assuming you can get the color matched and blended properly, you can clear coat the blank.  If you wish to use a rod building product as the top coat, you can use one like PermaGloss to coat the entire thing after you are happy with the paint work.

Thanks,  Joe


Hi Matthew,

Fiberglass and graphite rods are essentially space age plastics and both require paint with a "flex" agent additive similar to that used in automotive paints for plastic parts on a car.  I would probably go to an automotive paint store and ask if they can match the color and mix a small container of paint with the appropriate additive included.  You can probably use the older style enamel which is a single coat finish...meaning that it does not need a base color coat followed by a separate clear coat to get a shine...it may actually need more than one coat of paint.  I am quite sure the store will have a mixing expert who can help you decide and match the color you need.

The color differences may also be due to fading.  You might be able to bring them back a bit by using a light rubbing compound and a soft cloth.  If you raise the shine and color levels, apply a thin coat of paste wax to help protect it and help it stay clean and shine longer...it will fade again over time due to exposure to the sun just like your car does.  You will definitely want to rub out the finish before trying to match any paint colors to make sure you get the correct shade. Working with the faded or dull color won't get you a good match on color.

If you don't have a local automotive paint store, check with the local auto body shop.  They may mix their own colors or at least be able to help you get the right paint mixed for your rods.

I doubt seriously that they have the correct color for these rods, but the newer Krylon spray paints for plastic deck and lawn furniture contain the proper additives and work fine for painting  or touching up fiberglass and graphite rod blanks.  They can be found at pretty much any paint store, hardware store or big box store.

Thanks,  Joe