Uncovered blanks in the handle

[Rodbldr4fun]

What are the benefits of leaving the blank uncovered behind the reel seat? I don't hold the handle behind the seat while feeling for a bite. So, I don't see the advantage other than reduced cost and perhaps weight. But, the handle weight generally helps to balance the rest of the rod weight and balance is more important to me than overall weight.

I would appreciate your thoughts and insight.

[Get'n Jiggy]

I've been fishing a tennesee spinning handle with taped on reels for

over 35 years. I'm building a new 7' St. Croix, it'll have the same

handle. I admit I looked at doing a split, but the more I looked the

less sense it made. Some are kind of neat to look at, I guess, for the

novelty, but for me ditching a couple cork rings????

[upnorth]

I have used it a couple times. Mostly because I was using heavier woods like Birch, Maple or Walnut for the handles. I also do dec wraps or thread colors with decal.

From functional point weight reduction is what I see as the benefit.

[harvey lee]

My jigging rods are all built this way. It seems I can jig for much longer a period before my arm gets tired. The rod is lighter.

[Rodbldr4fun]

Thanks for your thoughts,guys. It helps me feel comfortable with my initial perspective.

[CAMAN]

I built a couple split grip rods when I first got into rod building. But after a couple long days on the water with them I realized they weren't for me. The way I hold the rod the blank would hit one of the bones in my forearm and cause a bruise, after awhile it got real painful. Also these were finesse rods so I like those rods balanced. This required me to add that much more weight to the butt of the rod to balance it properly. I have since gone to a full rear grip and a single ring or no ring on the foregrip. IMO removing the foregrip and using quality lightweight guides does more than splitting the rear grip from a functionality standpoint, though it does look nice.

[unfrozen]

I build all my personal rods using split grips. It's one of the ways a custom rod builder can reduce weight on a blank. Other ways are to not use a fore grip and to use the smallest possible running guides that allow your line and any connections to freely pass.

Before we add anything to it, a blank is as sensitive as it can possibly be. Any mass we add will work to dampen it.

[upnorth]

When it comes to weight and sensitivity I am less concerned with the weight in my hand as I am the weight more towards the tip. Not that the weight in your hands makes no difference, it is no where as important as the weight towards the tip. Smaller guides, less thread, less epoxy on the last 3 guides helps tremendously. That is where I focus on first as reducing weight.

[pureinsanity]

Its all what you personally like in my opinion. I won't notice the weight of a rod unless its a larger rod like my catfish rod. Id rather the rod have a balance point right at the reel seat than have it be tip heavy or handle heavy.

[Dark Cloud]

I tend to build with split grips mostly because I like the look...

Reducing weight and cost are nice also.

Placing the reel seat at the right balance point along with reducing weight in the tip is big also. As much as I dont want to add weight to the overall rig, adding some weight to the back end usually makes a rods feel better...

I also shorten the fore-grip down to a ring or two so I can put a finger on the blank. You can leave off the fore-grip but it looks cheap and unfinished to me, lol...

[CAMAN]

You can leave off the fore-grip but it looks cheap and unfinished to me, lol...

Not if you build an epoxy ramp.

[upnorth]

You can leave off the fore-grip but it looks cheap and unfinished to me, lol...

Not if you build an epoxy ramp.

But then you literally have a foregrip

[Dark Cloud]

I have seen some really neat looking epoxy ramps. But, to me they still look like something is missing without a ring or two of cork or composit...

[upnorth]

Exactly why we call them custom. Can build it to what a persons tastes are. I prefer some sort of a foregrip, but in most cases they are pretty sparse. Some folks like an epoxy ramp, and others completely bare bones. Anyone's taste can be accommodated

[bemidjibasser]

I build all of my personal rods with as little cork as I feel comfortable with on a per rod basis. Most rods that amounts to about 6 or 7 total rings of cork regardless of blank or rod application. I also trim the threads on my reel seats so the locking nut is flush with the front edge of the reel seat when a reel is mounted. Of course there are no fore grips on my own rods. I don't do big decorative wraps either as they serve no functional purpose and add extra weight that isn't needed.

As far as adding weight to the butt of a rod I believe that is detrimental to the functionality of a rod as well. As unfrozen said, a blank is at its most sensitive before anything is added. Depending on technique, a tip heavy rod may be beneficial. Take for example crankbait or spinnerbait rods where most often the tip of the rod is pointed down towards the water anyways. Same goes for many topwater rods and most other horizontal moving bait rods.

[A.W.Wolfram]

Well put BB. For some of my personal rods I’m in the same boat. I fish multiple spices with multiple techniques and gear setups. I believe this is a must for a well rounded rod builder if you are building for other people. From spinning to casting to fly to center-pin, every set up has its uniqueness and individual associated techniques and applications and with that you have the fishermen’s individual tastes and applications which adds up to a infinite amount of possibilities. There is no right or wrong, no best or worst, there is only what works for your or your client. The commercial rod manufacturing industry follows the trends of custom rod builders. Split grips came from custom rod builders many years ago. I have one that I build in 1992. I picked up the idea from a few news letters and magazines I had seen.

If you are attempting to create the lightest most sensitive (minimal) rod you can, the split grip is an option you have. I dose not fit every application. The first one that comes to mind is any rod that has the possibility to end up in a rod holder. They function very poorly for that application.

With all that said, it comes down to this. We are custom rod builders. Play around with every idea that you can. See how it works for you. If you don’t like it………….well cut it off and start over