Hi all I need some help. i just turned a cork grip for a two handed rod. My problem is how to fill some lines in the cork. I thought that I was using good cork, have not had this problem before. Thank you all James

Keep your fly in the water

I take a bunch of fine cork dust saved from the final stages of cork sanding and mix it with some Duco cement or Piobond until it has the consistency of peanut butter. I add a little bit of white poster paint to the mix until the color is about the same shade as the cork on the grip. Then I jam it into the pits on the cork leaving a slightly raised bump. For larger pits I put a little bit of cement in the hole first. This gives it a better bond and less likely to fall out later. The next day I sand down the grip with my finer sand paper until the cork dust patches are flush with the rest of the grip.

Plastic wood filler in golden oak color

DR

I have used cork dust mixed with Titebond III and the plastic wood as Duane stated. Both work. I have had the same problem you describe. After filling the voids. I sand with 220 grit sandpaper.

Ed Smith

Thank you for the help I can always get the rigdht answer here.

Keep your fly in the water

Ed I thought at times like that you were prone to say just flock it!

I have done as Rob , Duane and ED and haven't found a method I am happy with. I would like to have some of the stuff the Manufactures use.
Or better yet ,one of you intelligent fellows come up with us a concoction that works good. Bill Stevens, you are a good suspect ! Don't you have a friend that is a Chemist ???????LOL

One word BURL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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!!

I have tried a number of things and suggestions from alot of members on this board. I have come up with a process that works very well for me. It also has the added benift of being VERY close to the cork's natural color. As mentioned above, I use "Golden Oak" or "Natural" color Elmers wood filler. I pick out any loose bits still in the hole with a dental pick and then use my compressor at about 20psi to blow any loose dust off the cork and out of the pits I'm trying to fill. I just squirt a bit of the filler out on my spatula and firmly pack the pits, dips, etc. The package says thin filler is ready to sand in 15 minutes or so. After about 5 minutes, I take some 400 grit sandpaper and lightly sand the cork on my lathe while the filler is still a bit soft. The dust from this mixes with the still soft filler and fills in the holes perfectly and since the dust is from the cork I am working with, it matches even better than the straight filler.

I have never had a problem with the cork filler coming out but I will add that I use U-40 cork seal religiously and I'm sure that helps keep everything together down the road.

Just my 2¢.

Try mixing cork dust into Trondak (U-40) Cork Seal. The Seal is made to impregnate cork anyway, so you get a double benefit from doing this.

Uncle Russ
Calico Creek Rods

Mike , I am convinced. I have stocked up on Burl !!! I hate trashy cork !!