[Sandy Nelson]

I picked up  a lot of cork when i was in the states.
All different kinds and colours to play with whilst i'm out here.
I got some cool tools for doing different stuff with the cork as well.

So having been playing with all sorts of different things i have come up with what i think i would like to use as a Signature grip for future projects.  This one is blue, but i can do it in green, brown, black and grey to match the blanks i'm building on.

What do you think? is it the kind of thing you would expect from a custom built rod or is it too much?




I tried to keep it tasteful, but different. There are practical benefits too, as the chequered part of the handle is a lot stronger and harder than plain cork, so will last a lot longer under your thumb

It sits like this



Sandy

[Hamish Young]

Weirdly (for me) I really like that, a nice tweak without being too 'brash'
Something, if offered, I would certainly consider if having a rod built (or maybe rebuilt) by someone who knows what they're doing 

H 

[Rob Brownfield]

Sandy,
As you are probably aware I have been playing with "custom grips" for a while and at first throught that using harder materials/rubber impregnated cork was the way forward, BUT, I have run into one or two problems.

The biggest issue is the one you have mentioned as being good  , the difference in hardmess. As you have probably found out, sanding a soft material next to a hard one causes issues...but what happens after a bit of time is that a ridge forms were the softer (cork) material compresses and the harder material doesnt. (Probably happens quicker with my 9-11 weights than lighter 2-5 weights though)

If a single accent ring of wood is used where the heel of the hand sits, it can cause a painful blister to appear as the cork either side flex and the harder material doesnt.

BUT, it looks good and I am sure with the litter rods its not such an issue, but one worth remembering, just in case.

[Mike Barrio]

I am sure with the litter rods its not such an issue, but one worth remembering, just in case.

Oooooooh Rob's getting personal now Sandy ...... "litter rods"?

Is he saying your rods are rubbish?     

Where's my big spoon?
Cheers
Mike

[Ben Dixon]

Hi Sandy,

It does look nice but I am inclined to agree with Rob (I must be coming down with something).  The differing hardness of the materials could cause a problem if there was a mix of materials where I would be gripping.  At the ends of the handle it would not bother me so much.  On a custom rod I would like nothing more than flawlwss plain cork in a similar shape to the handle you pictured, many handles are too slim on lighter rods for me.  Back to the topic.....  That particular handle is too fussy for me regardless of any difference in texture, if a rod had it as standard I would probably be put off but, if you are considering offering it as an optional on made to order rods then it would make a nice tweak, some folk really like that sort of thing.

Have you come across any plain but perfect cork recently?

Cheers

Ben

[Sandy Nelson]

The handle is entirely cork, there is no difference in feel.
It feels just like cork because that's all it is
the different colours are either dyed Burl or burnt rings
the section under the thumb is laminated (9 disks) Hence the strength
I had no problems sanding it to shape at all. The Burl is a little different in density
but I only used a small amount in the grip. No synthetics at all (except the glue of course )

I figured it will come down to personal taste
but all kinds of patterns can easily be made so it is easy to customize

Cheers for the feedback

Sandy

[Sandy Nelson]

Have you come across any plain but perfect cork recently?

the handle in the pictures was made with my practice cork
the only "good" shive is the one at the front

I reckon I have enough "really good" cork to build about 5-6 grips
but thats taken a while to collect. So would cost

The slim grips seem to be a feature of the last couple of years that I don't like either
you should have a word with orvis about that

sandy

[Iain Goolager]

Perhaps I have girls hands but I like the slim grips - so much so that a 'standard' full wells handle feels really awkward and cumbersome in my hand.

Iain

[Sandy Nelson]

Might just be what you are used too
 

sandy

[stickleback]

Sandy

I guess you got one of those cork slicing jigs at Mudhole  

I quite like your handle as it's colours are muted, but online I've seen pictures of checkerboard handle inserts in coloured cork that are too OTT for my taste.

That's what I think it will boil down to - personal taste.  Those that have a more 'traditional' taste might feel it's a tad too fancy and put them off your handle/rod in favour of something more conservative    

Keep up the good work.

Cheers

Cammy

[Sandy Nelson]

I guess you got one of those cork slicing jigs at Mudhole  

I sure did Well worth getting if you want to play with different stuff.
Dead easy to use too and it opens up loads of possibilities

Sandy

[Rob Brownfield]

Ahhhh..I thought the darker rings were slivers of hardwood a'la the present USA fashion.

I have some of the "dyed" slivers of cork in red and blue..but I have not been brave enough to try...same goes for the foam inserts that they seem to love in the US.

Love the handle you have done!

As for you Mike, you should know better!! Being the priud owner of one of Sandys creations I would never "diss" his work..so  to you!

 

[Iain Goolager]

Might just be what you are used to

naughty!

and perhaps rod handles are like cars to some men?
Iain

[Sandy Nelson]

Rob

I've always liked the stuff you have experimented with , so when i was looking around the shop in the states i saw this
http://www.mudhole.com/Shop-Our-Catalog/Inlay-Tools

So had to give it a try
Its a great kit and they have a good selection of different cork to play with, i got Green,blue,natural,black and red burl along with burnt. They have some really good high spec cork too, but i did get to pick my own

I would not hesitate in recommending getting your hands on a kit it is pretty easy and very effective. If you do, buy extra blades for the saw (2 or 3 packs) they are pretty cheap but you will break a few while getting the hang of it. 

Sandy

[Sandy Nelson]

and perhaps rod handles are like cars to some men?

Explains a lot about Salmon anglers

Sandy

[Irvine Ross]

Hi Sandy

Your custom grip is nice and quite tasteful, but not for me. I would choose to spend the money on plain top quality cork.  It's a matter of personal taste and I just like things simple. Good proportion is more important to me than decoration that has no function.

Irvine

[Sandy Nelson]

Cool

So the trick would be to offer Both Super high grade plain cork and a customised signature grip
And then let people decide for themselves

Good stuff

Would you reckon the same for reelseats or just take a custom seat and offer different wood.

Is it too many choices? or if there was a choice of say 4 types of wood would you be able to pick a style?

Sandy

[Irvine Ross]

Would you reckon the same for reelseats or just take a custom seat and offer different wood.

Is it too many choices? or if there was a choice of say 4 types of wood would you be able to pick a style?

Sandy

Sandy

Depends on how many types of rod you are going to be building. Wood inserts would not be suitable for salt water and a switch or salmon rod might need a heavier reel seat than a #5 trout rod. Also the stealth fanatics would be likely to ask for black fittings while others would look for  nickel silver or might want titanium to match their new reel.

My guess is you would have to offer a broad range to suit all possible customers.

Orrabest

Irvine

[Rob Brownfield]

Sandy,
Its on my wish list...but instead of heading to the US as Cassie does every January with work (with a list of things to get me ), the sod has gone the other way and leaves for Singapore on Friday night! Typical...

Having said that..she now has a revised list

As for your reel seats...what I ended up doing for the Pike Fly Fishing Association was to give a price for the rod, based on a basic fitting type setup...so that was blank, handle, standard reel seat, plain whipping and rod bag, oh, and of course some time from me.

When someone ordered a rod, I would get in touch, but let them know that they could pick colour of blank, reel seat, higher grade cork etc, but at additional cost (so if the standard reel seat was a tenner, and they wantd one that cost me £15..they get charged an extra fiver).

Seemed to work well, except it sometimes took months and months for certain things, especially fancy reel seats, to come in from the US or Australia.

I was and am not in the position to carry a stock of seats/handles, but a man of your means, you probably have piles of them sitting around the house

[Ben Dixon]

Sandy,

 I would go for the option of the colourful grip and make the rods as standard with top quality plain cork.  As for reel seats, what you fit should really depend upon the blank and possibly any reel (or weight of reel) that you recommend to go with it.  A rod built from a slower blank with more mass in the tip would probably be better with a heavier reel seat tp give that light in the hand feel off the rod rack.  From an aesthetic point I do like the look of a nice wood reel seat & Ni but for practical reasons I would prefer a carbon insert or a full Al or Ti reel seat.  All the wood spacers I have had have swollen as a result of my mistreatment and Ni fittings tarnish!!  TO get around the stealth fanatics I would use a brushed or dull finish seat.
As for rings, single leg recoils on "fishing" 5wts and lighter and the same but in heavier wire on poker 5wts and above, strippers would have to be nanolite Ti's.

Cheers

Ben

[Sandy Nelson]

I was and am not in the position to carry a stock of seats/handles, but a man of your means, you probably have piles of them sitting around the house

Very good

I wish But you never know .

Its nice to see people's own ideas coming through

Cheers

Sandy

[Rob Brownfield]

Ben,
I fitted a full Ti reel seat to a saltwater rod...OMG! It was sooooo heavy..and at £95, expensive too! It was one of the Struble ones, so top quality..but the weight!!...as you can guess...it was heavy ..did I mention the weight!

It was a lovely "brushed" effect and really did look good.

Some nice carbon inserts available, in different colours. The green "matrix" one for the Sage blanks is stunning.

Not sure about your Nanolites though...I prefer the Fuji Ti's myself...seem a nicer finish.

Have to say you are one of the few people that has recognised that the weight of the reel seat can make a difference to how a rod feels in the hand. Jolly good point! I have actually araldited lead into the bass of a blank to improve its "feel" as the reel seat was light.

Good discussion.