I want to use a 12" x 1" cork rear grip and a 1" tapered fore grip on a JudgeML. It's butt DIA is .600. Is the cork grip thick enough to take the pressure or do I risk the cork failing? The rod will be spinning rod with a 5000 real meant to cast and free line baits to maki, small tunas, sailfish, and other reef fish.
Thanks for any and all input.

The cork is supported by the blank underneath it. So there is nothing to fail.

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David,
Good choice.
The 1 inch didameter is a prefferd diameter by many fisher folks.

Sometimes natural cork will have flaws that you do not see until you start turning it. The more you take off, the greater chance you have of finding it or breaking apart. I prefer to turn cork on a lathe first because of this. If it fails in an area I don't have to scrape it off the blank to start over. I have been turning the fine grain rubberized cork on many of my fore grips to about a 1/8" thickness. The rubberized and the burl corks don't usually have to many issues and can be very thin compared to natural cork.

I have two rods with sections of cork that have wall thickness less than 0.100". Turned while glued on the rod.

If you don't turn them while glued onto the rod make sure you don't fit too tightly to the blank. If you have even a slight press fit the cork can fail in tension when you install it or even later on. You want a "glide" fit, where the grip slides easily onto the blank. But not a sloppy, loose , fit.

For ergonomics I like a larger OD than 1".

Thanks for all the reply’s. I haven’t gotten into turning my own cork yet but it’s on the radar. Right now have enough projects and tools as it is. Now all I need to do is find an 8”-9” tapered fore grip. That’s why I have a feeling I might be learning to turn cork sooner then later. Again thanks for all your input

Lathe is best, but there is a way to safely turn cork on a drill press.

Have used a drill press for a lot of years , it works for me , [ vertical unit ]

William Sidney
AK

David,
Ask one of the members of the forum to turn a grip for you that meets your specific specifications.

Take care