Is there a method to make Hypalon more spongy? I order mine from Angler's Workshop, and LOVE how it is very dense adn fairly firm. I get it firmer by installing with a small ID and forcing it to stretch. I have a person who likes teh softer, muhy feel he's felt on some Factory rods wih Hypalon.

Possibly Heating, and installing with a larger ID?

How about EVA??or is that not an option?

Freddwhy (Rapt-Ryte)

mmmmmm you could poke his eyes out with the sharp end then just use cork he`ll never know the difference

cheers for last night by the way billy
allen

Billy,
I think you just have to start off with softer (spongier) material. You could check with Scott at Merrick Tackle. As I recall the stuff they were selling in uncut 12' lengths was pretty soft material.

Billy,

Hypalon is one of these registered trademark (Dupont) high desity EVA. They come in many diferent forms. Most of the rodbuilding materials are harder than normal EVA. If you stretch it. it will become harder. Also if you glue it on the blank with epoxy it will become harder. I have used rubber cement to glue this on. While I have never had a rubber cement failure, I build almost exclusively lighter weight freshwater rods. I would not recommend drilling it larger than the blank but if you have a smooth fit and use rubber cement you are going to get it about as soft as you can. The only thing that I have done to make it softer is to flock it. Do not seal the EVA/Hypalon with anything just put a very generous coat of the flocking adhesive to the material. I have flocked several of these with very satisfactory results. (In fact, my son prefers the flocked EVA over any other type of grip. He has learned to use my wraper to shape and flock his own grips. Then all I have to do is put the guides on) I really like the flocked EVA grips over the ones that I have flocked the cork. It all depends on what feels best in an individuals own hand. This is one other advantage that a custom rod has over the Walmart special.

See you in Charlotte.

Ed

Billy,

There are more than one density of Hypalon too. The Hypalon grips Seeker uses on their factory builds is more dense/harder than the Hypalon Calstar uses. One of the country's largest extruders is just south of us called "Kirkhill Rubber". They sell two different densities into the sporting goods market. Those would be the two mentioned above. They do however do LOTS of different densities for different applications in different markets, I just don't know if it's extruded to the same shape that the grip grinders need to work in their machines (2" raw, or whatever it is.)

Ed is right about it's "final feel" after it's been glued up too. The more you stretch it the firmer it gets. I used to wrestle 11/16 I.D. Hypalon on to Baja Boomers and made light of it once to Leon (Calstar) who looked at me and said "that's why there's 1" Hypalon" like I should have known. lol We now stock 5/16, 1/2, 11/16, 7/8 and 1" I.D.'s. A Boomer's grip feels MUCH softer with 1" I.D. VS 11/16" extrusions.

Email me your address and I'll send you a little sample of the "grade" that we stock and you can judge for yourself if you've been getting hard or soft stuff in the past.

Also, there's a wipe on liquid that I've found that improves the feel a little more yet, almost to the point of being "tacky". Maybe tacky's the wrong word... "Fluffy"? lol It's not a one time thing, it's actually a cleaner /re-conditioner made for golf grips called "Nu-Grip". A quick wipe down with a rag is all it takes and it does a REAL nice job of removing dried fish slime, scales, etc... from both EVA and Hypalon. Cheap too. 8oz. was about $5 the last time I bought it YEARS ago and I still have 1/2 of THAT!

Mark Griffin
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C&M Custom Tackle
San Dimas, California