the best guides 4 braid

[nuggstar]

im going to make a weapon to killa all around noosa and i dont plan on stimping at all, i want the best, must be the tuffest guides and lightest i can get. a idears on what i should get, i will be useing 16lb braid and it will live in the salt. im planing to spend a lot of money on this one as i desurve it hehe

[ryansrods]

try the fuji titanium frames wit sic rings not cheap but top shelf

[zaraspook]

apparently recoils are lighter than sic's and cheaper without any loss in performance. they look ugly but if you want something that works the have a look at them

[roz]

google Acid Rod and have a look at their stock.

r.

[nuggstar]

i dont care if it looks crap i just want the best, i like noisy guides to, i just love that sound

[wheezer]

don't bother with anything else, use Fuji. Ti frames will be super light and totally corrosion free. Sic rings or even cermet if you wanna take out a mortage will be best for long term braid use

personally wouldn't bother with RECs...anything that can bend/be filed means its too soft for braid

[Flattie Assassin]

google Acid Rod and have a look at their stock.

r.

Thanks for the link roz. Cool site.

[B_E_N]

personally id use a sic stripper guide then RECOILS for the rest. recoils are the lightest and wont corrode. there is some debate in the states about recoils 'gruving' but no one has really made it a fact, and id like to see how long <10lb braid would have to be retrieved thru it to cause a gruve.
there was a similar debate in another forum on this, its the bream one your also on nugg(do a search and youll find it), but ian miller gave his insight on the subject and sorta went along the lines of a sic stripper and recoils. id also use a sic tip

[ryansrods]

i used recs on a softy rod for jew first fish first run of about 50meters top 3 guides sawn through ended up handlinin it in only 12kg pretty pissed off guides too soft for braid in my opinion definatly go the fuji ti frames with alc or sic rings never had a drama with these guides touch wood

[DR]

has anyone here actually had a problem with any of the fiji guides getting grooves from braid??? personal, not a mate had it ...

[Flattie Assassin]

My braid series rod has alconites, and the Tcurve has sic's. I think the sics are a bit smoother to be honest.

[Stuart]

In all my years of building rods I have never seen this grooving on Fuji guides but that doesn’t mean I’m dismissing anyone’s claims here. I’m not a Fuji head as some call it; they are not the only guides in the world…..far from it. I have had a lot of people ask me about this grooving on sic guides and I take them over to my bench grinder, they soon see how the SIC guide actually wears a groove into the stone and NOT the guide ring. I don’t use any other guide other than Titanium SIC or Titanium Cermets for good resone.

Stu

[stoned]

I like fuji hardloy for braids. I find SIC too brittle.

[Stuart]

SIC to brittle???? I have done some very harsh things to SIC just to prove how tuff they realy are.

Stu

[AdamMcD]

im going to agree wit stu on this one. i have even had alps normal guides and hit them wit a wrasp file and the dont even make have a blemish. look it pretty much comes down to your personal preference on brand and style and depends on fishing style as to how much weight you want to cut out of you rods total weight.

[OzRods]

Hi Nuggstar
Have you thought about the American Tackle titainium guides have a look at the lock ring guides for baitcaster or the single foots for spinning. They are a good cheaper alternative to the Fujis and you can get them in a gold ring (if you like that sort of bling)
http://www.americantackle.us/images/prod/guides/NIRLC_featured.jpg (http://www.americantackle.us/images/prod/guides/NIRLC_lg.jpg)
Ring Lock™ Casting Guides
with Solid Titanium Frame



Quad-Leg design provides greater frame stability against ring-popping lateral force
Press-Fit insert ring increases contact area inside glue reservoir
100% corrosion resistant
65% lighter than Stainless Steel
Diamond polished & perfect for braided lines
Solid Titanium frame with Nanolite™ ring
Nanolite™ ring is 45% stronger & ground round to reduce line wear and increase casting distance
Ideal for Light to Med-Heavy casting rodsShow NIRLC Detailed Specifications (http://www.americantackle.us/guidestitanrl.html#)







http://www.americantackle.us/images/prod/guides/NIV_featured.jpg (http://www.americantackle.us/images/prod/guides/NIV_lg.jpg)
Solid Titanium All-Purpose Guides



100% corrosion resistant
65% lighter than Stainless Steel
Diamond polished & perfect for braided lines
Solid Titanium frame with Nanolite™ ring in gray or gold
Nanolite™ ring is 45% stronger & ground round to reduce line wear and increase casting distance
Ideal for Light to Med-Heavy spin/cast rodsShow Detailed Specifications (http://www.americantackle.us/guidestitan.html#)

[grave41]

I use titanium sic"s or cermets on mine as they are for me. They are the only guides japanese use with good reason,They dont even sell hardaloy over there.I"ve got a set of recoils for a spin stik if you want them $20 i"ll be at the rod building weekend. I have these guides on my Loomis glx and hate the noise but otherwise they"re not bad.
Graham

[OzRods]

Have a look at what happens to a recoil guide vs a ziconium guide when you hit it with a file. The zirconium is only slightly discoloured and the recoil is grooved. But they (recoil) would probably be alright for guides but I wouldn't use a recoil top as that is where most of the pressure and wear would be especially with braid. I see Ian Miller uses some of the recoils on his Camofish rods.

http://www.rodbuilding.org/photopost/showphoto.php/photo/2450

[Mark Fisher]

May sound a little sarcastic but it's not meant to be, "Why would you use a file on any part of the guide other than the feet? I don't believe that is a fair test of any guide. Last year I sent some rods up to the AFTA Show in Surfers. When they arrived, the rod tube had been badly damaged. On opening the tube and removing the rods a few of the AMTAC guides were badly crushed against the rod blank. Only one Fugi MNSG was damaged. The ring was perfect but the legs had been crushed. Obviously this isn't a fair test either as the AMTAC guides may have taken the brunt of the impact BUT on removing the guides I found the AMTAC guide legs were easy to bend. The Fugi legs were almost impossible to bend. For me personally, I will stick with the Fugi's for shear toughness. They are the proven product (I would also like to try some of the new Batson guides. I've heard they are as good as the Fuji's.)

Mark

[Rodman]

Mate looks at ALPS they have the same type of inserts but have a 316 stainless steel frame.

Ken

[OzRods]

The Batson guides also have a 316 stainless frame (probably because they are made by ALPS) LOL

[OzRods]

May sound a little sarcastic but it's not meant to be, "Why would you use a file on any part of the guide other than the feet? I don't believe that is a fair test of any guide. Last year I sent some rods up to the AFTA Show in Surfers. When they arrived, the rod tube had been badly damaged. On opening the tube and removing the rods a few of the AMTAC guides were badly crushed against the rod blank. Only one Fugi MNSG was damaged. The ring was perfect but the legs had been crushed. Obviously this isn't a fair test either as the AMTAC guides may have taken the brunt of the impact BUT on removing the guides I found the AMTAC guide legs were easy to bend. The Fugi legs were almost impossible to bend. For me personally, I will stick with the Fugi's for shear toughness. They are the proven product (I would also like to try some of the new Batson guides. I've heard they are as good as the Fuji's.)

Mark
I think it shows how a company markets its super duper tuff titanium guides and then they mark real easy with a file. I also know of a rod builder that shows how tuff a SIC insert is by showing you what it can do to a grinding wheel. Its not a real life test but you get the picture. I would also say that Fujis are the go but he only wants to use 16lb line over them so I would definitey sacrifice the strength for the weight saving on a blank that will only have 16bl line fished on it. But thats just me