Just dressing the tip works- as does permanently attaching a leader butt. A little zap-a-gap on the knot is all it takes...I LOVE the SYLK line and in fact we were part of the reason Cortland made it. The cost of a 'real' silk line is way out of the budget of most of us, even those who are fortunate enough to have gotten a bamboo rod. We all haven't bought them new from the makers either...