Going to be my new worm rod - started on tonight. Trying to get the hang of that japanese look without using a handle kit. Got a couple more things I'm going to do with it and then the label will be in red to match. Painted the reel seat. Wish I could have found a black with red metalflake. Going to tie it all in though.

what blank is it built on?.  I recently built my first rod with EVA and am liking it.

I sanded that EVA down with 1500 grit. Gives a real different finish. Almost doesn't feel like EVA.

That's looking really nice! How easy does the paint chip from the reel seat?  I've thought about painting my seats, but have never made an attempt.

Honestly... i don't know yet! This one is my first on a rod test. I've tried several paints and a couple finishes. Let them cure good, tried scuffing them on the concrete, leaving them in the sun to watch for fade, testing for weight change, and so on. Should be pretty tough as this is an automotive finish. We'll see!

I'm also going to spray paint some accents on the blank so I will repost after this weekend. Got to get over to my father's to use his airbrush.

I get ALL the experimental stuff - my rod locker looks like a freak show.