Just bought some burnt cork to spice up the handle on a 9' #9 i'm working on. Does this cork need any special treatment so the color won't fade?

PS. Thumbs up to Mudhole. The order was delivered in exactly 7 days (to Sweden). An order from Cabelas took three months... DS

The color won't fade, but accumulated dirt and grime darken it just like regular cork. Some builders like to put a coat of something like Tru-Oil on it to bring the color and grain up a notch.

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Ok, thanks. I think i'll leave it as it is.

Hello from Texas Magnus,
I put a light coat of a product called Krylon clear spray. I buy it at home repair stores or anyplace that sells paints. I think it is a clear acrylic spray. It seals the cork and darkens it a bit. I don't put too much otherwise it will feel too slick. There is a problem with acrylic sprays in that eventually the dirt on your hands will stick to the handle. I buff it off and respray just to keep the cork from cracking or looking old. I plan to try Tru-oil next to see what kind of effect I get. However, as a sealer I still like the Krylon.

Thanks for the reply Ellis. I'll see if i can find something similar to whar you recommended and have a try on a spare bit before i apply it to the real deal. Although i like when the cork looks old, the cracking up I can live without ...