I was wondering if anyone knew who made the pre-formed grips for Winston??? I've read that for the BIIx rods the grips are pre-formed and having one I really like the grip and would like one for a build.
Thanks

I think you can get it from winston, because they do sale their components.
Best Regards Mark Crosue
The Munich rod man

Thanks but I've already tried that route and no joy.

Most likely Struble, although REC is a possibility as well. I'm pretty sure one of those two supply Winston, or at least they did at one time.

............

Thanks,I'll ask a Struble dealer if they have something close.

i noticed something a few weeks ago. i don't have any shops nearby which supply rod building components so when i was in our state capital recently, i checked out a couple of fly shops and their inventory. there were some cork grips packaged separately and some combos with reel seats and i'm pretty sure they were marked struble. the quality of those struble cork grips did not match the quality of grips on complete winstons i saw. even my buddy's winston boron rod had VERY nice quality cork, almost velvety without any flaws (CG1 definitely). yet the struble marked cork grips i saw in the stores were about the same as the lower quality (CG2?) i have stashed at home.

if struble is the supplier of grips for winston rods, is it probable they reserve the best cork grips for factory rods and allow the rest to be sold individually?

as for REC, i don't know (of course) if they supply for winston rods, but i'm pretty sure diamondback rods like the classic trout feature their proprietary reel seat design and cork grips. this comes from an email i received from diamondback when i was inquiring about a diamondback classic trout blank if i recall correctly.

eric
fresno, ca.

Strange... seems almost backwards. Best blanks are sold as blanks and the next grade used for actual rods, while cork being vice versa. Then again, not all companies sell blanks either.

Phil, not strange at all when a blank is sold to a rod builder that is all they see is the blank if there are any flaws they are noticed quickly. But when used in a rod inperfection of a blank can be hidden but if bad cork was put on a expensive rod that would be one of the first things a buyer would notice. I would have to say on a factory rod the cork look and feel proably accounts for 35% or more of why people by nice factory rods.
Scott Melton