Refinishing a Graphite Fishing Rod: A Beginner's Guide

Question
im very new to rod building. i have an older St croix graphite
rod i want to completely restore. the finish on the blank is
in sad shape, id like to refinish the whole blank. what
product would be best to use,and how should i go about it??

Answer
Gary,
Most  books  / Internet sites have the position that removing the exterior finish on graphite is very difficult and it is easy to remove graphite if you try. Scotch brite - liquid sand paper would probably  do it.
I have put some oil based paint on some repairs of a small spots of finish loss.
If I was going to refinish the whole rod , I would spray or dip. Ask your Ace or hardware store for a permanent matte out door water proof paint. Probably want to use black.
Luck,
Mac