How to make a rope handle

[slappy]

Rope handles give your custom rods a unique look. They also out perform other handle materials in a wet or slimy environment. So if you fish bait, catch a lot of fish, or fish from a kayak, a rope handle might be worth a try.

One caution--not everyone likes them. They are rougher on your hands than hypalon. They do give you a sure grip and help you build a lighter more sensitive rod.

The best material to use is nylon tarred seiners twine. The tar keeps it from soaking up water and this is very tough rope. I have rods that have had the same handle for over 15 years.

The rod in these pictures does not use the tarred twine. It is the same material, but without the tar. Tarred twine is black and I chose the green twine to fit in with the rod's color scheme. If it soaks up too much water, or doesn't feel right, I will either coat it with a varnish to seal it or replace it with the tarred twine.

It doesn't take long to put a handle like this together. It takes about 15 minutes to put the cord on the rod, then another 20 to 30 minutes to make a turks head and tighten it down.

The materials needed are very cheap. The cord is under $10 and you will get enough to do 5 to 10 rods.

Materials:
Cord, butt cap, 2 part epoxy (2 hour is best--I use old flex coat), electricians tape, razor blade and pliers.

In the picture below, you can see the green cord that I used as well as the tarred cord that I normally use. Both came from Cabela's. They sell it as decoy anchor rope.

Cord handles are installed last. Your rod should have all the guides and any decorative wrap finished. The reel seat should already be installed.

[slappy]

Now to start the handle.

For the foregrip, start at the reel seat and work up the rod. For the butt grip start at the reel seat and work down the rod. The cord will be used to anchor its self at the reel seat and a turks head will anchor the foregrip, the butt cap will anchor the butt grip.

Mix up some epoxy. No need to worry about bubbles. Set it where you can reach it as you are working.

Start by untwisting the strands a little bit so you will get a flat lay on the rod for the part of the cord that you will anchor.

Then start wrapping from the reel seat forward just as you would wrap thread for a guide. Take a couple turns on the rod, then spread some epoxy on the rod. Use the epoxy very sparingly--it doesn't take much to hold it in place. Don't coat the blank!

Continue wrapping the cord up the rod; you will finish it just like a guide wrap, so put a loop under the last couple wraps to pull the end through.

Use your razor blade to cut the cord in between the other cords so there is no tag end sticking out. Then cover the end with electricians tape to hold it in place while the epoxy dries.

[slappy]

Do the butt secton the same way.

I like to top off the foregrip with a turks head knot. I won't give instructions on how to tie one, I'm sure that you could google it.

A turks head is formed by doing an "over, under" pattern in the cord, then following the cord to make successive passes and enlarge the size of the knot.

I always start the knot off the rod and slide it over the rod once I have the outline of the knot done.

Once you get it on the rod tighten it up a little by pulling on the ends. Then follow the pattern of the knot and make a couple more passes to make the knot bigger. I usually tie a knot that has 3 passes.

Once you are done, take a pair of pliers and use them to tighten the turks head. This is the most time consuming part. You have to follow the cord around the knot pulling it tight.

Once you get it tight, put a sealant on it. I often use nail polish. It soaks right in and isn't bothered by water.

[slappy]

Cut off the tag ends, stick the butt cap on the rod and you are done.

Time to go hurt some fish!

[CtDon]

Slappy,

Great post!!!! I think I'm going to use a rope wrap on my next rod.



Don O

[Mark]

So the turks head knot is seperate piece of rope?

[slappy]

The turks head can be wrapped with the same cord as the handle, but it is easier just to do it out of a second piece of rope.

It is easy to underestimate the length of rope needed for a turks head. Each pass through the knot is 3 times around the rod. This turks head had 3 passes, so the finished product had the rope going around 9 times.

[garbageband]

Slappy, how did you make the tricolour turk's head?

[slappy]

Easy, just switch colors on each pass. A turks head is usually 3 passes through the same knot.

[Buzz Potter]

Slappy, you mentioned "don't coat the blank with epoxy". Is it OK to run a few stripes of epoxy along the blank to prevent the twine from spinning ?
Just got a spool of #72 tarred from Wallace Cordage. Figured it might fit larger hands better than Cabela's #60.

[slappy]

use just the slightest amount of epoxy. That will keep the rope from slipping, but won't be enough to run or drip as you are working.

I dip a stick in epoxy and run it along the rod to get a very small amount on the rod.

[Buzz Potter]

Will do. Why the change to Hogy ?

[slappy]

Will do. Why the change to Hogy ?

Because they called and they work!

[Buzz Potter]

Because they (Hogy)called ?

Consider this a newbie question. Do you really own a bait/tackle shop ?

[Buzz Potter]

My fingers are blackened after wrapping some tarred twine on the blank butt to measure for a butt cap. Have you had this happen and, if so, how did you stop it ?