Enamel for Steel Fishing Rods
Make a thin solution of shellac in alcohol and add a teaspoonful of Venice turpentine to each half pint, and the same quantity of lampblack for a black enamel. Scrape the bare spots on the rod and heat it slightly, to melt the shellac for the first coat. Use a fine brush and apply two or three coats, which will give a smooth, glossy, and elastic surface that will not scale or crack.