K Guides - is the no wind knot claim just gimmickry?

[Mark Harris]

Would be interested in other opinions on this.

I have two light casting rods with K Guides, and the Yamaga Blanks Blue Sniper 77/3 especially has been cast an awful lot of times recently.

As far as wind knots are concerned, I notice no difference whatsoever from the standard Fuji MN shape guides.

[Gavin Chau]

i find that if the guides were spaced properly in the first place (and the stripper reversed) then theres no real benefit to having k guides

[Brandon Khoo]

I got the guides on one of my Long Reefs changed to the titanium K guides to see what they were like. I actually thought there was a lower incidence of wind knots and the couple that I did get tended to release themselves instead of getting completely stuck around the stripper guide. All of that said, I don't like the guides much. I found them very noisy as the braid rattled through the guides.

[Warwick Joyce]

The theory is there and the proof is in the video, as to how well it works in the real world? From my experience they are great on light rods when trying to cast light lures eg. 6lb rod casting 50mm Jungle Perch lures.
I also have them on my light popping rod casting PE3 and have to say that 30lb might be the limit for them, in one instance I cast off a slug after the line wrapped around the stripper guide (only time it's happened though). As Brandon said they get noisier on heavy rods running heavy line.

I must say that I experience just as many tip wraps as with other guides.

[Mark Harris]

As I said I can't see any noticeable difference in the actual number of wind knots. With K's they seem to happen mostly (for me) on the second guide.

[Warwick Joyce]

Mark, what size are the first and second guides and also size of the reel (spool size)? Single or double foot guides?

[Robin Loi]

K-guides? other than the design of it, personally, it makes no difference to me cause the knots will still happen albeit not frequently.. lost a fish once because of it

[David Noble]

Hi Mark,

Try shortening your leader, so the briad connection is just before (or just after) the stripper guide and this should help al lot.
Also if the reels spool arbor is large and stripper guide is not, then it wont make for happy casting. so perhaps downsize the reel.

Cheers David

[Mark Harris]

David, thanks for that and yep I am aware of little adjustments that can be made to lessen the instances of wind knots and tip wraps in general.

But this is about K versus MN design.

[Gavin Chau]

All well/ custom designed rods should have guides set up with a specific spool diameter in mind according to the current theory from the distance casting guys. Most aren't though! If set up properly you should get quiet casts, good distance and no wind knots. If not set up properly then k guides can help. Often just reversing the stripper eliminates most problems though

[Mark Harris]

Mark, what size are the first and second guides and also size of the reel (spool size)? Single or double foot guides?

Warwick on the Blue Sniper 77/3 I am pretty sure the stripper is size 30 and the next guide size 24.  Both double foot. The rest of the smaller guides are single foot. I use it mostly with a Twinpower SW 5000 loaded with PE3 or sometimes PE2. 

The only wind knots I seem to get on the K-guide set up are on the size 24 (ie 2nd) guide.  I am definitely not saying I get any more wind knots with K-guides. It just seems more or less the same level of occurrence.  Given that the MNs are cheaper and infinitely easier to find when you need to replace one, then to me at the moment, K guides are seeming  kind of pointless.

[Jon Li]

Hi Mark ,

Unless you are using titanium framed K-guide for reducing overall weight of the rod , stick to MN guides . According to Konishi-san , he will only use K-guides on rods with raings below PE4 and rods with K-guides exhibit reduced casting distance , perhaps due to smaller diameter of the stripper guide .

Jon .

[Brandon Khoo]

Based on the little bit of experience I have with them, Jon, I think that is why they make a size 50 for the stripper. It is because the angle of the guide is such that they felt a bigger guide was needed.

of course, that is simply conjecture on my part .........

[Warwick Joyce]

Mark, what size are the first and second guides and also size of the reel (spool size)? Single or double foot guides?

Warwick on the Blue Sniper 77/3 I am pretty sure the stripper is size 30 and the next guide size 24.  Both double foot. The rest of the smaller guides are single foot. I use it mostly with a Twinpower SW 5000 loaded with PE3 or sometimes PE2. 

The only wind knots I seem to get on the K-guide set up are on the size 24 (ie 2nd) guide.  I am definitely not saying I get any more wind knots with K-guides. It just seems more or less the same level of occurrence.  Given that the MNs are cheaper and infinitely easier to find when you need to replace one, then to me at the moment, K guides are seeming  kind of pointless.

Interesting, I am running a sw 5k twinpower also. Also using the same size guides, out of interest can you measure from the spool lip to the first and second guide? My rod is set up as 620mm to the stripper and 820mm to the second (both measures from the lip to guide ring). It is the Kaiser Lightcast 73H.

Of course guide placement is a balance between casting and rod bend.

[Jon Li]

Based on the little bit of experience I have with them, Jon, I think that is why they make a size 50 for the stripper. It is because the angle of the guide is such that they felt a bigger guide was needed.

of course, that is simply conjecture on my part .........

Hi Brandon ,

I used to own a MC Works LN733CR with K-guides for a short while , when compared side by side with a friend's BC75MLR with 30mm MN stripper guide the LN733CR can't cast longer than BC75MLR despite some 6 guys trying their best on both rods so I am not biased in my opinion . Test was done using the same reels filled with PE3 line , same thickness leader of equal lengths and various lures in an apple to apple comparison . I am still waiting for my turn to get BC75MLR or BC79LR , the former I hope but the latter I can accept ! 

Jon .