hey everyone

I just completed my first cork grip from scratch , a 6" cigar that im using on a bamboo rod im re-doing.

It took two times , I trashed the first grip(It broke apart when I ran a large drill through it but , It also had glue lines so just as well it crumbled!!

Grip #2 came out very nice! believe it or not I found it easier to turn down the rings on the blank ( I never thought Id say that). Thanks for all the help with my cork questions prior to this undertaking.

My new question : The rings I used were purchased fron one of the sponsors and were quite pricey,

The amount of fill is not a problem! the rings were pretty clean but, most of the fill that is on these rings is very dark, even black !!

Should I dig these sections out and refill or I heard you can bleach a grip or ??

Any thoughts would be very helpful Happy wrapping "John"

I've never heard of dark filler nor have I heard of individual rings that have been filled. I'd like to see some of these. I have a feeling you are dealing with something else.

Are you certain that what you see as dark areas are not just the natural imperfections in the cork? I'd bet that they are and when you attempt to "dig" them out you may well ruin the cork. If they are smooth and level with the cork surface they will do no harm. At this point, you will also find it almost impossible to get cork that is without at least some of these type imperfections.

.............

Tom ,

I stand corrected. I have never turned my own grip an only delt with preformed . Now that you mention it ,the rings could not have been filled at all , as I took off over .25" . I jumped to conclusions before brain engaged thanks for clarifying!

Again thanks for all Your help you gents are great!!

" John"
Im off to vermont Im going to stop at the orvis factory and prod my buddy About why $700 .00Trident rods still have cheap wire snakes still.