another Birch bark grip

Equipment Rod Building: Cane and Graphite
1

IMG]http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q245/gatech2001/IMG_0016.jpg[/IMG]

end caps and reel seat are stabilized elm burl, winding check is tapered elk antler, rod is a St Croix SCV

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2

Mike,
Looks like you have done it again. Very, very nice.
Chuck

3

Wow that looks AWSOME!!!

4

Very classy!

5

Mike,
That is a work of art! WOW!
Doug :smiley:

6

What did you use for finish on the birch bark? I used tru-oil on the one I made and it seems that it might be a bit slippery when wet?
Mike

7

I have used tung oil, Man of War varnish thinned in the past and it turns the bark dark which sometimes looks pretty good. Right now I do not apply any finish, the bark has some resins in it and it tends to restrict water entry. Most important is to let the rod air dry before tubing it. Much like caring of a bamboo rod so far no complaints in 3 years from those who have the grip. 90% of the rods I get orders for have the birch grip requested - the time it takes to build the grip, turn the reelseat, winding check, end caps is about 6 hours. Since this is a hobby and not a profession I limit my rod production to 1 a month.

8

Nice work

9

WISE man! :smiley:
Doug

10

Very classy looking piece of work Mike.

She begs to be sitting on cane…G

You did a nice job.

Jeremy.

11

Mike did a rod building program at the Southeast Council Conclave this weekend and I saw some of his Birch bark handles and they were beautiful. He did a fine job on the program and I will try a Birch handle sometime. He also demostrated finishing a reel seat with super glue that I had been looking at but the way he showed us it is easy as pie. I wanted to thank him once more for the demostration.

Thanks
Knucks