FLATHEAD
Rear Admiral
- Joined
- Dec 29, 2002
- Messages
- 4,119
Go for it. I like doing split grips because you can hide the ends of thread wraps under the cork.Looks good….
I have a couple of blanks in the shop I glued up (split grip handles) and sat aside 2 years ago.
Maybe this will give me a bit of motivation to finally build the Century Sling Shot I’ve been eyeing the past two seasons

I was building 100-125 rods a year up before I had ACDF surgery in 2020. Took 6 months off to recover, let my business license lapse and never got back in the game. Have done some repairs for friends but that's about it.Go for it. I like doing split grips because you can hide the ends of thread wraps under the cork.
I cut, glue up, and turn my own cork when the mood strikes. Sky is the limit.
Awesome!Gee, I just buy Ugly Stiks. I haven't broken one of those yet.
It’s nice putting something together tailored to your particular need. It’s a fulfilling hobby. My eyes aren’t what they used to be for thread work. I don’t do much rod building these days. Normally when I build now I use quality blanks, no frills foam or cork stock grips, alconite guides and black guide wraps, no real thread work. Super plain Jane looking. The one I just did I wanted for skipping baits for bass up under brush and overhanging tree limbs close to the water. I went with a 6’9” medium heavy with extra fast tip. I was getting a fair amount of weak hooksets with a fast tip, and need some power to horse them out of the crap. I did the new guide concept layout with a tweak on the choke guide. I’ll try it out next week.I was building 100-125 rods a year up before I had ACDF surgery in 2020. Took 6 months off to recover, let my business license lapse and never got back in the game. Have done some repairs for friends but that's about it.
Got into split grips as a weight saving measure when I started building rods for what is locally know as LTJ (light tackle jigging). In effect, jigging for large migratory stripers using 6', MH largemouth bass tackle.
Wasn't happy with the aviable 6' blank selections. Started experimenting with a 7' Fast action blanks. Put the reel seat at the same location as a 6' blank and which increased the butt by a foot. Perfect length to tuck the rear grip under my forearm for added leverage. Really helps to keep the stress off your wrist fighting a fish.
I have a few Ugly Stiks (older ones) that were replacements that Ugly Stik sent me for the ones that broke. 30+ pound stripers had a habit of breaking Ugly Stiks and stripping the gears on reels.Gee, I just buy Ugly Stiks. I haven't broken one of those yet.