I stained the cork on one of my rods to experiment with. Do I need to put any type of clear coat varnish after the Golden Oak stain dries?

I just don't want the stain to rub off on any of my clients hands or clothes while we are out fishing.

If I need to put a clear coat of sealer or varnish what type should I use?

Capt. Marvin Engel

You have to put some kind of sealer coat on your cork. The stain is just on the surface. Cork is too dense for the stain to penetrate into the cork. The stains will ware off in a short time.
Good wraps Bob

Be vry careful and test your process on a piece of the exact cork being used. The problem with doing things like this is that different systems have different carriers. If you use a solvent system as a penetrant it will soak into the pores of the cork and soak the filler, if any, present. You will need to stay with the base of what ever you start with. Example use True Oil fo a first coat and try to top with Trondak U-40 Cork Seal. You will not like the results when the correct use of both is quite good. If you want to head off in the cork staining area the True Oil Products have a Walnut stain that is quite dark. The instructions are in the kit to use it from start to finish. This kind of work is nice when done correctly but you are dead on correct - if done wrong it can be quite a mess.

Gon Fishn

In the past I have taken hard wood floor past wax an burnished into cork handles at a high speed on my turner. The color I got was a dark waren patena look., the cork felt silky soft. It was easy to keep clean, even egg goo would wipe off with out leaveing a stain.. What I later found out was depending how much pressue I used when burnishing I could change the look of the cork from a light cork color to a almost walnut look. I used a clear yellow Johnsons floor past.
Good Wraps Bob

Thanks, Bob! Sounds like something to try.

Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!

Mike I forgot to mention I used one of my wife's nylons to burnish with

Good Wraps Bob

Marvin,
I've been staining with Minwax with a first coat, and following with 2 or 3 coats of Tru-Oil, and I'm very happy with the results. The final color is fairly predictable, at least consistent once you know how one color looks on cork. I've also found this to be very durable. Its almost impossible to scratch the stain without gouging the cork.

Daniel do you just wipe it on and wipe off? Also have you tried burnishing it on at a high speed?
Good wraps Bob

The burn in with high speed adds deep lustre to oil based products. The pool que boys take it to the smoke point with linen twine.

Bill I at times met the wifes nylons
Good Wraps Bob

Thanks for the information. I am using Minwax brand Golden Oak Stain. I completed the cork handles on one rod and it looks great.
Marvin Engel

I generally put 3 coats of Tru-oil over 2 coats of stain as it will rub off. The stain is wiped on and off. You can buff out the Tru-oil with 0000 steel wool to matte out the finish. Pecan is also a popular cork color. I also bleach grips and then Tru-oil. Stain over bleach cork also creates a unique color. Don