Les Cline Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I enjoy the soft touch NFC grips, too. It has that
> cork feel. Handsome looks, too, IMO.
>
> It took me a minute to trust that CF tubes (made
> by NFC and AM Tac) did not have to be supported
> with a full-length arbor. Makes fitting and
> glue-up so much easier - not to mention saving the
> weight of additional arbors and epoxy.
>
> CF tubes and grips are beastly strong and
> durable.. Ever try and crush or break one with
> your hands? Come on! Go for it! Or, save yourself
> the effort.


The ones offered by NFC and American Tackle are heavier wall tubes, rather than just a lightweight skin. Similar to the old Simmons Sensor and Lew's Tennessee handles.



.......

Tom - are the NFC and AmTak CF tubes heavier than the skin/foam core grips? I've not built with them yet. Thanks!

You know I can't really say. The full foam core on our grips is so light (less than cork) but the addition of a bit thicker prepeg on a hollow carbon gip couldn't really be very much. I'd have to do a head to head, taking one of the other grips and then making out a full cored grip in the same size and shape. That would be the only way to accurately determine what, if any, difference there is.

...........

Bill Falconer and Tom did a podcast on grips, handles and ergonomics.

The link to the podcast is on the Anglers Resource website

[anglersresource.net]

Thanks Bill and Tom. Good information and some items to think about.

>>"IMO -depends on type of rod being built and water it will be used." Yup

I would not worry about the weight of the NFC carbon fiber grips. The last two casting rods I did with them came in under 4 oz, a 6 1/2 footer well under. I'm talking the formed CF grips, not the long cylindrical tubes, if that makes a difference.

Spencer,
You indicate that some grips stay nice looking longer than cork.
To that end, I simply suggest that you can easily keep cork looking like new, no matter the amount of use the grip has used.

A couple of things.
Simple green cleaner, a good scrub brush, Elmers pro Golden oak wood filler and a bit of time.

First, I remove the reel and line from the rod. Then, I go into a room where there is a sink with running water. I wet down the cork grip and then spray on a generous coat of Simple Green cleaner. Then, I go after the cork with a scrub brush and a stiff tooth brush.
I continue adding simple green cleaner and the brushes, until there is no sign of grime left on the grip.

After the grip has dried for a couple of days, I will go over the grip with Elmers Pro Golden Oak wood filler and insure that the grip is fully covered, paying special attention to any significant pits or gouges.
Then, after drying, I will use my full length rod lathe and starting with 120 grit paper clean up the cork grip and continue to go to finer and finer paper until I am down to 400 or 600 grit paper.
Then, I turn the paper over and do a burnish on the grip with the back side of one of the finer grits of paper, so the smooth sand paper back is actually doing the finial finish on the grip.
Wipe the grip down and you will be left with a cork grip - that no matter the amount of use - will look just like it was put on the rod.

You don't need to use a full length rod lathe, but it does make the grip clean up much quicker than just working on the grip by hand.

For myself, to take even a well used and filthy cork grip normally doesn't take me more than 30 minutes of actual working time - not counting drying time between activities. But, it is certainly time well spent to better the look as well as to increase the actual value of the rod.

p.s.
If you do use a full length rod lathe on a finished rod - be sure to tape on some same sized guides next to current guides on the rod, except on the opposite side. You need to do the same thing that a tire balancer does before signing off on a tire change job. i.e. you want the rod to be both statically as well as dynamically balanced for the rod before you ever turn on the rod lathe. If you don't; you run the risk of hitting a harmonic oscillation that can blow up a rod, if the rod is allowed to spin in a destructive period of harmonic oscillation.



Best wishes.