Hey Everyone,

Another silly question. I was on another website that sells fishing gear and they have a new surf rod for sale that has cork grips, fore and rear, and then they are coated with epoxy.

Has anyone done this? I can kind of understand the idea.... keep the grip nice and light and at the same time protect it, but just seems like it would be removing all the nice qualities of the cork. But it sure looked nice !!

Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will sit in a boat drinking beer all day.

Shieldski Customs

I've seen rods with snake skin over cork handles & epoxy over them. I think it's a California thing...J/K That is where the guy was from who had the ones I saw. Not sure how long he had them, but he was hauling them in a rack on the front of a jeep bumper... Doubt if he made the whole trip from CA to FL with them on the bumper, but they sure looked nice......?
Give it a shot?
Jeff

i have thinned out finish to almost a watery state and coated cork
It gives it a Golden color ( which I like ) The only thing is you should clean it of any dust as much as possible
You can coat and then a fine scotch pad
Play with some scrap coark to see if you like it

Bill - willierods.com

I love cork, but that is one look i hate - when it has been varnished over or epoxied. And with age it looks even worse. might not be like that with a coat of permagloss, but it would still look terrible to me, ruins the beauty of the cork.

Jersey, Channel Islands. (U.K.)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/21/2012 06:07PM by Steve Mcleod.

To each his own
That is why i told him to try on some scrap !!!

Bill - willierods.com

To each his own
That is why i told him to try on some scrap !!!

try a search on this site
There are several different types of finishes builders use
You could try a few

Any thing you put on coark WILL change the FEEL of the cork

Try cork seal

Bill - willierods.com

I agree with you bill, to each his own. I just happen to prefer the natural look and feel of cork without coating it with anything. I have sanded off quite a few rods where the cork has been varnished, mainly second hand rods that the new owners have requested me to do because like me, they agreed it looked awful. and they prefered the natural feel of the cork.

Jersey, Channel Islands. (U.K.)

I have not tried it But some have used Tru Oil and like it

it is all personal preference

Bill - willierods.com

I expierment on garage sale rods. I did sand an old cork handle down and coat with Threadmaster Lite. I thought it looked OK but did not like the feel.

Also, it was a bit slippery.

When i do cork I use Tru Oil.

Bill

Ohio Rod Builders

Canton, Ohio

Hi Gents,
I've got a rebuild coming up when the panel beater gets some paint on it for me. The seat and grips are in good nick so remain. The grips are cork and I was thinking about dying the cork for a different colour but you have to coat it with something otherwise it rubs off. Was thinking Permagloss but I've got no experience with that stuff but have read Tom's articles on storing and applying the stuff so it might be the go. Anyone put it on cork? and if so what's the feel like. Generally like the feel of cork and all I usually put on it is U-40 cork sealer and it doesn't change the feel but IMO improves the look..
Steve Mcleod, what do you do when the cork gets that horrible grey oxidised look after a while, a light sand? You can only do that so many times. The U-40 is great for preventing that look and is my biggest reason for using it.

ESFNEM Col
Port Kembla, NSW
Australia

Hi, Col. yes that's usually what i do, a light sand. I've never tried U40- cork sealer, i would probably use because you stated it doesn't change the feel of the cork. Does it darken it though? my main issue though is losing the feel of cork when it has been varnished over, making it slippery to hold, plus as i stated it doesn't age well, and IMO it doesn't look nice, to me that would be like varnishing over foam grip.

Jersey, Channel Islands. (U.K.)

I've got a couple of custom builds out in the "testing" stage (one into its second season) right now where I went overboard with both 4 coats of Tru-oli PLUS two coats of thread epoxy, the first with glitter to match the epoxy on the wraps and a top coat. So far the testers have had no problems or complaints. Water beads off nicely and I have not found grips that are coated to be slippery when wet nor do the grips feel especially un-cork like. I like the look for blinging up a rod when appropriate.

Ray Zarychta
Glastonbury, CT

The down side of epoxy or lumiseal/PG etc over cork is if you get fish slime on your grips. Or suntan lotion plus rain/water splashing. Shad scales.
It gets real slick fast.
I think somebody is missing an alternative lube solution with shad scales.....
Cork seal or natural is about all that has worked for me .
But the last few years i have started putting xwrap over my older cork handles and they work better for me like that. Still glistens in the sun with old shad scales but not as slippery.

Hi Steve,
The cork sealer retains the cork feel and it's not slippery. There is a slight colour change more like putting a coat of clears on timber. Helps with the cleaning and lasts a long time, easy to apply and is cheap per rod. Can be removed with a light sand and recoated when necessary. Good product in my opinion and well worth a try. You could coat a single ring and see how you like the look and feel before using it on a rod

ESFNEM Col
Port Kembla, NSW
Australia

Hi, Col. Thanks for that.I've got loads of cork rings, so i'll have to get some the next time i order my supplies and test it out.

Jersey, Channel Islands. (U.K.)

Deleted, wrong thread.

Don Becker



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/15/2016 01:59PM by Donald Becker.