I recently gave a musky rod with a foam core grip to a person I could rely on to really put it to the test. He fished with it in a driving rain storm and commented that it was a little to slippery for his liking in the rain. It has only one coat of urethane on it. I am open to suggestions on what I could do short of rebuilding the handle.

Thanks All
Jeff Leonard

Jeff,
Different tracks for different horses...I find it the opposite to your friend...I find it does well with slick, wet, and slime. I wish I could make them look better...Maybe at our meeting this month someone will give me some good pointers....I love foam....

Big John
Rio Hondo, Texas
Blessed are those who can give without remembering and take without forgetting

I'd be curious to know what size and shape it was - that's what determines how hard something is to hang onto. None of my own carbon skinned grips, finished with urethane, are the least bit slick. This just sounds odd.

Hammer handles are every bit as "slick" as any foam core carbon skinned grip, but few carpenters have trouble with them flying out of their hands, even in the rain.


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I have been using Graphite tubing since the 1980's and graphite carbon handles ever since the technology has been out and have to agree with John and Tom. They work as good in the rain as in the sun.

I haven't found mind to be slippery at all. Smooth as silk but not slippery. But what counts is how your customer feels about it! His opinion is the one you have to deal with.

The problem as I see it is that it probably is the size and or shape that is causing the problem. So even if you just applied a different top coat that was "rougher" it might not sure his problem. But I will offer that earlier I had made a post about using the wrong type of urethane. I bought clear satin by mistake and it created a less smooth surface. Still clear but maybe a little "rougher" than the clear gloss. So maybe scuff up what you have and put on a coat of the clear satin. It might tone down the smoothness to the point where the customer would like it and that would save you from having to redo anything other than just one or two coats of new urethane.

There are 100's of ways to get a rougher grip with the foam, think gun stocks, thread, texture paints and thousands more, only your imagination limits you!

That said, I find the totally smooth grips to be outstanding to fish with, never a slippage problem, not one. Back to that imagination thing, I believe we THINK that the grips will be slick and our mind makes them that way, FISH with one several trips and you'll eventually trade from cork to foam and never think twice about it. Spinning = reel stem in betwen your fingers, casting = reel in your hand and trigger on your finger. Slippage just makes NO sense when put into a real perspective.

DR

Ken brought up a good point - it's the customer's assessment that's important here. As long as he thinks it's slippery, then he's not going to be happy.

I'd do what Ken suggests - try the clear satin or semi-gloss and see how that does. You can also spray the urethane from a greater distance which tends to dry it prior to hitting the surface. This results in a less smooth surface.

Then you have other options as well. You could use a diamond parting tool, held on its side to make a few shallow relief cuts into the carbon skin (don't overdo this - keep them very shallow) which would add to the tactile feel of the surface.

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Thank you gentlemen for your replies. Just to let you know the fore grip is 1.15" OD and 4.5" long. Butt is 14" long with straight taper from 1.20" to 1.175 OD. I really like this grip and the weight saving is incredible.
Thanks As Always,
Jeff Leonard