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Submitted by Michael Welch on

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I am amazed by the various brutal methods recommended for cleaning cork fly rod handles (bleach, lacquer thinner, sandpaper, etc). I have been fly fishing for over 30 years and found the quickest, easiest method is to use Ronsonol lighter fluid. Wet a soft cotton cloth with the lighter fluid and rub the cork handle gently to remove dirt and discoloration of the cork. It works very well and over the years, I have observed no degradation of or damage to the cork handles on my many fly rods.

Submitted by david etienne on

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thank you now my son will never know i have used his scotty rod he won in spot the fly competion trout fisher magazine when he was 10 years old 24 years ago

Submitted by Willem N on

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Here is another one for cleaning cork. On old rod builder told me this. Take pure bleach and a paper kitchen wipe. Put the bleach on the paper kitchen wipe and just rub as long till its clean. Use as much bleach so the wipe glides over the cork. This wont damage the cork and you dont have to sand it. Your cork fillings will also stay in. I think it will take you about a min or 5 to do the job. I have some old fiberglas rods and you will not believe how the cork will come to live. When its clean, rinse with a little warm water and kitchen soap and dry with a towel.(dont now how you spell the towel the wife uses in the kitchen to dry the plates, sorry! Dutch numnuts trying to write english) I thought you would smell the bleach after the cleaning but that is cone after an our or so. The old tooth brush is a good one to try for the next time i will clean my cork for the holes. Never thought of that before. Thanks Willem

Submitted by Giblert Babagee on

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Very helpful. I now know how to clean the cork. I was wondering how to clean it

Submitted by Roger (The Rod… on

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All sound sense.
I have a further suggestion regarding cleaning cork grips. Use a Scotchbrite (car) finishing pad instead of the sandpaper, not forgetting the liquid soap of course.

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