Guy brought me a CTS surf rod that had a failure on the fore grip and rear grip. The material used is some sort of rubber type sleeve that is no longer holding firm to the blank. The rear grip is 24 inches and customer wants it replaced, preferably with carbon fiber. any ideas on getting a 24 inch carbon fiber rear grip and what the material is that was used by CTS. I'm afraid he may have to send it back to CTS. Thoughts and ideas appreciated.

Doubt it was build by CTS but rather a custom on their blanks and the grip is heat shrink of some form / likely flock or scale pattern heat shrink. Very common on surf rods - at least down this was in NC and Va

Assuming he does not want a carbion fiber grip the full length between butt and reel seat? If you’re not removing the reel seat you’d need to over ream to install from the butt and arbor - then use a thread / epoxy ramp or something to close off the gap. There are several options for preformed carbon fiber grips from Batson (Alps/Forecast), North Fork composites and others.

If he wants carbon the full length then I think you’ll be looking at making your own from carbon fiber sleeve, foam core and epoxy. Or - could consider a carbon fiber tube that would have an ID larger than the rod OD and arbor it then address any needed transitions. You can get the tubing in longer lengths



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/25/2023 01:44PM by Michael Ward.

Thanks for the info. Yeah, he wants carbon fiber the entire length but I'm not up for making the one for him. I do very small stuff and not trying to make grips. Is there likely anywhere I could purchase one? Guess I'll make some calls. Indeed in NC. I do believe it is heat shrink and it just completely let go of the blank. Thanks for the info.

Best bet for your need in carbon fiber is using tube material that will after a little resizing it slip right over the existing grip, install a new butt cap and you're done. It comes in two diameters .920" or .980" ID. Lengths to 60 inches are available.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/26/2023 01:18AM by Spencer Phipps.

I don’t think I’ve seen 12” carbon fiber but check NFC’s website. The carbon tubes are an option but won’t have the “texture” of the “raw” carbon fiber…. Batson/Forecast has one you can get from their distributors and NFC may have something similar

[batsonenterprises.com]


Sometimes if the heat shrink does not shrink enough it can let go like that over time - I’ve started to put a very thin layer of structural epoxy on the blank before shrinking. The next guy may curse me tho :)

You could try to piece together two 12” CF grips or a 12” and 14” grip from NFC. The 27mm ODs of the two grips will match up perfectly, just need to remove the tenons for alignment. If necessary the seam could be over wrapped and epoxied, or just epoxied. Might work.
Norm

I would try and talk him into cutting off the shrink tubing and replacing it with cork tape or the 3M Safety Walk tape like GLoomis did on their rods.

Dennis J. Danku
(Sayreville,NJ)

If the original grip was just sleeved over the rod blank butt then you could do a carbon skin in the same way but I think that is a lot of work just to get the look. I would use one of many heat shrink tubing types.