For many rod builders, a custom grip is what sets a custom fishing rod apart from factory rods. A rod builder can build a specific grip to best fit the owner of that particular fishing rod. The most common, and often preferred material for building custom fishing rod grips is cork.

The price of cork continues to increase and the quality of cork continues to decrease. It is therefore important that custom rod builders are able to use all of the cork that they receive. Due to poor manufacturing practices cork rings will often times have dents and divots in the cork face that will make it difficult if not impossible to use that particular ring. I have found that for every 100 rings of lower grade cork I purchase 12 to 15 rings can not be used due to imperfections caused by the cutting process. Custom rod builder Cal Fischer and myself have fabricated a jig that will hold a cork ring so that the face of the ring that is damaged can be sanded flat, and therefore usable.

This cork jig will hold many of the cork rings that are sold as 1 1/4" in size. One side of the jig has been marked "R" for regular sized, 1 1/4" cork rings. This part of the jig will accept cork rings with an O.D. of up to 1.28" (32.6mm). The other side of the jig is marked "O" for over-sized cork rings. This part of the jig will accept cork rings up to 1.35" (34.2mm) in size. Cork rings sold as 1 1/2" will not work in this jig.