Frequently Asked Questions

LS Supreme

Q. Can I add a solvent to my mixture?
A. NO. Never add solvent to the LS finishes. They are designed to flow and penetrate without the addition of further thinning agents.

Q. What is the best way to get rid of bubbles?
A. The LS finishes are almost bubble free. The same design which makes them flow and penetrate so fluently, acts as a built in de-bubblier. Diligent usage of heat will only cause more bubbles. Sometimes a very mild soft heat can be used after the resin has been mixed for about 20 minutes

Q. I want to make the mixture thicker—how do I do this?
A You don’t. It is designed to be of medium viscosity so it will flow and penetrate threads. Making it thicker would defeat it design purpose.

Q How does Supreme compare to the original LS and LS 2000?
A LS Supreme is the result of several years development of advanced technology hardeners and resins—it is aimed specifically at rod building. The entire LS series followed the growth of this new technology until it is now stabilized. LS Supreme is the result. LS was step one, LS 2000, was step two.

Q. My mixture seems to last a long long time in the pot—compared to all brands that I have used. Am I doing something wrong?
A. LS Supreme has a long pot life by design. It is two and three times what other brands allow. You easily have 35 minutes and that can be stretched to 45 minutes with a little baby sitting. Yet the turn time is still about 4 hours, and it is tack free in about 6 hours. All the above at 70 deg. F

Q. Can I use my Supreme if it is older than a year?
A. There really is no time limit on Epoxies. The hardener portion may tend to turn brown when exposed to daylight for several years, but it will still perform satisfactorily. The Resins may turn somewhat milky if stored in cold conditions. This is the first stages of crystallization. Merely soak the bottle in hot water for maybe 10 minutes or so, or zap in the microwave for 10 second intervals until it is clear. It is not harmed in any way. Do not heat the hardener portions for any reason.

Q. Can I use the Supreme as a glue: A It can be used to glue cork rings and light jobs of this nature. Not recommended for general bonding. Use Rodbond instead.

Q. What makes LS Supreme so special compared to all the other finishes on the market?
A. Its extreme clarity – its relative bubble free nature – its penetrative and high flow characteristics. Easy to work with, very long pot life making it less of a hassle to finish the rod since there is plenty of time to do so.

Q. Can I apply LS Supreme over Permagloss? Over another epoxy?
A It can be applied over Permagloss with good results. Use caution in applying one brand of epoxy over another brand. The epoxy resins must be abraded prior to applying a fresh coat over them, but you run the risk of the two coats having different properties of modulus, hardness, etc.. Better stick to one brand for multiple coats.

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PERMAGLOSS

Q. Can I use Permagloss to coat the entire rod?
A. Yes. Permagloss is intended to coat the entire rod, not just the thread guides. Proper preparation of the blank surface is essential prior to coating, a process far to lengthy to go into at this point.

Q. How many coats does it to take to seal a thread wrap?
A Actually, one coat will seal the threads. You probably will want sufficient coats to create a smooth surface wherein no threads can be detected when scratching with a finger nail. It takes about 5 coats on the norm to pass the finger nail test. This is assuming A thread and no CP.

Q. My Permagloss always sets up in the bottle, what can I do to make it last longer?
A Permagloss cures by exposure to moisture in the air. Keeping its exposure to air at a minimum is the only remedy. We are currently looking at other packaging, in an effort to ease this problem. Packaging in cans looks promising for the future.

Q. Will Permagloss prevent colors in the threads from fading?
A No. Quite the contrary. Permagloss is so clear it has no UV barrier qualities. It will never be effected by UV itself, but the threads or any other surface under it must be UV resistant or they will be effected.

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RODBOND

Q. Can I use rodbond to bond my corks together?
A Yes, by all means use rodbond. Apply to the cork surface then scrape off ALL the resin. Diligently scrape it all off, apply clamp pressure and be sure there is NO squeeze out. This will give a bond with no detectable glue lines.

Q. I have always used a liquid for general bonding of my rods. What is the advantage of Rodbond paste/cream?
A Liquids run all over the place, rodbond stays right where you put it. Rodbond wets surfaces because of its built in wetting agent, this means better bonding to marginal surfaces. The fillers in rodbond are structural, making it far stronger than liquids when a build up is required. Rodbond will hold onto a reel seat under adverse conditions better than any liquid.

Q. How do I measure out the two components?
A Just eye-ball it. A dab of each component on a flat surface, then look to be sure that there is an equal amount to each portion. Then, with a spatula type tool, simply sweep the two components together across the flat surface as though you were putting butter on your bread. This sweeping motion thoroughly blends the two, better than any stirring motion could do.

Q. I received a jar that is hard and whitish, shall I throw it away?
A Don’t throw it away, it has merely been exposed to cold temperature and is crystallized. Zap it in your microwave at 10 second intervals until it seems warm and workable. It is not harmed. This is your resin portion. The hardener portion should be normal.

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CORK SEAL

Q What does Cork Seal do to the cork? Why should I use it?
A. Cork Seal does exactly as the name implies. It seals the cork. This makes the cork easier to clean, less susceptible to sloughing and abrasive damage. It actually enhances that cork feel. It makes the factory fillers stay in place much better.

Q. The directions say use only one coat. What happens if I use two or more coats?
A The first coat penetrates and seals the cork. The second coat cannot possibly penetrate, as the first coat has done its job and the cork is sealed. So the second coat merely sits on top of the first coat and there is good reason to believe that it will be subject to peeling in the future. After a year or two of usage, if it appears that another coat would be beneficial –lightly sand the entire cork coated handle, and apply another coat

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COLOR LOCK

Q. Should I dilute the color lock with water or alcohol?
A. Neither one. Use it full strength straight out of the bottle.

Q. Does Color Lock have an indefinite shelf life like the epoxies?
A No. Color Lock is a water base Acrylic resin, its shelf life is limited. Figure about 1 year from the time that you purchased it.

Q. Will color Lock prevent the threads from fading due to UV exposure?
A No. None of the color preservatives act as a UV barrier. They are a barrier against the final finish changing the color of the threads, but have no anti UV characteristics. Tests have shown that the threads that are susceptible to UV deterioration—blues and reds especially—actually deteriorate quicker when color preservers are used.

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FAST CAST

Q. Every one of these so called line cleaner/lubricants I have tried have all turned out be some gooey Silicone that collects dirt. What is different about this one?
A The technology of this one is far different than those gooey silicones When you clean your line, it automatically deposits a microscopic film that is a near solid. This film is incredibly slick. The simple act of wiping your line deposited this film and other goodies that actually rejuvenated the tired line. At least 10% and in many cases as high as 15% more casting distance is assured.

Q. If its’ so good, why isn’t it in every fly shop in the land.
A Were working on that one.

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FERRULE LUBE

Q. I was told by the manufacture of my rod to lubricate the ferrule with paraffin. Is this a paraffin product?
A No, ferrule lube is very definitely not a paraffin product. There is nothing worse that can be put on a ferrule unless its chewing gum, yet many manufacturers continue to use it. Paraffin collects dirt which is abrasive to the ferrule, it has a surface build up which interferes with the tolerance of the ferrule. Paraffin is the direct cause of more ferrule problems than any other single item I know of.

Q. What is in Ferrule Lube that makes it so good for Ferrules?
A The actual contents of the mixture is proprietary. Its the effect that counts. Ferrule lube has no surface build up. It stays with the pores of the graphite or fiberglass ferrule, and does not interfere with tolerances. Ferrules will never become stuck when using Ferrule Lube.

Q. I just had a ferrule on my graphite steel head rod adjusted because of wear. The ferrule got so loose it wouldn’t hold anymore. The job cost me an arm and a leg. Will ferrule lube prevent this from happening in the future?
A Yes. The usage of ferrule lube on your ferrules will prevent any further wear.

Q Can I use ferrule lube on metal ferrules?
A. Yes. It is becoming popular with bamboo folks. It is a big help on tight fitting metal ferrules.

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BRUSH CLEANER

Q. Can I clean my Permagloss brushes with brush cleaner, or is it just for epoxy.
A . U-40 brush cleaner is the ideal cleaning solvent for all your organic clean up jobs. It is a good brush cleaner for all your paints—it is also a good general all around wiping solvent for cleaning rods, cork handles etc.

Q. I am allergic to mineral spirits – will this solvent cause a rash?
A The ingredients in this solvent were formulated by Dow Chemical with folks like you in mind. We have never heard of a single allergic reaction in the 10 plus years it has been out there.

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SYRINGES

Q I just received a set of syringes in my epoxy kit and I have observed that there is no black piston in the syringe barrel. Are these faulty, should I return them for an exchange?
A The syringes are not faulty. The black piston was eliminated in the design of these syringes. The one piece piston and handle fit into the cylinder and make a better seal than any black rubber piston ever could.

Q. What do I clean my syringes with?
A. You need never clean your syringes. Wipe off the outside with a rag and occasionally a rag and alcohol. Store them in an upright position with the piston drawn back fully.

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Products

LS Supreme

Hi-Build LS Supreme

Perma Gloss

Rod Bond

Cork Seal

Color Lock

Fast Cast

Ferrule Lube

Brush Cleaner

Syringes