How to make a rattan grip
Rattan is a species of "Old world climbing palm". It has been used for over a hundred years to make grips on fly rods and has a warm and nicely textured feel. The increased sensitivity of a rattan grip is also nice when fishing nymphs or wet flies. Apart from the nostalgic beauty of a rattan grip, they also offer a hard wearing durability that will far out live standard cork. They are light, responsive, and will enhance the look of any rod from graphite to bamboo.
Making a rattan grip is not difficult. There are a few tips and tricks that make it easier that we detail in the two videos below. As with most things, the prep. work is key to a quality finished product. Additionally, using high quality rattan is going to make a big difference in the final grip. We source our rattan directly from Indonesia. It is characterized by long even strands and minimal marking and a nice thin pith on the back side.
The videos below use all of the items found in the Proof Rattan grip kit. If you haven't experienced the joy of making and using a rattan grip before I encourage you to give it a try.
Lets get started.