I'm curious in rod cost.

Does foam handle cost more then cork handle?

I think it depends on the foam/cork. High quality cork that doesn't require filler surely comes at a premium, while certain ultra lightweight, grippy foams seem to be limited to high end rods. Case in point, the foam grips on my ms-x are much nicer than those on my tatulas. Personally, I don't have a preference for either eva or cork. I like both, provided they are decent quality and well sculpted.

A nice, dense 2"x2"x18" EVA block is about $12 on the retail market. High quality cork rings are $5-$7 per linear inch.

Yep, good cork cost considerably more than EVA.

EVA is hands down less expensive than even mid quality cork, but I'm not sure that fact translates directly in retail rod prices. Costs of maufacturing obviously play a large role, but I'd be surprised if it's 1:1. 

Be very cautious of cork on less expensive rods.  Not all cork is actually real cork.  Some is foam with a cork veneer.  Some is a kind of particle board with a cork veneer or a printed cork pattern.

 

Looks like low quality cork.

 

Nope.....veneer over foam.

 

 

 

veneer over ground cork.

 

https://www.facebook.com/mike.joyce.161/videos/913560725346336/

Good point Scott. I just did a repair job this summer and found one of those on a rod.

Good point Scott. I just did a repair job this summer and found one of those on a rod.

That foam one was a full grip musky rod the guy wanted made to a split grip. Imagine my shock when I went to remove the cork and found this. Was a little more difficult than anticipated cause I had to install a real cork grip from the back.......almost 18" from the butt.

I really don't like eva grips, they look and feel really cheap and ugly IMO.

Cork looks classic and feels great.

I think if I were wondering what comparative material costs were, I would go to about three suppliers' web sites and find out exactly what the costs were for exactly the configurations I was looking for.

That foam one was a full grip musky rod the guy wanted made to a split grip. Imagine my shock when I went to remove the cork and found this. Was a little more difficult than anticipated cause I had to install a real cork grip from the back.......almost 18" from the butt.

Lol. Sounds like dejavu all over again.

I'm a cork fan, I recently came upon a couple of rods I liked that have EVA split grips. The two rods impressed me enough to buy them and forgo the cork. Fortunately they're very comfortable. I think can live with them. If not I'll install full cork in both.

That foam one was a full grip musky rod the guy wanted made to a split grip. Imagine my shock when I went to remove the cork and found this. Was a little more difficult than anticipated cause I had to install a real cork grip from the back.......almost 18" from the butt.

 

I've had this happen to me before too. I did a re-wrap and on a Calico rod and went to trun the full grip into a split grip and was blown away!

I am not site the type of cork Fenwick uses but it is easily my favorite. Just from a aesthetic standpoint it looks more expensive then traditional cork.

 I have a guy who has asked me to make him a grip for a fly rod. He wants the best grade cork available. I priced some flor grade cork, and found it up to $2.50 per ring, for 1/4" rings. He wants an 8" grip. That's $80 just in bare cork, plus what I'll charge him to make it.

 

He is re-considering.

Burl and carbon skinned grips are great on a fly rod as they're a little more firm. In burl you're looking at about $12 in materials.  

Burl and carbon skinned grips are great on a fly rod as they're a little more firm. In burl you're looking at about $12 in materials.  

 That was my suggestion. He was not exactly open minded about it. The dude seems to be a bit more high maintenance than what I want to deal with. I think I'm gonna have to pass on this one.

 

I'm thinking about posting labor rates in my shop.

One price for labor

double for customers who want to watch

double again for those who want to watch and advise

I haven't even tried carbon skin grips. It may be something I look more into down the road.

 

I have too many other things which are in need of improvement to start something new I can screw up.

I see the change in the length of the upper foam handle on some of the better quality higher priced rods. One of my longer foam handles cracked parallel to the centerline of the rod.