Does anyone know of a tutorial that shows how to finish an ultralight cork grip on a flyrod? I have installed and shaped the grip so that the forward end of the cork is tapered down to match the diameter of the blank. Now I want to wrap a 1/4" to 1/2" section of the finely tapered cork and continue wrapping on to the blank where the hook keeper will be.

Do I start wrapping on the cork and work down? Do I need to do anything to prepare the cork section that I will be wrapping? Lightly sand to bevel the cork at the point where my thread will start? Seal or coat the cork before wrapping with thread? With what?

Any thoughts, advice, are appreciated.

Start on the blank and wrap up onto the cork. You may find this a little easier if you seal the forward end of the cork with some CP or Cork Seal.

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tom, thanks.

you suggested brushing some CP -- do you mean color preserver? -- on to the cork. i can see where this might build a stable "ramp:" for the thread to climb up the cork slope. to complete the thread wraps I should use the same tie off loop i would for any other wrap?

Yes Color preserver two good coats and bring it onto the blank a little to help make a smooth transition from the cork to the blank C or D thread will work better then A

Easy on the tension Same loop

Bill - willierods.com

Cork is soft. Applying any sort of sealer firms the surface and keeps the thread from digging into the cork to the point where you can't shift or burnish it.

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thanks guys.

Go very light on the tension!

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"Angling is extremely time consuming.
That's sort of the whole point." - Thomas McGuane

As the other folks have commented, light tension and a seal coat on the cork to harden it up a bit.
Also, take time when you are doing your wrapping, so that you don't have to either pack or burnish. i.e. do it right the first time as you wrap so that you don't have to shift any thread that is on the cork.
Any thread that you try to shift will tend to dig in and spoil your wraps. It is better, to unwrap and rewrap the thread, rather than trying to move it with a packing or burnishing tool.

Roger

if you want a Real hard surface put a coat or two of Permagloss or Lumiseal on the cork

Bill - willierods.com

OK -- sounds good. I am gonna definitely pretreat the section of cork I'll be wrapping. I've got a vote for color preserver, one for Permagloss, one for Lumiseal. I suppose I could use a couple of thin coats of spar spar varnish. I was thinking I might lightly sand the coated cork surface to give the thread something to grab on to.