I knocked the insert out of the tip of one of my favorite rods today.  >

I was wondering if I heated it with a lighter if I could just slip it off and then, with a little super glue, slip a replacement onto it. Don't want to lose any length and more importantly, any of the unique limberness of the tip on this one.

Yes, a lighter should provide enough heat to soften the adhesive. Just be sure to pull the tip off straight, though. Don't try to twist it off.

I would forego the use of superglue. If you or a buddy don't have any tip glue, an archery shop should have nock glue in a stick by Bohning (?) that is roughly the same thing. About $2, I think.

Don 't use super glue you won't be able to replace if you pop the insert out again. Most times when  you buy a replacement tip they will send you a glue stick. I don't know what it is called now but is used to be called ferrule cement. It has the same low melt temperature as that used on the original tip.

I just bought a replacement tip from St. Croix for $5 and it came with the glue. I haven't done the replacement yet but using a lighter to heat the old tip to remove it and heat the new glue is what the instructions say to do.

My tackle shop just uses hot glue as from a glue gun. Worked like a charm for me. Just as info, the tips are sized in 64's of an inch, easiest to use a drill index guide. A size 4 tip is for a rod tip that's 1/16" (or 4/64")

Thanks guys. Very informative as usual. 

Good advice, but you have to be careful. If you overheat the tiptop, well, bad, bad, things will happen - don't ask how I know (fortunately, it was my own rod). I have found a good way to do this and have replaced dozens of tip-tops since that first fiasco without a single mishap.

Take a look at the pic below - suppose to be worth a 1000 words.....Pull the rod creating tension on the rubberband and apply heat to the tip-top. As soon as the glue softens up, the tip-top will slide right off - WEAR EYE PROTECTION. Only the minimal amount of heat is used.

Glue stick glue will work.  However, the melting point is typically low which means that if the rod is left in the hot sun (on a boat deck) or in car the glue could melt.  Use this glue - can re-use again and again and made specifically for tip-tops - high melting point and high adhesion.

http://www.mudhole.com/Shop-Our-Catalog/Flex-Coat/Tip-Top-Adhesive

I warm up one end, then slide the "molten" end along a smooth surface creating a "string". I take the strands ball them up length wise and shove them down the new tube - a fly tying bodkin helps. Warm up the new tube until the glue bubbles and slide it back on.

Good luck,

Eddie

Now that is good ejtaylor822......Thanks a bunch.