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Cork handle protection?

I gave my Cork handles a spruce up with Danish oil which gives the Cork a lovely warm colour. Cleaned first, masking taped the fittings and two coats of oil applied thinly with lint free cloth.
 
As most have very sensibly said, leave the cork au natural so it can breath and moisture can dry out.

Just clean with warm soapy water occasionally and allow to dry.

Painting, covering with shrink tube or anything else is a recipe for causing the corks to develop damp and fungus which will rot the cork and ruin the handles, the replacement of which is expensive.

I have recently had the corks replaced on my Harrison's (not because they were mouldy but just looked 'tired') and although worth every penny and a fantastic job it was not cheap at £90 per rod ;)
 
Keith Humphreys said:
As most have very sensibly said, leave the cork au natural so it can breath and moisture can dry out.

Just clean with warm soapy water occasionally and allow to dry.

Painting, covering with shrink tube or anything else is a recipe for causing the corks to develop damp and fungus which will rot the cork and ruin the handles, the replacement of which is expensive.

I have recently had the corks replaced on my Harrison's (not because they were mouldy but just looked 'tired') and although worth every penny and a fantastic job it was not cheap at £90 per rod ;)
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It is definitely not cheap, but considering the cost of the good cork, 90 is not a bad price. I recall the Mark Tunley charges 80 for full cork handle for rod building.
 
For those suffering stained, tired or plain old grubby cork, don't take anything abrasive to it until after you've tried a magic sponge/magic eraser and warm water. They won't miraculously make old cork look new, but they will make old cork look as though it has seen far less action, or been better looked after, without removing a layer.
 
No ill effect as of yet from Danish oil but it is a microporous coating that should allow the Cork to breathe. I would be very surprised if u-40 cork sealer is not microporous too but worth checking.
 
The luxury of cork especially a high quality cork is in the feel.
After time they do loose that feel and become firmer but it doesn’t take much more than a good clean to reinstate it. Once you’ve coated your cork in these oils and varnishes, you’ve taken that luxury away. It’s not the same.
Leave it well alone, clean it up and appreciate the material for what it is in the hand.
 
Keith Humphreys said:
I have recently had the corks replaced on my Harrison's (not because they were mouldy but just looked 'tired') and although worth every penny and a fantastic job it was not cheap at £90 per rod ;)
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Top quality cork shrives aren’t cheap, and there’s a fair bit of labour in the job too So that price doesn’t surprise me.

Chris Jones said:
….don't take anything abrasive to it until after you've tried a magic sponge/magic eraser and warm water.
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I‘ve not tried a magic sponge but will do when I next need to clean up a handle.
Conventional wisdom (among cane rod restorers) tells not to use abrasive, lest you end up reducing the cork diameter, rendering the reel bands a less tight fight onto the reel seat. I’ve found this to be largely nonsense and have sanded many cork handles clean using p320 paper which is fine enough to abrade the surface muck off without removing cork material. It’s quicker and more effective than using white spirit or soapy water.
 
I cork seal all my cork handles !!
You would never know I had done it ,just make sure you use the right stuff,
It soaks in and protects not only the cork,but prevents any filler from dropping out.
If you put two rods side by side ,one sealed one not ,you can't see any difference.
 
In 50 years time when your carbon rod may be regarded as old and possibly a classic needing restoration , spare a thought for the restorer who has to remove all that varnish , it's a grim job. Cursing quietly , I have removed varnish from many cane rod handles , bad idea, don't do it .
 
Mike Hodgkiss said:
In 50 years time when your carbon rod may be regarded as old and possibly a classic needing restoration , spare a thought for the restorer who has to remove all that varnish , it's a grim job. Cursing quietly , I have removed varnish from many cane rod handles , bad idea, don't do it .
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I don't use varnish 🤔
 
Here's one of my freespirits, the other is the same setup, i put the tube on before the rods had been used so the cork is brand new , i sealed the ends of the tubeing with clear resin seal so nothing gets in or out to upset the cork, so now at the end of a fishing session i can just run a towel over the handle before it goes into the holdall, now just before everyone starts slating it, i used to fish with open cork handled rods, and now i know what i will do if i have any more rods, but each to whatever floats your boat,
Regards
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