recently more of the older rods are being repaired. I have repaired lots and lots of rods where the cost of the repair was substantially more than what it would have been to replace the rod with a far better one. Sentimentality is usually involved here and I have no quarrel with that, as long as all the facts are given beforehand. The repairman must present all the facts of the poor economics of such, and the repairee must understand this.
Quite a few of the older rods are also being "re-worked" or "re-furbished", and the expertise necessary to properly accomplish this job falls within the repair category. Once a guy has fished with the same rod for 30 years, caught many a memory and developed a feel for that particular stick - he doesn't want to hear all the hype about the reel seat being rusty and loose, that the handle is squishy and half gone, the guides mostly taped or glued on. These things are irrelevant. He even goes with family and friends to local sports shops and handles literally dozens of new modern rods of a similar makeup - but nothing FEELS right. Then he learns about this guy that can make the old rod new again - at about twice the price of those he looked at in the shop!
So if you have a rod you just can't part with, I'll be up front with you and then you decide how you want to proceed.
As for graphite and composite rods most of the makers of these rods will replace them if broken. So check with them before you decide to repair the rod. Of course, I'm always available to help you.
Larry
