In reply to Post #1
cheers for comments ... I will certainly still consider cork when looking .... I certainly wont be getting a new rod with cork and changing mine to cork that's a very dear option but thanks for suggestion.. .. selling mine and finding 3 certainly is an option but although I don't know the builder they are a pretty standard build and see no reason they couldn't be matched.... I had someone do some work on these and my armalites a few years ago he lived in Westerham just off the M25 I don't suppose anyone knows who he is.... or is anyone reading able to recommend someone close to surrey I could talk with about a build of a 3rd..... anyway thanks again Steve
cheers for comments ... I will certainly still consider cork when looking .... I certainly wont be getting a new rod with cork and changing mine to cork that's a very dear option but thanks for suggestion.. .. selling mine and finding 3 certainly is an option but although I don't know the builder they are a pretty standard build and see no reason they couldn't be matched.... I had someone do some work on these and my armalites a few years ago he lived in Westerham just off the M25 I don't suppose anyone knows who he is.... or is anyone reading able to recommend someone close to surrey I could talk with about a build of a 3rd..... anyway thanks again Steve
Yep. I've got 3 Free Spirit XS rods with full Cork.
Why? Cos that's what the nutter ordered a month before he sold them to me for 400 quid about 10 years ago.
I've had plenty of Cork match rods before so it didn't bother me.
I like that you can hold them anywhere and find grip.
Why? Cos that's what the nutter ordered a month before he sold them to me for 400 quid about 10 years ago.
I've had plenty of Cork match rods before so it didn't bother me.
I like that you can hold them anywhere and find grip.
In reply to Post #17
Cork on all my rods, match, specialist and carp.
I don't like duplon and I don't like abbreviated handles.
Call me ‘old fashioned'.
Cork on all my rods, match, specialist and carp.
I don't like duplon and I don't like abbreviated handles.
Call me ‘old fashioned'.
Personally I love cork handle rods just a lovely feel
and these muppets that varnish them or leave the transporting plastic on need to be shot
and these muppets that varnish them or leave the transporting plastic on need to be shot
In reply to Post #19
Cork and nothing else
Feel naked without cork 
Cork and nothing else
Feel naked without cork
Only cork for lure fishing, feels much, much, much better. For carp rods i'm leaning towards as minimal as possible, which means abbreviated.
Like a cork handle, but also like a scent from hell hook bait. The porous nature of the cork does not work well so I use abbreviated so it doesn't smell like I've pulled something out of somethings arse every time I take my rods out 
In reply to Post #1
Personally if you have a set of Torrix, I think you are downgrading by considering anything Greys.
I have two sets of Torrix both in Cork and slim Japanese shrinkwrap, and I can't choose one over the other to be honest, but in terms of cork, mine are now a good eight years old and I find that cork ages very well, it cleans up brilliantly and you don't tend to notice the slight scuffs and abrasions that will easily show up on the duplon.
I must admit I love the cork, it's really nice but if I were you I'm not sure I'd let those Torrix go, I think you'd regret it afterward.
Personally if you have a set of Torrix, I think you are downgrading by considering anything Greys.
I have two sets of Torrix both in Cork and slim Japanese shrinkwrap, and I can't choose one over the other to be honest, but in terms of cork, mine are now a good eight years old and I find that cork ages very well, it cleans up brilliantly and you don't tend to notice the slight scuffs and abrasions that will easily show up on the duplon.
I must admit I love the cork, it's really nice but if I were you I'm not sure I'd let those Torrix go, I think you'd regret it afterward.
When I was young I thought Cork rods are for old men, now that I'm older I regret not buying cork rods 30 years earlier.
In reply to Post #5
It's funny how the marketing works isn't it, Grey's even top end is dog **** versus a Harrison, I guess all these companies must be rubbing their hands as the carpers who started out through the 80's early 90's slowly pack in, the knowledge and common sense slowly dies making the marketing a lot easier.
It's funny how the marketing works isn't it, Grey's even top end is dog **** versus a Harrison, I guess all these companies must be rubbing their hands as the carpers who started out through the 80's early 90's slowly pack in, the knowledge and common sense slowly dies making the marketing a lot easier.
In reply to Post #25
I think that's a bit harsh. Grey's are generally a lot cheaper than Harrison rods. Not everyone can afford the very best. F.S Hi's still charge top dollar and that's a blank that's so old I forget when they first came out. Whether they are still the pinnacle of blank design to justify the price is open to much debate.
I think that's a bit harsh. Grey's are generally a lot cheaper than Harrison rods. Not everyone can afford the very best. F.S Hi's still charge top dollar and that's a blank that's so old I forget when they first came out. Whether they are still the pinnacle of blank design to justify the price is open to much debate.
In reply to Post #26
Wouldn't disagree but there in lays the marketing BS, a generation convinced by BS all because company's like Harrison dont.
Wouldn't disagree but there in lays the marketing BS, a generation convinced by BS all because company's like Harrison dont.
In reply to Post #25
I thought not so long ago that the greys aircuve were the best thing going people on here saying that the 3.25 was the best out there and they where brilliant rods now there rubbish don't understand
I thought not so long ago that the greys aircuve were the best thing going people on here saying that the 3.25 was the best out there and they where brilliant rods now there rubbish don't understand
How do you clean the cork handles?
In reply to Post #28
Pretty sure that's not the case
Pretty sure that's not the case