First, this is not about cost.  This is about wanting to save a piece of a sentimental rod and rebuilding an old blank no longer available.  This would be very special, to me.
I have seen that you can remove the butt, reel seat, grip by subjecting it to steam.  This would be similiar to using heat on the tip top epoxy to release it I assume.
Have any of you had experience removing this seat like this?  I am pretty sure I saw a YT video while scrolling and the guy did this exact thing.  I could not have made this up.

Found it!  Let me know your thoughts. (Forum rules say that I can post this as it is educational, but the dude tags his stuff in it at the end.)

 

I haven’t had much luck with the steam. The grip material insulates so the epoxy never gets hot. Since grips have to be manually removed I just split the seat with a cut off wheel and pry it apart. 

I was really hoping to use it on another blank.  I have considered using a reamer to remove the rod tube and leaving most epoxy intact.  IDK, I am gonna try it until I 100% fail I guess.

 

Epoxy doesn't melt, so if one expects it to soften like hot melt, won't happen.  It is formed as a chemical reaction between two materials, and heat doesn't melt it.  Get it hot enough and it will degrade and weaken, that's about the same temperature that degrades and weakens blanks, so one has to be quite careful if trying to reclaim a blank instead of the seat/grip.   Epoxied tiptops don't just slide off.  If one comes off easily, it was installed with hot melt.  Removing epoxied tiptops from blanks is a very "fragile" process.  Fragile might not be the best word to describe it, but it's the best I can think of.  

 

I doubt if there is a process in which the blank can be removed from within a grip/seat without destroying or at least damaging the cork.  Good luck, hope you can get it done.

Without more info we can't help, circumstances change with different reel seats.

that is a very good point.  what would you need to know?

11 hours ago, MickD said:

Epoxy doesn't melt, so if one expects it to soften like hot melt, won't happen.  It is formed as a chemical reaction between two materials, and heat doesn't melt it.  Get it hot enough and it will degrade and weaken, that's about the same temperature that degrades and weakens blanks, so one has to be quite careful if trying to reclaim a blank instead of the seat/grip.   Epoxied tiptops don't just slide off.  If one comes off easily, it was installed with hot melt.  Removing epoxied tiptops from blanks is a very "fragile" process.  Fragile might not be the best word to describe it, but it's the best I can think of.  

 

I doubt if there is a process in which the blank can be removed from within a grip/seat without destroying or at least damaging the cork.  Good luck, hope you can get it done.

I agree.  The blank is already damaged beyond repair.  The grip/reel seat is all I can save.  Therefore, I would consider drilling out the blank to recover the handle assembly if that was my only option.
That is perhaps the option I need to pursue.

Could you cut off the rod at the front of the grip you want to save and then use an internal sleeve through the grip to connect to another blank? 

3 hours ago, MikeK said:

Could you cut off the rod at the front of the grip you want to save and then use an internal sleeve through the grip to connect to another blank? 

This is a definite possibility, would likely work if you can find a blank with a butt diameter just below the ID of the failed rod.  I don't think a sleeve would be necessary or desireable since it would take up space resulting in a very light powered rod with any blank that much smaller than the original.  Blank butt diameters are listed in the specs for most blanks.  Select a blank longer than the rod you want since you will lose the engagement length of the butt of the new blank into the seat.  If you are unfamiliar with blank specs and ordering, and would like some help, message me with your hoped for final rod specs-  technique, spin/cast, length, power, action, and  budget and I will do some searching.

 

"Why didn't I think of that!?"