Ugly Stik One Piece Guide Maintenance/Cleaning

[coastalfreak]

Hey folks. Have a 9’ GX2 Medium I’ve been using in the surf recently as a light tackle setup for smaller surf critters. Admittedly I haven’t taken great care of it and I’ve noticed the stainless guides on it have started to turn green with corrosion from salt. 
 

Any methods y’all would recommend to remove the grime without scratching the guides up? Im thinking of just trying some baking soda as a mild abrasive with a sweet rag or sponge. 

[Skunkoff]

Are the guides straight SS or do they have inserts?  I was thinking try come WD40 on a paper towel, but not sure if it will react with the inserts at all.  Also not sure if CLR would work.

[EricDice]

The stainless guides seem to have some kind of surface coating on the inside of the guide. I think it flaked off or corroded off with weathering effects in a matter of months. 
 

Personally- I wouldn’t do anything to those guides and see how badly it wears on the line used on the rod. Take it from there. 
 

But if you’re really bothered by it, I would clean with soapy water. Polish with a Dremel type bit (in a Dremel or in a drill even). Clean again. Put some kind of sticky grease on there to prevent or minimize more corrosion. Reapply regularly if needed. 
 

I also wonder if those guides are actually meant to hold up to braid in a fish fight where there’s something pulling drag hard against the inside of the guide train. I would not be shocked to see a groove in the ones near the top. 
 

 

[wrboz]

The maybe you could try distilled white vinegar. It sure takes the green corrosion/crud off the old Penn reels I’ve acquired used through the years!

[foxfai]

I have used some of the CLR and dip some on a Q-tip and rub it on the corrosion. Comes back 30 min later rub it again with the solution and lots of them will come off. Clean it up with soap water after.

[Don B]

Do a look up on

How To Passivate Stainless Steel Parts

Updated 4/1/2022 | Published 10/1/2003

 

Down the page you will/may find

Cirtic acid passivation

 

Citric acids; Oranges, Lemons, Limes, Grapefruit

There are several processes for Passivating stainless steel and alternatives.

Edited December 6, 2022 by Don B
Remove a link

[R.R. Bridge Fisher]

17 hours ago, coastalfreak said:

Hey folks. Have a 9’ GX2 Medium I’ve been using in the surf recently as a light tackle setup for smaller surf critters. Admittedly I haven’t taken great care of it and I’ve noticed the stainless guides on it have started to turn green with corrosion from salt. 
 

Any methods y’all would recommend to remove the grime without scratching the guides up? Im thinking of just trying some baking soda as a mild abrasive with a sweet rag or sponge. 

Dude just rinse your gear when your done with it. If your hard-core and fish daily keep  a method to do a quick rinse in your truck.

If your rods funky whats your reels like 

As far as the rod just hit it with a brush and some soapy water, I wouldn't take a dremmel to it.

[PSeggs]

11 mins ago, R.R. Bridge Fisher said:

Dude just rinse your gear when your done with it. If your hard-core and fish daily keep  a method to do a quick rinse in your truck.

If your rods funky whats your reels like 

As far as the rod just hit it with a brush and some soapy water, I wouldn't take a dremmel to it.

Same. 

I use a 1gal pump sprayer with fresh water.  

Rides in my trunk 24/7 during fishin season

[R.R. Bridge Fisher]

5 mins ago, PSeggs said:

Same. 

I use a 1gal pump sprayer with fresh water.  

Rides in my trunk 24/7 during fishin season

This^^^^^^^^^

[EliasA]

3 hours ago, R.R. Bridge Fisher said:

Dude just rinse your gear when your done with it. If your hard-core and fish daily keep  a method to do a quick rinse in your truck.

If your rods funky whats your reels like 

As far as the rod just hit it with a brush and some soapy water, I wouldn't take a dremmel to it.

Those guides just do that. I regularly fish freshwater with my grandfather and he uses a gx2 ugly stick, and the guides get a green oxidation on them, even when only used in freshwater and getting whipped down after every outing

 

i definitely wouldn’t take a deemed to it or anything more abrasive than a scotch brite pad. My suggestion is whatever solvent you like on a rag followed by a rag of wd40

[Lou T]

On 12/5/2022 at 11:33 AM, coastalfreak said:

Hey folks. Have a 9’ GX2 Medium I’ve been using in the surf recently as a light tackle setup for smaller surf critters. Admittedly I haven’t taken great care of it and I’ve noticed the stainless guides on it have started to turn green with corrosion from salt. 
 

Any methods y’all would recommend to remove the grime without scratching the guides up? Im thinking of just trying some baking soda as a mild abrasive with a sweet rag or sponge. 

It's called patina!!!

 

Leave it alone; you will devalue the rod... 

Edited December 6, 2022 by Lou T

[Loudog]

I’ll second a bit of white vinegar and water, just a teaspoon of vinegar to a cup of water.  Use an toothbrush to “scrub” with the water vinegar mixture.  Let it sit for 5-10 minutes, then rinse with freshwater and wipe dry.  Works for me on minima ss guides.

[hobobob]

5 hours ago, Lou T said:

It's called patina!!!

 

Leave it alone; you will devalue the rod... 

Worse, make it uglier. 

[EricDice]

Love the main. Don’t mention Dremel. Noted. LOL. 

———

 

FWIW - rinsing with FW won’t mean anything if he lives & keeps the thing in a marine environment. Mine got corroded while stored outside in a shore town. 
 

Better bring it inside in a humidity controlled environment to protect the investment. ;-)