Appreciate any tips on sanding carbon fiber grips. I'm having trouble on the rear of the grips to get the nub of the core down enough so the rubber winding check fits flush against the grip. Been using CFX grips and don't want to ruin one at $12 a pop. Been looking at the kits from Mud Hole for making your own. Just looking at the kit process I would think you might have a even greater problem with getting the ends not to taper.

Normally, for issues as you are experiencing usually the use of fresh sharp sand paper and a backing board will take care of the issue.

When working with different grips, one of the things that I like to use with good results is adhesive backed sand paper and can be attached to a thin piece of plywood as a backing board.

For example:
[www.homedepot.com]


Paint mixing sticks make a nice backing board:

[www.homedepot.com]

In small quantities, the store gives the sticks away.


For some cases, the use of a jewelers file is also of a great aid to clean up edges and insure that the surface is flat.

Depending on whether the grip is on a mandrel or on a rod blank one can often get all of the clean up work completed when the grip is on a mandrel spinning at a good rate of speed on a lathe. This may or may not apply to your particular situation.

p.s.
A lot of folks that use carbon core grips don't worry about the ends of the grip.
Rather, they just cover the ends of the grips with a different material to cover the raw ends of the grip and not have to worry about having the ends of the grip cleaned up.

Best wishes

A Dremel with a small sanding wheel works well. Or, and this worked well for me, just lay a piece of sandpaper on a hard flat surface and hold the grip vertical while moving it back and forth. It works well and if you nick the fiber sleeve it isn't that noticeable, and it won't fray the sleeve. The sleeves are completely whetted out when they are laid up. That means the individual fibers are bonded to each other.

As far as building your own using the CFX kit goes, it takes some planning, but it's fun. I've made one full grip and one little nub. As long as you watch the outside diameters of the pieces you're sleeving, meaning don't go smaller than the sleeve is capable of going down to, the sleeve pulls over edges quite nicely.

Below are pictures of the grip and nub (small fore grip) that I made using the CFX kit.

[www.rodbuilding.org]

[www.rodbuilding.org]

Thanks for the tips. My concern was roughing up the carbon fibers taking it down.

Carbon has much better sanding manners than does glass. You shouldn't have any problem.

................

Do it all the time. Roger is right use a sanding board and either push or pull in one direction. If you go back and forth you can put a slight round to it.