Have any of you ever dyed cork handles?

I have this split grip build started where the handle is made from a combination of light and dark rings. The handle and butt are already epoxied to the blank and turned to size / shape. In isolation, they look great but when I slide on the reel seat, one of those AERO comfort finish seats, well all of a sudden cork pattern just looks, well "off." The ring pattern just doesn't seem to fit as well with the back of the AERO seat overlaying the one side. I'm wishing I had just used EVA but instead of starting over, I'm wondering if I could dye the cork instead. Has anyone ever done that?

Any thoughts or suggestions much appreciated.
-Mark

Mark,
In a word, cork dye does not work well.
Many folks have tried and most have failed.

Remember, cork used to be used for life preservers because it floats. Also, cork does not absorb water.

That also means that cork does not absorb dye very well.

Rather that using cork, mix other materials in your grip construction to get just the look you desire.

Good luck

I have seen leather dyes used successfully on cork tape grips. I don't know how well the effect has held up though. Maybe a sealant was used however I can't recall.
Email me and I can tell you where to find the info.

what color you use will set on the cork, not in the cork , this means it will wear off in time , no matter what you do, just as Roger noted above ,
some will last a little longer than others but they will all wear off with out a seal coat on top , there again after the seal coat wears off you are
back to where you started , the color will wear off, for what I know about cork,

William Sidney
AK

If you used burl cork, you can change the appearance dramatically by applying Tru Oil, which will show the character of the burl nicely, but will darken the cork. You can apply wrap epoxy which will also darken the cork, but will also give it a beautiful gloss finish while exposing the character of the burl.

[www.rodbuilding.org]

This subject comes up about every 6 months (search this site) and the answers above pretty well cover the problem.

Cork is a closed cell structure, thus it does not absorb fluids. Dying will color the cork surface only and would need to overcoated to prevent wearing off.

Mark, everyone is answering your specific question, and they are right. But in a more general sense you are asking what can you do to make cork more attractive. Consider my first post. The green burl cork on the rod in my photo was terribly ugly as machined. Little to no character, looked dull and dusty, no class, nothing attractive. But compare to the photo. True Oil will be about half way between the raw machined cork and the photo rod.You cannot dye it successfully, but that is not the only trick in the book.