Replacing Grip with a Longer Grip

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kyflyfisher	Replacing Grip with a Longer Grip		Lead	[-]
Posts: 14 03/31/2009 11:57	Tags : None I have a 7'-2" Bellinger 4 wt. that I bought from a fly shop. It is a beautiful rod and I really love the way it casts. My problem is that I just can't get use to the 5 1/2" grip. What would be involved in having the grip replaced with a 6 1/2" grip? Would there be any negative affect on how the rod casts? What kind of cost would it be and who might could do it in a reasonable amount of time? Thanks.
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pvansch1		#1	[url]	[-]
Posts: 4512 03/31/2009 12:40 Moderator	Removing the grip is the tough part. Cork absorbs heat so you have to hack away at it, then once it's off you have to remove any guides on the butt section to install the new one or cork rings to make a new one, the match the thread and re-wrap and varnish. If you remove the reel seat and try and go from that end, chances are there is enough of a taper in the blank to leave a gap at the tip end of the grip since you need to over bore the cork to fit. Pete
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mattcliff		#2	[url]	[-]
Posts: 96 03/31/2009 12:51	pvansch1 wrote: If you remove the reel seat and try and go from that end, chances are there is enough of a taper in the blank to leave a gap at the tip end of the grip since you need to over bore the cork to fit. But you could probably cover the gap with a winding check. Does the rod have a noticeable butt swell? If so, that could be your biggest problem. Even if there's enough room in front of the grip (one inch) to fit the longer grip, you might ruin the look of the rod by extending the grip. On the other hand, a swelled butt probably has a level taper under the grip and would not have the problem above. In my experience, lengthening a grip by an inch has no noticeable effect on casting.
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bluejayee		#3	[url]	[-]
Posts: 701 03/31/2009 12:58	Hi Kentuckyflyfisher, Get used to the grip. You can go at it from the butt end, but... Heh, It's a pain in the - butt. I recently did it that way on a Heddon #10 that had bad cork. You remove reelseat, hack the hell out or the cane 'til it's straight enough to slide the cork on, jig up something in your lathe to hold it on center, turn and finish the cork, replace the reelseat [ the original wood sspacer was destroyed taking it off] or, get used to the grip. If you have any idea of owning more than one bamboo rod then the variety of grips is part of the charm. I had to change a grip on a rod I built that had a Bellinger reelseat on it. The grip diameter was way too small for the customers's hand. It had to be done. The butt cap was easy but taking a knife to that burled spacer....[ Bellinger once told me they have a 50% scrap on spacers] I did it. I hated it. Jay Edwards
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kyflyfisher		#4	[url]	[-]
Posts: 15 03/31/2009 19:00	Thanks for the information. Forgive my photography (I'd like to get a better camera) but here's a couple of photos of the rod: And I sized them down too much, but no, it does not have a swelled butt. I assume also that if I do replace the grip that it would reduce the value of the rod. Also, I love the Circassian walnut reel seat and would hate to lose it. Thought I could when I bought it, but after further casting I seriously doubt that I can ever get use to this small of a grip. It's either replace it or sell the rod. Last Edited By: kyflyfisher 03/31/2009 19:22. Edited 1 time.
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canerodscom		#5	[url]	[-]
Posts: 2051 03/31/2009 20:52 Bamboo preacher	ky, Have you contacted the good folks at Bellinger? They're your best bet for doing this work. Almost any good rodsmith could do the work, but I think it's usually best to go back to original sources. Harry Oh yeah, as others have said, this kind of work is a pain in the neck. It can be done, but it is not a small job. Harry Boyd maker@canerods.com My website canerods.com My blog -- canerods.blogspot.com Ozark Rod Makers School
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Blue Quill		#6	[url]	[-]
Posts: 65 03/31/2009 23:10	Hi KyFlyFisher, I agree with Jay and Harry. You really don't want to do this if you don't have to. It's a pain and you will always wish you hadn't. To canrodscom's point, I would run it past Bellinger first to see if their is another option. Beyond that I suggest sleeping on it a few nights. Chuck
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shuksanrods		#7	[url]	[-]
Posts: 51 03/31/2009 23:27	my opinion...leave the grip. not because it is difficult to change ....but because a 7'2 4 wt should have a short grip, because Bellinger factored grip size into their taper, and because an ugly mistake on cade rods is having too big and long a grip on them, anything much longer looks off balance on a light cane trout rod. And yes, it would distract from the value down the line if you re-did the grip. You'll learn to love the smaller grip, even if your hands we're made for the NBA. choke down on the reel seat, relax your grip and before long you won't even realize you're holding the rod. -just my two cents, jw http://shuksanrods.wordpress.com
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cross creek one		#8	[url]	[-]
Posts: 356 03/31/2009 23:46	This suggestion may sound weird, but turning the back end of the grip down a bit, so that it tapers from the swell of the cigar to the cork check, ala Garrison, Young, Ritz, Fenwick, is more ergonomic, easy to do, and will make the shorter grip feel better. -CC
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winston59		#9	[url]	[-]
Posts: 98 04/01/2009 21:58	I think everybody is making this harder than it needs to be. Bob Summers fixed a bad gouge, front ring on a cork handle by using a precision grinder to remove the front cork ring. He didn't even remove the winding check. Then he split a cork ring and glued the two together and shaped it to match the taper of the cork. If you look close at the cork you would never know the front cork ring was cut in half, seamless. The reel seat and cork is perfect on your rod, so why tear up what you have to add an inch? Cut a cork ring in half, sand the inside so it fits the diameter of your rod, glue it together and shape to continue your grip.
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mattcliff		#10	[url]	[-]
Posts: 97 04/01/2009 22:18	You know, I think that would work. Would you even have to cut the ring in half, or could you ream the center hole to size first, then split one side with a razor blade, and slip the ring over the bamboo? The cork should be elastic enough, and that would give you only one seam on each ring to glue. (This is easy to picture but hard to describe). Looking at your grip, it looks like you would have to work on more than just the front couple of rings, due to the taper. It's already pretty thin toward the front. I'd definitely have someone experienced do the work -- blending into an existing grip is harder than it sounds, in my experience. And I'd still consider not doing the extension at all, for the reasons others have explained. You will definitely affect value, and not messing up the aesthetics will be tricky. Last Edited By: mattcliff 04/01/2009 22:33. Edited 1 time.
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bluejayee		#11	[url]	[-]
Posts: 705 04/01/2009 22:20	Hi Guys, To add to the idea of cutting a cork ring for repairs is to break the ring rather than cut. That way there is nothing missing, no kerf, then get a good fit and lots'a luck. Jay Edwards
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kyflyfisher		#12	[url]	[-]
Posts: 16 04/02/2009 11:56	cross creek one wrote: This suggestion may sound weird, but turning the back end of the grip down a bit, so that it tapers from the swell of the cigar to the cork check, ala Garrison, Young, Ritz, Fenwick, is more ergonomic, easy to do, and will make the shorter grip feel better. -CC That sounded like a good idea but I looked at it last night and the diameter of the grip is small such that there is not much left that could be tapered toward the cork check. You know if this was the only rod that I fished I think I could get use to it a lot easier but all of my other rods have at least 6 1/2" grips. I think if it was at least 6" I'd be fine but I may still give it some more time before deciding what to do. This is just a lesson learned from my early stages of bamboo. I'd never buy another rod with this short of a grip and I'm having one built by Mr. Carlin and I'll get the grip I want on that one. I truly appreciate the aesthetics of bamboo rod (which is part of their attraction to me) but IMO I don't think a longer grip (like 6 - 6 1/2") has that great of impact on the aesthetics. I've seen some short Winstons, which I think had 6 1/2" grips, and they still look pretty nice. Sure appreciate the replies.
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