Last week I snapped one of my favorite G. Loomis rods a 6 foot Medium / Fast GLX Casting Rod.  I am trying to rebuild the Rod using a North Fork Composite Blank that was based on these "classic" G. Loomis Bass Rods.  I have been able to get the Reel Seat off of the original Rod.  The reel seal was originally made by Wiebe and I think Wiebe was sold to Super Sticker.  Neither of these companies exist now.  I have been having trouble finding a rear grip I can use with this reel seat. The reel seat is an exposed blank seat that requires a 8' straight rear grip (7' grip / 1' tenon) that has a 15 degree offset bore.

 

Does anyone know where I can find a grip that will work with this reel seat?  If not, is is possible to make or modify one that is available?

 

If all else fails can you recommend a low profile reel seat (exposed blank) and rear handle that would be a possible upgrade to the vintage G. Loomis set up I currently have?

 

BTW - I am using a Shimano Chronarch 100B reel.

 

Thanks for the help.

 

 

I've installed somewhere around 100 of those over the years, and what you want to do is going to be a real hairball. There is a reason why the Black Widow Edge rods use a tube grip, it's SO MUCH easier to do. By the way the rear of the reel seat has no tenon pocket to receive a cork grip tenon.

Having an offset hole on the cork grip up front at the reel seat and a centered hole at the butt is your hairball.

1 hour ago, spoonplugger1 said:

I've installed somewhere around 100 of those over the years, and what you want to do is going to be a real hairball. There is a reason why the Black Widow Edge rods use a tube grip, it's SO MUCH easier to do. By the way the rear of the reel seat has no tenon pocket to receive a cork grip tenon.

Having an offset hole on the cork grip up front at the reel seat and a centered hole at the butt is your hairball.

My rod builder says he loves a challenge.  Any tips I can pass along?

The only way I can think of the average builder can make a grip would be to turn a custom grip with the mandrel offset in a 4 jaw chuck for the reel seat side and centered in the tail stock on the butt cap side. Cut the angle to match the reel seat last.

Need more help, let me know.

11 hours ago, spoonplugger1 said:

The only way I can think of the average builder can make a grip would be to turn a custom grip with the mandrel offset in a 4 jaw chuck for the reel seat side and centered in the tail stock on the butt cap side. Cut the angle to match the reel seat last.

Need more help, let me know.

I ordered a set of grips from North Fork Composites.  Apparently they have the 15 degree offset based on the weibe Reel Seat design. I don't know if they will fit the Reel Seat that I have on my G. Loomis from pre 2000 but it is worth a shot.  The weird thing is they don't offer reel seats for sale and can't tell me where to buy one that works with their grips. Do you know of any reel seats that might work with a North Fork Composite grip if the grip doesn't fit my old reel seat?

My guess is that any casting reel seat you pick, 20 mm and smaller, will fit, your grip, and since they are center bored grips, they install like any other.

The way the Black Widow type grips are installed is to size the reel seat to fit your blank in the correct position on the blank, something you always have to do with this seat, they don't come in sizes like the others. Cut a large foam arbor to match the angle of the Wiebe/Super Sticker reel seat and glue it to the back of the reel seat. Once the arbor is dry you just run a drill bit down through the reel seat, using it as a guide to get the right angle through the arbor. Install another arbor on the blank in the right place to ensure you have room for a butt cap of your choice, this arbor is centered just as it comes. Slip fit the reel seat to the blank. If everything is done properly the tube should now slide over the top of everything. The rest is pretty easy and obvious to a builder, about a 15 minute job, not counting the gluing, the reel seat sizing takes the time.

Forgot to mention one thing, since the hole is offset on the Wiebe style there is a maximum you can bore to without removing your trigger. If I remember right, since it's been a long time, the max is at, or just shy of 9/16 of an inch. Also if your buying a seat, they may not mention that there were two bore sizes built by the manufacturer, a 3/8 bore with arbor slots built in that allow you to size, the seat to your liking, and a max bore seat that I believe is 9/16 bore, there may be a bunch of these out there that are hard to sell, since blanks have become so thin, but it would be a very poor choice to use on a thinner blank.

2 hours ago, spoonplugger1 said:

My guess is that any casting reel seat you pick, 20 mm and smaller, will fit, your grip, and since they are center bored grips, they install like any other.

The way the Black Widow type grips are installed is to size the reel seat to fit your blank in the correct position on the blank, something you always have to do with this seat, they don't come in sizes like the others. Cut a large foam arbor to match the angle of the Wiebe/Super Sticker reel seat and glue it to the back of the reel seat. Once the arbor is dry you just run a drill bit down through the reel seat, using it as a guide to get the right angle through the arbor. Install another arbor on the blank in the right place to ensure you have room for a butt cap of your choice, this arbor is centered just as it comes. Slip fit the reel seat to the blank. If everything is done properly the tube should now slide over the top of everything. The rest is pretty easy and obvious to a builder, about a 15 minute job, not counting the gluing, the reel seat sizing takes the time.

Forgot to mention one thing, since the hole is offset on the Wiebe style there is a maximum you can bore to without removing your trigger. If I remember right, since it's been a long time, the max is at, or just shy of 9/16 of an inch. Also if your buying a seat, they may not mention that there were two bore sizes built by the manufacturer, a 3/8 bore with arbor slots built in that allow you to size, the seat to your liking, and a max bore seat that I believe is 9/16 bore, there may be a bunch of these out there that are hard to sell, since blanks have become so thin, but it would be a very poor choice to use on a thinner blank.

Thanks I sent the info to my builder.  I appreciate the help.

SeeNoSun,

I miss spoke, the Superstickers never had the large bore model in production and the big bore wasn't in the Wiebe line for it's entire run so very, very few if any would be out there, there were years between when Wiebe shutdown and Supersticker bought the equipment. Just talked to a friend who set me straight. Also he reminded me that the last molds they used were from when they sold G Loomis reel seats so the have the G Loomis name on them.

4 hours ago, spoonplugger1 said:

SeeNoSun,

I miss spoke, the Superstickers never had the large bore model in production and the big bore wasn't in the Wiebe line for it's entire run so very, very few if any would be out there, there were years between when Wiebe shutdown and Supersticker bought the equipment. Just talked to a friend who set me straight. Also he reminded me that the last molds they used were from when they sold G Loomis reel seats so the have the G Loomis name on them.

OK - I passed that on also.

Thanks again!

 

These are some pics of the Reel Seat I'm using.   

  

Lucky to find one, wouldn't mind having some more. Always my favorite for reel situations when I palm the reel. Tried getting just the reel seats from Super Sticker in their last days with no luck, they would sell only full kits. Not the lightest or most user friendly, my second choice was the Castaway full length exposed blank bottom reel seats, but they're now gone too, have another source of a similar seat I haven't tried yet in the works.

If that's a cleanup of the original GLX seat, you did a fine job, rarely do I get it that cleaned up.

7 hours ago, spoonplugger1 said:

If that's a cleanup of the original GLX seat, you did a fine job, rarely do I get it that cleaned up.

My rod builder didn't think it could be done.  I put the rod and reel seat in the oven on 225 for 15 minutes.  I was able to pull it apart (with some considerable effort).  I the used some rolled up sand paper and a small screw driver to clean out the crap from inside it.

Hey Spoonplugger,

My Rod builder just couldn't figure out how to get the G. Loomis Reel Seat to fit on another set of grips.  Even with your instructions he wasn't able to get it done. I decided to go with an ALPS MVT Reel Seat and Northfork grips on the build he is doing.  I do have an extra blank from Northfork Composites and am still interested in a build that uses my old G. Loomis Reel Seat.  Would you be interested in making me a set of grips that use this Reel seat?  I could mail you the Reel Seat and would be happy to pay you for your time and trouble.

Are you talking a cork grip? Not a chance, I"D have to find some x lrg square cork that probably doesn't exist due to the offset, than prototype till I got it right. I could set you up with a tube grip, but I"m booked till mid-April at least.

Your builder can do the graphite grip. Making a EVA grip from block material would be a hairball still, but at least the lesser evil.