cork tape care

[DH_tubinjoe]

is there a way to treat your cork tape handles, besides not using them, so that it doesn't get all cracked? is there something i am not doing. I see this problem on a lot of rods. the corktape is all rotten looking and cracked.

just curious




joe
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[hharada]

I'm lost. What's a cork tape handle? I'm guessing it's different than a handle made out of cork rings.
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[DH_tubinjoe]

well...its exactly what it sounds like. it is cork that is put on the rod just like tape. it is wound on and sticks all by itself. just like tape. these types of handles are mostly used by saltwater anglers. why? i dont know. i haven't seen many freshwater outfits with corktape on them.




joe
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[hharada]

I don't know how to clean the cork tape, but you might think about replacing with cork tape they sell at bicycle stores to wrap handle bars with. I'm sure you're familiar with the plastic tape they use, but they also have cork tape which comes in several different colors and it has adhesive on its back.

One problem I foresee is you need to do something to hold the ends down, or they eventually will become loose. You might be able to handle the butt end by using a plastic butt cap. The upper end, and other ends not finishing at the butt might be held down with some type tape (that's how the upper end is handled on bikes) like plastic electrical tape, heat shrink tape, or maybe some type heat shrink ring or cap that happens to fit.

Then too, you might try contacting the rod's manufacturer to see if they'll sell you what you need to replace the plastic tape.
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[DH_tubinjoe]

many saltwater anglers also use a type of cord for their handles. this cord is sometimes called buttcord. it is very stiff. once it is broken in and worn down a little bit, it is very soft and quite comfortable. i am just going to use that. thanks anyways though.



joe
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[hharada]

Did you solve your cork tape problem with the buttcord? If not, you might check the new 2004 Cabela's Tackle Craft catalog. They have cork tape on page 16. On page 31, they have something called Cork Seal. The description says it, "Greatly prolongs life of you cork grip by preventing the pentration of soils and other foreign matter...toughens the surface, preventing chipping and sloughing. Once...dry, grime is eaily washed off using soap and water." I don't know if it makes the cork too slick as I found when, as a youth, I tried coating coating one of my cork rod handles with varnish!!!

The 2004 Bass Pro Fishing Master Catalog, on page 126 shows a non-cork rod wrap. It's described as not being a tape, "but a self-bonding, residue free fabric."
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[patches]

i,m really at an end to but i do know corks-of-wood right? well why not spray silicone on it? we have a silicone spray comes in a can. it waterproofs everythin. even leather boots, gortex, clothes, even the helps out the australian outback coats we have fer the motorcyle. anythin. hats gloves, and i don,t see why it won,t you corkin. i do not believe it will crack anymore try it it won,t hurt.
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[patches]

actually, with the saltwater, it will act as a protectant, it,s also like a i,m not gittin the word here, my heads not good tonite, like they put on pressure treated wood, varnish, or laquer. but it is total waterproofing. and not used just fer wood. it,s clear. also wont change color of anythin. try it. see if it works fer ya and let me know. later corkin is nothin but pressed board they make from sawdust fron the wood the saw up, only tighter packed for use of this kindof things that,s all. i,ve been a carpernter and a plumber so i know quite a bit bout this stuff. later mare[]
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[lonehunter]

mineral spirits is used to waterproof canvass , i don't know how it works on cork .
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[hharada]

I must be misunderstanding what you're saying. Is "later corkin" different than cork? The cork I'm familiar with, like that they use for rod handles comes from a special tree, usually in Portugal or Spain. Although they make some compressed cork rings, most handles are made from cork rings formed from cuttings from the tree -- uncompressed. Anyway, that's how I understand things.
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[patches]

what i,m talkin of is pressed board and they use it fer everythin. seems though thats what its made out of. and anyways any wood has to be compresseed to make it into somethin otherwise it,s not goin to form. so i don,t know what your talkin bout here,. yes and i,ve seen the handles your talik about with the wood from portuguel, and it looks almost like maple wood or birch, some are stained. but they seem to be good and rugged. i,d still use the silicone, if the crackin occrs, and as fer as the dirt, silt, salt, what ever, i got that murphys oil soap. and it cleans and shines at the same time. they use that on hardwood floors. i have them at the house and works well and ya dont have to worry bout water stain,. on the wood floor with that either. you can use it diluted or not. then put the silicone on. you can use either one or both which i would, usin thems is not gonna hurt, just let it dry after the murphys oil soap then put the silicone spray on. and let that dry, []
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[DH_tubinjoe]

well....i put the cord on my rod, and all is good! just have to get some of the ink out of the cord so that my hands stop turning black![mad] and after about 5 days of fishing, the cord will soften up so that it is more comfortable.

about the silicon spray.... wont that make it very slippery??? i have always used silicon as a lubricant.


joe
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[lonehunter]

it shouldn't on the cork , but it keeps the moisture penetration way down ."watterproofing "
camp-dry is nothing more than a silicone spray .
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[patches]

i don,t believe so. i use it on everthin, once it dries should be fine. actually its a prtectant that when things gits wet it won,t leak thru, like your boots clothes, and it never got slippery, are you thinkin a varnish here?? i,ve put the carnish on the porch at the house before on pressure treated that was old, and that got a little slippery but silicone is total different, it sinks in dries, and holds. doesn,t come off either. would of writ ua sooner but my computer has been down. later[] don,t forgit your tent to do them with the silicone too. works great!
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[patches]

this is very tue lonehunter, and it also helps the pocketbook, 2.95 -4.00- verses some of the high monkey munk sprays your talkin bout that run near 15- 20.00 bucks. i went out in my hikin boots this year huntin got those boots in snow water and had put 2 good coatins on of the silicone spray jack put it on fer me, anyways we let it dry after the 2 settins and they never leaked thru. i went thru puddles almost to the top of em and my feet were as dry and warm as when i first left the house, that day. that says somethin to me.and i,m still wearin em out in the snow now to go up street or what ever. haven,t leaked atoll. later[][]
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[lonehunter]

keeps my hunting clothes dry too ! i sprayed all the outsides of my hunting clothes a couple weeks beforehand , let them air out in the shed and they were oder free and waterproof ! i didn't have to run for a raincoat when the sky broke loose like my buddys did .
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[patches]

haha i hear ya there bud!!! i was dry when everybody else werent too,and warm. they left didn,t come back ahha i was still out there. later in this weird weather we been havin ya got to be ready fer anythin. we got a good sayin here, ya don,t like the weather, just wait a minute it,ll change. haha [][]
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[lonehunter]

SAME SAYING HERE TO MARE , DON'T BLINK IF YA WANNA SEE SOME SUNSHINE !
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[patches]

teens and 20 below comin again, terrible, ya i hear ya bud haha so true, louie just wants to stay on that bed the lazy hound. oh god here he comes, he got the energy to git off the bed and go out to go potty. haha haows yours?? doi the same?? jaja whats josie got in her?? sounds like a little husky shephard?? in her. just had a feelin, sounds like ya. haha or either or?? haha later[][]
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[lonehunter]

she's a lap lab . darned heavy too . she sure likes going thru the woods with me thou . thoes squirlles have fun with her , she'll bark at one tree while they are going three trees over , it's funny .
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