Quote Originally Posted by kbproctor View Post
I hadn't thought of staining the whole grip, but that could be a nice way to color match the reel seat. I was shooting for a way to add accents to a plain grip. Just another way to make things a little sharper is what I was looking for.

I was thinking of spirit dyes like used for leather. Those would be similar to stain.

How did the stain take for you? I would think it would come out fairly dark. I have a cigar shaped grip I can try it on that I got somewhere. If it comes out double ugly, I can wrap it with rattan.

Stain a grip so the ends match your seat and then wrap the center with rattan. That could be really sharp.
??? Not sure what you mean by "accents"?? But I have done this.... Mounted a cork grip on a mandrel...and "turned it" ( spun it) with the lathe and using a fingernail file ( emery board).."ground down" a VERY SHALLOW area of "X" width ( length??) that I later on wrapped with thread! A "thread band" as it were

Use a couple of those cork rings for test pieces..for your staining...etc.