winter project, cork handle restoraton

[pro reel]

I love the look and feel of cork handles, but over time those handles can start to start to lose their appeal. They will turn dark as they absorb dirt and oils from your hands. They will also lose chunks and become uncomfortable to use. What can be done about this. One option is to use the rod handle tapes that are available. I personally don't like that look or feel. The other option is to restore your cork. It's really quite easy and anyone can do it. The first step is to thoroughly clean the cork. I use denatured alcohol. It will pull all the oils and dirt out and leave the cork pores open and ready for the next step. The 2nd step is to fill all the cracks and missing chunks. First you will need to mask the ends with a good painters masking tape,Then you need to use a good, sand-able wood filler. I used Elmer's brand filler in a golden oak color. It's simple to apply. Use a small putty knife or any smooth plastic utensil. Squeeze a little filler onto the knife and press it into the pits. Smooth it over and leave it a little high. If you have lots of pits, you can cover the entire handle, smoothing it as you go. After the filler is completely dry you will need to sand it smooth. Start with 150 grit sand paper and then finish it with 220 grit. Cut the paper into small pieces and tri fold it. Wrap the paper to conform and sand the filler smooth in a back and forth pattern. When you have it smooth with the 150 grit, do it over with the 220 grit. When it's completely smooth, you will need to blow it off. Use a compressor if you have one, or any source of air, such as the pump for an air mattress. You can even use the cans of compressed air for cleaning electronics. Now check it over and if any of the filled ares are still low or if you missed some, simply redo those areas and blow them clean again. When you are finished with the sanding, you will need to seal the handles. I use U-40 cork sealer. I know some have said that this will make them brittle. I have had and seen great success with the U-40. It won't make them brittle and it makes future cleaning simple. It will also help to prevent the handle from losing chunks in the future. To apply the U-40, I hang mu rods with straps from the ceiling. You can use any good artist type brush. Start at one end and rotate the rod to apply one coat of U-40. It will soak in to some area faster than others. I keep it wet with the brush until it looks like it is all even. You only apply one coat. When it dries it won't allow any more to soak in. It only takes a few minutes to be dry to the touch. Let them dry completely for 24 hour before use. Your handles will look great once again and will last longer now. The feel of a handle that has been sealed with U-40 is the same as an untreated handle. It still feels like a cork handle and it is not slick or brittle at all. The look will be slightly darker than an untreated handle. You can get the U-40 at Cabelas and one bottle will treat hundreds of rods. The following set of pictures shows all the steps of the 7 rods I just finished. I started with a new bottle of U-40 and barely used an 1/8 inch of liquid from the top. I will treat all my rods with U-40 from now on. It's the first thing that I would do to a brand new rod to prevent future maintenance. Try this on your rods and you will be amazed at the new look and feel. Here is a before and after picture. I have several pictures of the process in between, if anyone is interested. I actually did this project last year. The rods held up great through the summer. I now have 4 more rods that I picked up recently, 3 are used. I will be doing this to them as soon as I get some spare time.