Cleaning cork handles.

[Wag]

A gentle scrub with wire wool gives a nice soft surface texture to the cork as well.

[Steve Walker]

Andy Macfarlane:

I tell people to remove the plastic all the time but they simply don't want to know. When they've spent 200 quid on a new rod, they want it to look like a new rod. It's a bit like leaving the plastic on the settee to keep it clean.

Pointless.

Yep. Or a kid I knew at school who left the plastic coating on his watch face. It was so misted you could barely read the time, but dial undeneath was pristine.

 

The point of cork is that it's nice to hold, IMO. There must be a market for rods with nasty fake cork laminate handles. Lasts forever, feels just like a real handle with the plastic left on.

[Dick Dastardly]

Always been happy with a nail brush and washing up liquid my self.

[Vagabond]

BUDGIE:

Always been happy with a nail brush and washing up liquid my self.

Yeh, I do mine regularly - once every twenty-five years - gets the dirt off, leaves the precious stains untouched.

 

What I WOULD like to know, is how to remove the sweet smell of success from my landing nets. Washing and drying off seems to work - until the net gets wet again - then - Phwoooar!!!

[Steve Walker]

Vagabond:

 

What I WOULD like to know, is how to remove the sweet smell of success from my landing nets. Washing and drying off seems to work - until the net gets wet again - then - Phwoooar!!!

Poll: Worst offender in the stinky net stakes: tench or bream?

[kleinboet]

I have had my cork handled JW signature rod for about 6 years now and have a completely different problem, my cork handle has shrunk!! It is now almost impossible to put a reel on it as they fit too loose. I have put plastic insulation tape on it to "bulk" it out and keep the reel tight. Any suggestions as to how to get it back to "normal",or do I replace the whole butt?

 

[ 07. July 2005, 04:19 PM: Message edited by: kleinboet ]

[chavender]

kleinboet ,you could try soaking the but section in your bath in hot water the cork should soak up

the water and rehydrate it and swell back up,cork

is a bit like sponge in that over time it will be

dehydrated and shrink.the only problem is that if it does swell back up , it may not do so very uniformly.then if it does swell back up .then you'll have to dry it fast say with a hair dryer

to avoid re-shrinkidge.this probably won't work

but it carn't hurt to try.then you'll have no choice but to fit a replacement cork sections.

 

shops that sell cork for handles

 

harrisonrods

 

norman-agutters

 

hopkinsholloway

 

i hope this is of help

[Dick Dastardly]

When my cork handles wear under the reel seat I just put on a few inchs of shrink tube.

[Vagabond]

Steve Walker:

 Worst offender in the stinky net stakes: tench or bream?

Pike!!!

[Peter Waller]

kleinboet:

I have had my cork handled JW signature rod for about 6 years now and have a completely different problem, my cork handle has shrunk!! It is now almost impossible to put a reel on it as they fit too loose.  I have put plastic insulation tape on it to "bulk" it out and keep the reel tight.  Any suggestions as to how to get it back to "normal",or do I replace the whole butt?

Shrinking with age is not uncommon!

 

Perhaps the reel foot has shrunk?