When sanding your cork grips to shape, what grade sand paper do you reccomend. Plan to glue my grips and then sand to shape this week, any tips or advice would be helpful.

I start with a file at first to get things round, then work my way from like around 150 then to 400 grit. For me, the 400 is as fine as I need to go.

Rough file, finish file, 120, 180, 220, 320 and finally 400.

Rough file; open sanding screen (120); fine sanding screen (220); 400 then finish with a clothes dryer sheet to remove cork dust and lightly polish.

Jay,
In addition to the previous posts, I suggest that you start with a Surform Planer by Stanley.
This is an open tooth planer / file that does a great job of rough shaping and to also remove any excess glue.

If you don't start with an open tooth planer as suggested, then I would start with a piece of 50 grit paper. The idea is that you want to get all of the residual glue off the outside of the cork. If you start with sandpaper that is too fine, you will simply polish the glue rather than remove the glue. Be careful in using either the planer, file or coarse paper. Any of these items can easily remove too much cork if you aren't careful.
Go slow and keep checking to insure that you are on the right track and that the handle is shaping up like you want.

Take care
Roger

Surform...80...120...220...320...400




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Better to have and not need than to need and not have.

I use all the above methods stated above. When using sand paper or a stand screen I always use a sanding block. A block helps keep your sanding even, some cork is denser than others and will cut faster especially Burl. Burl is hard and cuts slow. So to keep the cork flat and even I use a block

Good Wraps Bob

Surform...100...220...400

Chuck Mills Wrote:
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> Surform...100...220...400

Exactly.

DR

For regular cork I use a skew to get it round and the basic shape, then a file, 150grit, 220grit, then fill with the blemishes with wood putty. After that dries sand with 220 and finish with 320. If it's burl cork I use a roughing gouge, skew and then sand with 80grit close to final dementions, then work my way through the grits to 500grit.

In order to keep the grip concentric with the bore, you need to "cut" the grip initially. I do this with a half round scraper held on the tool rest a set distance into the grip. As you begin, you'll find the scraper removes material only on 1 side of the grip. As you progress, it will be cutting all the way around and the grip will then be concentric with the bore. From there, you can file, Surform and sand the rest of the way in.

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Ahh.... is that why each of my grips takes 3 hours to shape. In the search for the smoothest grip, I use only 1200 grits to shape on a lathe.

KIDDING aside, I start with 60 or 80 grit. I have the Surform so i should try that.

Mo

Tom makes a good point.

Using just paper can keep your grip from coming into round.

I should add that my 80 and 120 grits are double back taped to long wood blocks. So three of my steps are with rigid tools that make sure the grip is concentric. The first two steps cut the grip to shape. The third is the smoothing pass that allows the finishing grits to easily do their job. Small gradual steps between grits allow the paper, and not applied pressure, to do the work and is also much easier on your paper.


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Better to have and not need than to need and not have.