How hard is it, or is it even possible to remove the Foam/EVA style grip from a rod and replace it with Cork?

I have a Couple of Dobyns Colts and Mavericks that I use as Truck rods or loaners and I prefer the feel of cork. I know they will never be like my Champions XP's but I cant stand the feeling of the foam stuff when it gets wet.

TIA

Removing is easy- EVA will cut off with a blade. But if you want a foregrip you’re going to have to take the reel seat off also. Then it depends on the blank construction underneath. It’s not a hard job overall, but you need to know what you’re getting into.

31 minutes ago, casts_by_fly said:

Removing is easy- EVA will cut off with a blade. But if you want a foregrip you’re going to have to take the reel seat off also. Then it depends on the blank construction underneath. It’s not a hard job overall, but you need to know what you’re getting into.

Honestly Id Probably leave the Foregrip as is. I would only be replacing the rear section(s)

15 minutes ago, casts_by_fly said:

Removing is easy- EVA will cut off with a blade. But if you want a foregrip you’re going to have to take the reel seat off also. Then it depends on the blank construction underneath. It’s not a hard job overall, but you need to know what you’re getting into.

Agree he needs to know what he's getting into, but he could glue on a split piece foregrip without removing reel seat.

A tool I use for grips and reel seat removals are a large 8" pair of hefty sharp flush cutters. I can remove almost anything right to the blank without causing any damage to the blank. Knives can run wild and I'm not a fan of using power tools that can also run wild. Some good sharp flush cutters can clean back to the blank quickly.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/177542417706

I recently acquired a dozen Loomis custom rods from an estate sale all of them with heavy solid custom wood grips. I'm keeping a couple that are not too heavy, but all the heavy grips have been removed for back to cork again grips. Those flush cutters make fast work removing old grips and reel seats too. Controlled work so no blank damage. No slips. No ooops.

4 hours ago, FloridaFishinFool said:

but he could glue on a split piece foregrip without removing reel seat.

This is often not known or is forgotten when discussing grip/fore-end replacement. It's not that hard.

There are those who also think that to replace a rear grip, because of the taper of the blank, that one has to remove the guides. Not true. All one has to do is the "remove the taper" with tape arbors that make a cylindrical shape onto which the rear grip will slide from the bottom. The grip, of course, has to be reamed to fit.

Fore grip and rear grip replaced . . . reel seat and threadwrap intact.

As noted before you don't need to completely remove the rear foam grip/s. Just turn the foam down to the inside diameter of the cork grips you decide on and just slide the cork grip over now foam arbors put on a butt cap, done.