K2 and X-ray

When production rods are not enough, it's time to go custom. Come share your experiences building and/or ordering a custom rod and tell us if you'll ever go back to off the shelf.
HobeyBaker
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K2 and X-ray

Post by HobeyBaker » Thu Oct 21, 2021 5:16 pm

This is cross posted on the show and tell forum.

I was planning on building these rods myself, but life got in the way with a baby. I had the rods built by Erik Kraemer and they turned out great.

K2 765 Blank
AT G2 Carbon Grips
AT CCT Razor Reel Seat
Fuji Torzite Guides and Tip Top

NFC 736 X-Ray Blank
Mitagi Reel Seat and Trim Pieces
Fuji Torzite Guides and Tip Top

The K2 build weighs 136 grams and balances perfect with a Metanium MGL. I was surprised it weighed that much based on how the rod feels in hand. It balances like a rod from Megabass which is pretty impressive considering the length of the rod.

The NFC 736 build weighs 112 grams and it balances an inch or so from the top of the locking threads with a new Zillion with no line (I tried a Steez A too which might be in the pics). Some people don't like the skeleton reel seats, but it's very comfortable for me the way the rod lays in my hand.

The K2 has a very parabolic bend to it which should work well for Carolina rigging. The 736 has a traditional XF taper and I plan on using it for football jigs.

NFC - https://photos.app.goo.gl/BfLbZWFGDgf7M9946
K2 - https://photos.app.goo.gl/zkZSih2WyP3XRize7

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doomtrprz71
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Re: K2 and X-ray

Post by doomtrprz71 » Fri Oct 22, 2021 3:40 am

I just had a 736 built and now I question my choice of reel seat looking at your 736, I went with the alps mvt reel seat but the matagi looks great.

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Re: K2 and X-ray

Post by HobeyBaker » Fri Oct 22, 2021 6:49 am

doomtrprz71 wrote:
Fri Oct 22, 2021 3:40 am
I just had a 736 built and now I question my choice of reel seat looking at your 736, I went with the alps mvt reel seat but the matagi looks great.
It feels much higher in quality than a regular Fuji, but I think it’s just painted.

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Hobie-Wan Kenobi
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Re: K2 and X-ray

Post by Hobie-Wan Kenobi » Fri Oct 22, 2021 6:54 am

I like my 736 SJ (casting rod) for Texas rigs and light jigs.

I also did a 7108 MB (cut 4in off butt) and did it up into a jig rod. Super nice but, didn't put much time in with it...BFS fishing keeps getting in the way.

I do prefer the taper of my K2 714.

All the blanks are sensitive and top notch. I am surprised the K2 build came out heavier.
IG @hobie_wan_kenobi_fishing

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Re: K2 and X-ray

Post by toddmc » Fri Oct 22, 2021 9:19 am

Those are nice builds. Both of those blanks should be awesome. The glossy painted seats look great, but they get awfully slick, especially if you use scent. The matte color painted seats just don't look very nice in my opinion. Therefore, I keep the stock matte black. Reel seats are totally subjective though. A seat that hits someone's hands wrong my be perfect for another person with different size hands, or a different way of holding the combo. If I am interested in trying a new type of reel seat, I mock it up without gluing it to see how it feels. Some just end up being wrong for me and I go back to a design that I like.

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Re: K2 and X-ray

Post by HobeyBaker » Fri Oct 22, 2021 12:29 pm

toddmc wrote:
Fri Oct 22, 2021 9:19 am
Those are nice builds. Both of those blanks should be awesome. The glossy painted seats look great, but they get awfully slick, especially if you use scent. The matte color painted seats just don't look very nice in my opinion. Therefore, I keep the stock matte black. Reel seats are totally subjective though. A seat that hits someone's hands wrong my be perfect for another person with different size hands, or a different way of holding the combo. If I am interested in trying a new type of reel seat, I mock it up without gluing it to see how it feels. Some just end up being wrong for me and I go back to a design that I like.
I'm the same way with reel seats. I bought both of the seats based on look and curiosity for the CCT (to see if it was more sensitive than a typical graphite). I got luck that both seats ended up being very comfortable.

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Re: K2 and X-ray

Post by HobeyBaker » Fri Oct 22, 2021 12:31 pm

Hobie-Wan Kenobi wrote:
Fri Oct 22, 2021 6:54 am
I like my 736 SJ (casting rod) for Texas rigs and light jigs.

I also did a 7108 MB (cut 4in off butt) and did it up into a jig rod. Super nice but, didn't put much time in with it...BFS fishing keeps getting in the way.

I do prefer the taper of my K2 714.

All the blanks are sensitive and top notch. I am surprised the K2 build came out heavier.
I thought the same thing. My hypothesis is that the winding checks for the G2 grips are actually pretty good size and metal. The other thing could be is that the builder used a lot of rod bond inside the grips. It doesn't really matter to me because it feels really light in hand.

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Re: K2 and X-ray

Post by Hobie-Wan Kenobi » Fri Oct 22, 2021 12:47 pm

That's all that matters to me. How does it feel, not what the scale says.
IG @hobie_wan_kenobi_fishing

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Re: K2 and X-ray

Post by toddmc » Fri Oct 22, 2021 1:19 pm

HobeyBaker wrote:
Fri Oct 22, 2021 12:29 pm
toddmc wrote:
Fri Oct 22, 2021 9:19 am
Those are nice builds. Both of those blanks should be awesome. The glossy painted seats look great, but they get awfully slick, especially if you use scent. The matte color painted seats just don't look very nice in my opinion. Therefore, I keep the stock matte black. Reel seats are totally subjective though. A seat that hits someone's hands wrong my be perfect for another person with different size hands, or a different way of holding the combo. If I am interested in trying a new type of reel seat, I mock it up without gluing it to see how it feels. Some just end up being wrong for me and I go back to a design that I like.
I'm the same way with reel seats. I bought both of the seats based on look and curiosity for the CCT (to see if it was more sensitive than a typical graphite). I got luck that both seats ended up being very comfortable.
They both look comfortable. How do you hold the setup? I'm an all fingers forward of the trigger guy.

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Re: K2 and X-ray

Post by HobeyBaker » Fri Oct 22, 2021 2:06 pm

:sick:
toddmc wrote:
Fri Oct 22, 2021 1:19 pm
HobeyBaker wrote:
Fri Oct 22, 2021 12:29 pm
toddmc wrote:
Fri Oct 22, 2021 9:19 am
Those are nice builds. Both of those blanks should be awesome. The glossy painted seats look great, but they get awfully slick, especially if you use scent. The matte color painted seats just don't look very nice in my opinion. Therefore, I keep the stock matte black. Reel seats are totally subjective though. A seat that hits someone's hands wrong my be perfect for another person with different size hands, or a different way of holding the combo. If I am interested in trying a new type of reel seat, I mock it up without gluing it to see how it feels. Some just end up being wrong for me and I go back to a design that I like.
I'm the same way with reel seats. I bought both of the seats based on look and curiosity for the CCT (to see if it was more sensitive than a typical graphite). I got luck that both seats ended up being very comfortable.
They both look comfortable. How do you hold the setup? I'm an all fingers forward of the trigger guy.
I'm the same way, but I have fairly large hands.

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Hobie-Wan Kenobi
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Re: K2 and X-ray

Post by Hobie-Wan Kenobi » Fri Oct 22, 2021 7:55 pm

HobeyBaker wrote:
Fri Oct 22, 2021 2:06 pm
:sick:
toddmc wrote:
Fri Oct 22, 2021 1:19 pm
HobeyBaker wrote:
Fri Oct 22, 2021 12:29 pm
toddmc wrote:
Fri Oct 22, 2021 9:19 am
Those are nice builds. Both of those blanks should be awesome. The glossy painted seats look great, but they get awfully slick, especially if you use scent. The matte color painted seats just don't look very nice in my opinion. Therefore, I keep the stock matte black. Reel seats are totally subjective though. A seat that hits someone's hands wrong my be perfect for another person with different size hands, or a different way of holding the combo. If I am interested in trying a new type of reel seat, I mock it up without gluing it to see how it feels. Some just end up being wrong for me and I go back to a design that I like.
I'm the same way with reel seats. I bought both of the seats based on look and curiosity for the CCT (to see if it was more sensitive than a typical graphite). I got luck that both seats ended up being very comfortable.
They both look comfortable. How do you hold the setup? I'm an all fingers forward of the trigger guy.
I'm the same way, but I have fairly large hands.
I got small-ish hands and I am all fingers above trigger. Palm the reel literally
IG @hobie_wan_kenobi_fishing

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Re: K2 and X-ray

Post by HobeyBaker » Wed Oct 27, 2021 11:46 am

Hobie-Wan Kenobi wrote:
Fri Oct 22, 2021 7:55 pm
HobeyBaker wrote:
Fri Oct 22, 2021 2:06 pm
:sick:
toddmc wrote:
Fri Oct 22, 2021 1:19 pm
HobeyBaker wrote:
Fri Oct 22, 2021 12:29 pm
toddmc wrote:
Fri Oct 22, 2021 9:19 am
Those are nice builds. Both of those blanks should be awesome. The glossy painted seats look great, but they get awfully slick, especially if you use scent. The matte color painted seats just don't look very nice in my opinion. Therefore, I keep the stock matte black. Reel seats are totally subjective though. A seat that hits someone's hands wrong my be perfect for another person with different size hands, or a different way of holding the combo. If I am interested in trying a new type of reel seat, I mock it up without gluing it to see how it feels. Some just end up being wrong for me and I go back to a design that I like.
I'm the same way with reel seats. I bought both of the seats based on look and curiosity for the CCT (to see if it was more sensitive than a typical graphite). I got luck that both seats ended up being very comfortable.
They both look comfortable. How do you hold the setup? I'm an all fingers forward of the trigger guy.
I'm the same way, but I have fairly large hands.
I got small-ish hands and I am all fingers above trigger. Palm the reel literally
I added a couple of pictures to the albums to show how I grip the rod.

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Re: K2 and X-ray

Post by toddmc » Wed Oct 27, 2021 12:10 pm

HobeyBaker wrote:
Wed Oct 27, 2021 11:46 am
Hobie-Wan Kenobi wrote:
Fri Oct 22, 2021 7:55 pm
HobeyBaker wrote:
Fri Oct 22, 2021 2:06 pm
:sick:
toddmc wrote:
Fri Oct 22, 2021 1:19 pm
HobeyBaker wrote:
Fri Oct 22, 2021 12:29 pm


I'm the same way with reel seats. I bought both of the seats based on look and curiosity for the CCT (to see if it was more sensitive than a typical graphite). I got luck that both seats ended up being very comfortable.
They both look comfortable. How do you hold the setup? I'm an all fingers forward of the trigger guy.
I'm the same way, but I have fairly large hands.
I got small-ish hands and I am all fingers above trigger. Palm the reel literally
I added a couple of pictures to the albums to show how I grip the rod.
That's how i hold my setups also. I like the size of the standard nut on the Fuji PTS and Palm Forward seats. I cut the threads so that none are exposed. I like to get my finger on the blank when I can get it. I got away from the Matagi foregrip parts because I felt like they were too small on the ECS seats and too big on the PTS seats. I have a bunch of Matagi parts that I need to put up for sale. I fish in extreme heat and I had a few of the Matagi foregrip parts separate also. They are an easy epoxy fix though, and they look pure.

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Re: K2 and X-ray

Post by HobeyBaker » Wed Oct 27, 2021 1:27 pm

toddmc wrote:
Wed Oct 27, 2021 12:10 pm
HobeyBaker wrote:
Wed Oct 27, 2021 11:46 am
Hobie-Wan Kenobi wrote:
Fri Oct 22, 2021 7:55 pm
HobeyBaker wrote:
Fri Oct 22, 2021 2:06 pm
:sick:
toddmc wrote:
Fri Oct 22, 2021 1:19 pm

They both look comfortable. How do you hold the setup? I'm an all fingers forward of the trigger guy.
I'm the same way, but I have fairly large hands.
I got small-ish hands and I am all fingers above trigger. Palm the reel literally
I added a couple of pictures to the albums to show how I grip the rod.
That's how i hold my setups also. I like the size of the standard nut on the Fuji PTS and Palm Forward seats. I cut the threads so that none are exposed. I like to get my finger on the blank when I can get it. I got away from the Matagi foregrip parts because I felt like they were too small on the ECS seats and too big on the PTS seats. I have a bunch of Matagi parts that I need to put up for sale. I fish in extreme heat and I had a few of the Matagi foregrip parts separate also. They are an easy epoxy fix though, and they look pure.
I have a few Torzite tip tops and a couple of grips that I should sell. I don't know how much interest there is for those on here though.

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Hobie-Wan Kenobi
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Re: K2 and X-ray

Post by Hobie-Wan Kenobi » Wed Oct 27, 2021 4:20 pm

HobeyBaker wrote:
Wed Oct 27, 2021 1:27 pm
toddmc wrote:
Wed Oct 27, 2021 12:10 pm
HobeyBaker wrote:
Wed Oct 27, 2021 11:46 am
Hobie-Wan Kenobi wrote:
Fri Oct 22, 2021 7:55 pm
HobeyBaker wrote:
Fri Oct 22, 2021 2:06 pm
:sick:

I'm the same way, but I have fairly large hands.
I got small-ish hands and I am all fingers above trigger. Palm the reel literally
I added a couple of pictures to the albums to show how I grip the rod.
That's how i hold my setups also. I like the size of the standard nut on the Fuji PTS and Palm Forward seats. I cut the threads so that none are exposed. I like to get my finger on the blank when I can get it. I got away from the Matagi foregrip parts because I felt like they were too small on the ECS seats and too big on the PTS seats. I have a bunch of Matagi parts that I need to put up for sale. I fish in extreme heat and I had a few of the Matagi foregrip parts separate also. They are an easy epoxy fix though, and they look pure.
I have a few Torzite tip tops and a couple of grips that I should sell. I don't know how much interest there is for those on here though.
With today's backup on pretty much anything, I bet people would buy them. I am still waiting on some reel seats after months.
IG @hobie_wan_kenobi_fishing

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