I've run into a finish problem I've never seen before and could use some advice. I'm making a couple of 7wt bamboo rods and have gotten to the varnishing stage and there are fairly wide streaks, generally along the corners on the blank, where the finish does not look like it's adhering. I used the same glue (Epon), sanded the raw blank to 320 grit as usual, wiped it down with a new tack cloth followed by DNA and varnished with Helmsman using a drain tube. I did not see the problem after the first coat when I lightly sanded the entire blank. There were several days between the first coat and the light sanding so I know the varnish had cured. After the first coat had cured I used a manicurist file such as the Sand Turtle Gleamer but coarser rather than sandpaper to go over the blank and wraps followed by a wipe down with a tack cloth and DNA before applying the second coat in the drain tube. There was a day or so between the wipe down and second varnishing.
My first thought was somehow silicone had gotten on the blank but I can't see how that would have happened unless the silicone was in the tack cloth which does not make sense to me at all. Does anyone have any idea what happened and how I can keep from happening again? I had hoped to stop at two coats for the tips but i imagine I'll have to varnish again to cover up these streaks.
Thanks,
Cliff