More Cork Porn
Very cool grip I like it. Is the mayfly etched(burned in) or painted, or something else?
Steve
Steve........It's etched in and filled with black ink ........lastly it is covered with fixitive to protect it from the elements.
Last edited by ET custom flyrods; 09-14-2008 at 09:57 PM.
Nice work.
Please don't take this the wrong way ... but the piece really could be substantially better and with VERY little effort, just a touch of added expense.
The burl looks fine, most composites do. The scrimshaw work is also nice workmanship. However, the natural cork rings are a bit on the rough side ... lower quality pieces.
When putting that much time and attention into a grip, it is a bit of a disappointment to have anything with more than the very occasionally flaw. And even those can be covered with a little TLC.
The cork you are looking for will be listed various ways (Flor, Super Premium, A+, etc.) but the REAL tell-tale sign seems to be price AND the vendor's willingness to refund EVERY dime if it isn't up to snuff. Expect to pay between $3.00 to $4.00 per 1/2" thick ring for the quality material your work is deserving of.
Jim -
No Offense taken
Jim ....I appreciate your remarks and agree with them for the most part. The cork grade on that grip (supposedly) was A+ . As you noted the cork if filled would look a little better.
Standard Cork Grading really does not exist, which leaves the field wide open to have sellers grade cork to their own thinking. I've had flor that looks like standard grade. One of the drawbacks to purchasing over the web.
There has been numerous articles written in "Rod Builder" on this subject but to my knowledge there has been no offical grading system. The grip pictued has since been filled because like you the artwork I also thought deserved better.
Also I have recently started to build more grips using composite cork, (until I can actually find a good supplier) which when finished shows no flaws at all and requires no filling. That cork has a completely different grain though and IMO is actually stronger. I have a pic of one on this board. Thanks Jim.......I'm always open to constructive criticism.........Ed
Well I dont want to get into a cork discussion here lol ...but...
I have to agree with Smernsky here on that. I'm sure alot of you guys know who Andy Dear is (Lamar)...Andy and I are very good friends, and we've talked about "cork rating" MANY times...thers just no standard at all on cork. One retailers "Super duper AAA best ever" grade....is tyhe next retailers "Standard" gradeStandard Cork Grading really does not exist,
Grip looks good to me Smernsky. And I dont mean any disrespect to "Jim" so hope ya dont take it that way Jim.
Steve
Smernsky, I have been enjoying your grips that you have shown us lately. Great ideas with the cork underlayment and the craft foam. There are lots of cork floor products that would make good grip material. That inlay is beautiful. I have just started to make my first grip with different colored rings, I have always used pre-made grips.
Greg,......then I have accomplished something ,and that was to encourage more people to try differnt things when building. Good luck with your grips and use imagineering.......Ed
what an innovative idea you have shown us. Thanks.
The cork market is DEFINITELY different than it was 5 years ago. Very unfortunate, but factual.
There ARE vendors with high quality rings. Just be ready to pay AND always make sure that they are willing to give a 100% refund if they aren't spectacular.
Composites are good, but not great IMO. Not at 3X the weight of natural cork rings. It is hard to build an entire grip with them and keep the rod light in hand.
I have a couple of sources, but they aren't sponsors on this site ... so out of respect, I am not going to publish them. However, I can assure you that they are out there AND they are solid consistent suppliers. The trick is a direct link to Portugal and a willingness on the part of the vendor to bring in the good stuff.
BTW, there IS an excellent grading system. It was published in RodMaker magazine some time ago. But like many other things in this trade, it serves no financial purpose to the vendors to compete on a level playing field ... so here we are.
The issue with cork is no different than with rod blanks. CCS has been around for a LONG TIME and it is an absolutely flawless system that is 100% objective. But where is the marketing advantage in a program like that?
WHEN you find your vendor ... cherish them, they are working HARD to obtain the high grade of cork that belongs on custom grips.
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