I've got a cork grip on an old spinning rod that is still intact, but looks like it could fragment apart if it got a good whack. Is there a way to protect the cork?

If it's really old and fragmenting, I don't know of any way to do it. Somebody else might.

You could always oversleeve it with heat shrink and cover it simply to make it functional. But I don't think you can repair or restore truly bad or fragmented cork.

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If it is that bad you can cut it off and replace it from the butt end. Just make some shims, I use 1/4 inch tape, two or three to make it fit snug

Bill - willierods.com

I hope you take this response in the proper manner!

Prep it properly and then "Just Flock It"!

Will extend the life of the thing for many more years of service.

Seminar at High Point -

Gon Fishn

I would consider some CA to hold it and fill gaps then sand it and use some tru oil. Tru oil or BLO would fill small gap and hold the cork together on their own.

Lightly sand it with 400 or greater grit sandpaper, then try either some neutral shoe polish or birchwood casey gun stock wax. The gunstock wax will soak in and take about ten coats but that's what u want. This has worked for me depending on how bad the cork is. If it is rotted through there is no way to recover it. The shoe polish will protect it and fill in gaps but has to be redone every 8 or 10 uses.

Also a coat of thread finish, one coat will soak in, two coats will give it a glass like finish.

Bill - willierods.com

Bill and Bill,
Do you think PermaGloss might do the trick? The cork isn't rotten, just old and grainy.
Thanks,
George

High Point is Mecca to this pilgrim, but it'll be another year before I can enter the Promised Land. My Mayflower has not come in, yet.