is there a standard length for a split grip rod. I have seen a lot of full grip rod that are 10". any help thanks

No standard. Just depends on several things you want to accomplish.

One way to balance a rod is to move the reel seat. Usually means a longer handle.

Other than that, you're going to see technique and angler preference dictate handle length. Swimbait rods do tend to have long handles to tuck under your arm. Some of my clients with larger bellies tend to like shorter handles - something about the rod butt getting driven into their guts on hooksets. Most of my jig/worm rods tend to have 9 - 10" handles, flippin stick can get up towards 12", swimbait 15".

If you mean the grip portion on front half of a split grip, I've seen anywhere between 2" and 4".

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Alex is spot on with this. There's no standard, only what your customer wants, or if you're building it for yourself, what you want. But you still have plenty of room for originality and such, for example:

1) How long should the overall rear grip bee from the tip of the reel seat to the tip of the butt cap?
2) How long should the piece of material (cork, EVA, wood, etc) that is joined to the reel seat be, and what shape?
3) How long should the piece of material be at the butt end, and what shape?
4) What kind of butt cap do you want to use? Cap, Gimbal, button?
5) Should you put a piece of material in the middle, sort of like a bumper to protect the rod from rod holder edges?
6) Should you paint the exposed rod, or add deocrative wraps to it?

There's all sorts of neat stuff you can do.

Uncle Russ
Calico Creek Rods

Matt,
After building lots of rods, I have come up with my own standard of 7 inches for a spinning reel and 9 inches for a casting reel.
However, these are only the starting lengths that I will suggest to a customer, because it works for myself and many of my other clients.
However, if the rod is exceptionally short, or long - the handle length will be different.
If the casting rod owner - uses two hands to cast, it will be different, than if he uses one hand to cast.
The spinning rod handle will be different if there is a specialized use, for example a long drift rod; compared to a short vertical jigging rod.

So - start with a predetermned length, and then modify it as the need of the fishing lenght, style and owners needs dictate.

Take care
Roger

Am wondering about this also related to a blank I just bought and am trying to decide how to build it out. The blank is perhaps a little different type than Matt's, but the question remains the same. I picked up a Rainshadow SW1087 for throwing metal and plugs (1 1/2 to 2 oz) to stripers in the NJ surf. I have an 8 1/2' rod that I built previously with a handle length of about 15" that I usually use in the NC surf with somewhat lighter artificials, but it still has the same throw-weight capabilities as the Rainshadow. When using this shorter rod to try to throw 2 oz, I feel that I don't get the leverage to throw a 2 oz lure a good distance, but that rod as set up does fantastic with about 1 oz. So....doesn't what you plan to throw, weight-wise that is, enter significantly into determination of handle length?

And to follow up a bit, many of the blanks we buy are advertised with fairly broad weight capabilities, 3/4 to 3 oz for instance. But wouldn't the same blank work better with different handle lengths for the extremes of these weights; a longer handle (i.e., more leverage) for the heavier and shorter for the lighter? How do folks approach this problem, both in figuring out what length handle to build, and how it's related to ultimate rod performance? Do you build the rod to work best with the mid-range, or try to set it up specifically for what you plan to throw? And like with guides, do you mock up the reel seat position with tape and test cast? If this is not something someone wants to get into on the board, but would still like to discuss, I'd be glad to move the back-and-forth to e-mail. Thanks.

Bilgee

Bill,

This was fully covered in RodMaker Volume 7 #1 regarding the optimum casting weight range for rod blanks. It's in the surf rod article but applies to all rods.

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I am building a casting rod for throwing senko's model # ISB802.75 rainshadow RX7 thanks for you help guys

I built one once that had too long of a handle. It did not suit what I wanted to do and the way I used it. So I
pulled the cap off the butt and I cut it down. Now it suits me and works fantastically well. I dont see why Bil Gburek
cant do the same thing with the surf rod. Build it longer and if you dont like it, cut it off.

Dave

Dave,
That is fine to build a rod with a longer handle than needed. Then, after use, if you don't like it; cut the handle to length.
The only down side of this equation, is that by cutting off handle length, you are making the total rod length less. If you want to keep the original rod length, try to build the handle length to its required length.

Take care
Roger