Re: Making Conquests Lighter
Posted: Thu Jun 20, 2019 4:00 am
This is the most intriguing thread on TT for a while. Interesting read.
TackleTour
Making Conquests Lighter
Page 2 of 3
Re: Making Conquests Lighter
Posted: Thu Jun 20, 2019 9:47 am
Awesome work. I’d like to do the split grip treatment to my 842C as well. I wasn’t sure how it was gonna look, but the blank material looks great between the 2 pieces.
Re: Making Conquests Lighter
Posted: Fri Jun 21, 2019 11:25 am
Turned out perfect, no epoxy/glue left on the blank and no finishing required. I’ll send you some info.
Re: Making Conquests Lighter
Posted: Fri Jun 21, 2019 3:36 pm
Thanks! I bet your guide wraps look cleaner than the stock ones as well.JBcrankaddict wrote: ↑Fri Jun 21, 2019 11:25 amTurned out perfect, no epoxy/glue left on the blank and no finishing required. I’ll send you some info.
Re: Making Conquests Lighter
Posted: Sun Jun 23, 2019 10:23 am
I've always been miffed as to why these rods aren't built this way in the first place. I'm a full cork rear grip guy, but I like what you did with the spit grip. I've always wondered what the similarly beautiful butt section on my Phenix K2 would look like as a split grip. 
That Conquest answered that question.
I've been doing my 7 foot customs with similar sized guides for a few years. I go down to 5.5 mm guides on 7'3" to 7'6" rods because I do some braid with fluoro leader. I think most of us enthusiasts have gone back to mid-micros after trying the guides under 5mm. I don't have any problems getting the line through 5mm guides.
That Conquest answered that question. I've been doing my 7 foot customs with similar sized guides for a few years. I go down to 5.5 mm guides on 7'3" to 7'6" rods because I do some braid with fluoro leader. I think most of us enthusiasts have gone back to mid-micros after trying the guides under 5mm. I don't have any problems getting the line through 5mm guides.
Re: Making Conquests Lighter
Posted: Sun Jun 23, 2019 5:08 pm
I really with Loomis would start selling blanks again. This is just too much effort for me.
Re: Making Conquests Lighter
Posted: Wed Jun 26, 2019 5:02 pm
Full cork is great on the longer rods, but the shorter rods just never feel tip heavy enough to matter! Wish they would just make both to meet both preferences. I was honestly just curious as to what could be done with these and wanted to make them more comparable to NRX as far as components go. I like hearing that you’ve had good results with that guide train on your rods. Giving me more confidence in it even though I’ve had no issues. The 5s have been the perfect size for me with no issues with leader knots either. Nothing like a super light guide train to make that tip float! Thanks man!toddmc wrote: ↑Sun Jun 23, 2019 10:23 amI've always been miffed as to why these rods aren't built this way in the first place. I'm a full cork rear grip guy, but I like what you did with the spit grip. I've always wondered what the similarly beautiful butt section on my Phenix K2 would look like as a split grip.
I've been doing my 7 foot customs with similar sized guides for a few years. I go down to 5.5 mm guides on 7'3" to 7'6" rods because I do some braid with fluoro leader. I think most of us enthusiasts have gone back to mid-micros after trying the guides under 5mm. I don't have any problems getting the line through 5mm guides.
Re: Making Conquests Lighter
Posted: Wed Jun 26, 2019 5:08 pm
I feel the same way. Conquest and NRX blanks would be amazing! Really wasnt a lot of work though, just have to be very careful not to mess anything up. Stripping them down is definitely different than just building on a fresh blank.HobeyBaker wrote: ↑Sun Jun 23, 2019 5:08 pmI really with Loomis would start selling blanks again. This is just too much effort for me.
Re: Making Conquests Lighter
Posted: Fri Jun 28, 2019 5:39 am
Plan on doing the split grip treatment to my daiwas. Any reminders or "no no's" I should know before I start cutting? Also after I cut how do it get the left over epoxy off?
Re: Making Conquests Lighter
Posted: Sun Jun 30, 2019 3:54 pm
Looks like my post was a little laterollyourboat wrote: ↑Fri Jun 28, 2019 5:39 amPlan on doing the split grip treatment to my daiwas. Any reminders or "no no's" I should know before I start cutting? Also after I cut how do it get the left over epoxy off?
Re: Making Conquests Lighter
Posted: Sun Jun 30, 2019 4:49 pm
Didn't do the best job but I gave it shot. Think i did alright considering its a first time. BTW it's a daiwa kage
Re: Making Conquests Lighter
Posted: Sun Jun 30, 2019 6:04 pm
Heck yeah! Impressive stuff, gentlemen.
Re: Making Conquests Lighter
Posted: Sun Jun 30, 2019 6:41 pm
Good stuff. I just started my conquest 842 yesterday. Not too difficult. The left over epoxy was pretty tough to get off at first, but then it just peeled away. I used a 9 mm Olfa utility knife with the snap away blades, but flipped the knife upside down and used the dull side so I didn’t slice the cork when cutting the rings just like the OP mentioned. im going to start to shape the handle to my liking. Gonna give it a coat of u-40. Then I’m gonna do a nice short wrap up to each end of the grips. I left more butt end on mine due to the fact that I’m not gonna mess with the guides and still want it to balance well, but I like my Loomis 842s split gripped so I had to give it a try. I really appreciate the OP putting it out there. I’ll post a pic of the finished product when I finish.
Re: Making Conquests Lighter
Posted: Sun Jun 30, 2019 11:01 pm
Thoroughly impressive already. Very nice to see a slightly different take on the job. I’m starting to gain confidence that maybe even I could try this. As the OP suggests, I’m not going full conquest on my first try, however.domthewon wrote: ↑Sun Jun 30, 2019 6:41 pmGood stuff. I just started my conquest 842 yesterday. Not too difficult. The left over epoxy was pretty tough to get off at first, but then it just peeled away. I used a 9 mm Olfa utility knife with the snap away blades, but flipped the knife upside down and used the dull side so I didn’t slice the cork when cutting the rings just like the OP mentioned. im going to start to shape the handle to my liking. Gonna give it a coat of u-40. Then I’m gonna do a nice short wrap up to each end of the grips. I left more butt end on mine due to the fact that I’m not gonna mess with the guides and still want it to balance well, but I like my Loomis 842s split gripped so I had to give it a try. I really appreciate the OP putting it out there. I’ll post a pic of the finished product when I finish.
Re: Making Conquests Lighter
Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2019 6:19 am
Thanks. It really isn’t too difficult. Just takes patience for me not to rush and make a mistake trying to get it done too quickly. Hardest part so far was using my fingernails to peel off the excess cork and epoxy from the blank. Overall it’s kind of a fun project.Polkfish1 wrote: ↑Sun Jun 30, 2019 11:01 pmThoroughly impressive already. Very nice to see a slightly different take on the job. I’m starting to gain confidence that maybe even I could try this. As the OP suggests, I’m not going full conquest on my first try, however.domthewon wrote: ↑Sun Jun 30, 2019 6:41 pmGood stuff. I just started my conquest 842 yesterday. Not too difficult. The left over epoxy was pretty tough to get off at first, but then it just peeled away. I used a 9 mm Olfa utility knife with the snap away blades, but flipped the knife upside down and used the dull side so I didn’t slice the cork when cutting the rings just like the OP mentioned. im going to start to shape the handle to my liking. Gonna give it a coat of u-40. Then I’m gonna do a nice short wrap up to each end of the grips. I left more butt end on mine due to the fact that I’m not gonna mess with the guides and still want it to balance well, but I like my Loomis 842s split gripped so I had to give it a try. I really appreciate the OP putting it out there. I’ll post a pic of the finished product when I finish.