# Burl Cork



## Professor Jones (Nov 17, 2005)

Hey Folks,
What is burl cork? Is it just a colored cork? I saw it while looking at some rod building supplies and I know it comes in different colors. Thanks for the info.

Professor Jones


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## Chunkn' Charlie (Dec 30, 2004)

Hey Andrew,
Burl cork is a heavy dence cork. It looks really cool but adds a lot of weight to the handle of the rod. Also, it ain't cheap. One of my first rods I used burl cork. Now I use it strictly as a boat rod because it wears me down after a long grind.

Chuck


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## kenny (May 21, 2004)

I've had the pleasure of seeing cork trees in Spain. I was driving into a small village on a one lane road and the big tree trunks on both sides of the road were orange up to about 8'. I thought it looked cool and when I finally found the old friend I was looking for I told him how much the trees reminded me of folks whitewashing pecan trunks in the south.
He got a big laugh out of that and said "nah man, those are cork trees and they just harvested the cork. Who knew? I thought it grew on wine bottles.


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## Goags (May 28, 2004)

It's made of cork chips and glue, so it is denser/heavier than regular cork. Used for accent rings, as well as full grips. Some rings are dyed, some are a combo of dark burnt cork/light burnt, etc. I use it alot. If weight is a major concern, make rear split grips w/o a foregrip.


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## Rick miller (Feb 20, 2007)

burl cork is from a knot or highly figured grain area of the cork tree . Burl from any tree is highly prized for wood turnings , veneer ... for high end furniture , accent pieces etc... and yes it's heavy . You may slice it on a saw to create thin rings for accents on rod handles . It is pretty no matter how you use it .


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## swab (Aug 15, 2006)

There are 2 main types of burl. The original burl cork was from the outer part of the cork bark. It is denser and darker than the inner cork. It is figured and very pretty but it is heavier. I use it a lot now that the quality of cork is so much less than it was.
The second type of burl are manmade. Bits of ground up cork, both burl or otherwise is mixed with a resin and make into sheets. it is then cut into rings which are used for handles and other items.


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## davidb (May 10, 2006)

Swab do you have a source for the natural Burl cork? All I see is the composite type.


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## swab (Aug 15, 2006)

Sorry to post so late but I have been out of town. I have no source for the burl. Almost all is now composite.


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## Fish Stix (Mar 12, 2007)

I use burl exclusively. It won't pick and the density makes it easier to clean. I seal mine with U-40 cork seal ( follow label directions). If weight is really a problem, do more 12 oz. curls. Difference is less than 1 oz. for reasonable butt lengths. I glue them on a mandrel with Elmer's Carpentry glue. It's waterproof when dry, easy to clean up, and leaves no glue lines. Wrap the mandrel with 3M removeable Scoth Tape, wood file to rough shape, and finish turning with 600 grit. Burl eats about 2 files/year. My estimate is that it's about 5 times harder than reg. based on cutting time.


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## twitch-twitch-reel (May 21, 2006)

kenny said:


> I've had the pleasure of seeing cork trees in Spain. I was driving into a small village on a one lane road and the big tree trunks on both sides of the road were orange up to about 8'. I thought it looked cool and when I finally found the old friend I was looking for I told him how much the trees reminded me of folks whitewashing pecan trunks in the south.
> He got a big laugh out of that and said "nah man, those are cork trees and they just harvested the cork. Who knew? I thought it grew on wine bottles.


So the cork is the bark off the tree?


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## ellisredfish (Jul 5, 2005)

Yes


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