Thanks for that Old fisher. I can't remember which rod I had the problem with now . We've discussed rod handles a few times on here. Barbel rods aside, I'm all for full cork handles on a rod - they look and feel far superior to the plastic screw and foam blob arrangements which are the norm now. Worst of all - the handle with a sad little section of cheap cork sandwiched, where you never grip it, between lengths of black foam. It's like splicing a small piece of wood into mdf furniture - just reminds you what the right stuff looks like.. I've had full cork fitted on a couple of modern rods with particularly nasty reel seats. Here's a couple of old models still going strong.