Matching thread for blue Winn Grips

[Danny_716]

Hello all, I am putting a few rods together with the blue Winn advanced polymer grips, and am looking for a best matching thread. I'd like it to be something I can get from mudhole as that's where im buying the other components. Either a color treated nylon or maybe even metallic. Right now I'm thinking the prowrap colorfast 449, but am not sure. 

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

Just remember, any nylon thread will darken and become translucent with finish. 

[MickD]

I would go with the best color l could find in the non color fast thread.  And use two coats of CP on it.

Keep in mind that an absolutely perfect match is not necessary for a great looking rod.  Abosolute matches are probably impossible since the Winn grips are a flat finish and your guides will  be gloss.

I have no idea whether the Pro Wrap metallics fade or not, but there have been a lot of comments on blue  metallics changing color with exposure to sun, so I would keep that in mind before doing metallic as the primary wrap.

My experience with other products, like flags, in the sun, is that the blue fades the fastest.

 

[.ghoti.]

I no longer try to match colors with thread. Instead, I go for a contrasting, complimentary color.

[MickD]

I agree on not trying to match; it's very difficult.  One combination that looks good is using the "same color" but a signficantly different shade.  That isn't a piece of cake either, especially if you're buying thread rather than looking over your stock, but it can be done and looks very good.

If you can get the RGB info from Winn and the thread-makers, you can hit the color very closely, but I don't know if Winn will give it to you, or if you can get it for the thread.  Pro Wrap does provide the closest Pantone color numbers to their colors.

Prowrap nylon Pantone number is 293, and here is an image with RGB for 293.

http://search.aol.com/aol/search?enabled_terms=&s_it=client97_searchbox&q=pantone+color+293

If I were trying to match a Winn Grip exactly, I would email Winn and ask for either the RGB values of the grip, or the Pantone color.  With that info you  stand a good chance of achieving a pretty good  match.

If you find other Pantone numbers you want to evaluate, just do an internet search for "Pantone color xxxx."

 

 

[fishnkamp]

Someone is going to love those grips.  So far i had my custom builder tear off the full cork handles on two G Loomis IMX rods and replace the entire reel seat/ cork assembly with American Tackle's Comfort reel seats and a set of Winn Grips in the natural tone. Man they are light and the seat just melts into your hand and the balance is so much better than what G Loomis built on these 721 and 722 rods. However, I was nervous as well you can guess!! The thought of tearing both down and having an accident well I do not want to think of it.  I am so glad I did it. now I just have to pick the right blank because I want Tom to build my next rod. BY the way Tom uses a lot of Winn Grips and he usually picks a second color to accent the rod so he never matches it or he two tones the wrapping. In that case exact matching is not needed

[.ghoti.]

Winn grips are the real deal, but they are a PITA to work with. Very difficult to ream without damaging the thin skin. Particularly the longer elliptical rear grips. I've had to toss out two and order replacements. Makes them quite expensive. I will no longer be installing any of those longer than 8.5". The 3.5" and 4.5" rear grips are a lot easier to deal with.

[MickD]

.ghoti, please elaborate on reaming problems.  I've not noticed on grips up to their long tapered casting grip, (less than 8.5 inches)  but if there is a way to wreck them, I'd rather be warned in detail than find a way on my own.  I don't understand how the skin gets damaged.  Damage coming from the reaming at the ends?  thanks

[.ghoti.]

The skin can be easily stretched, and becomes wrinkled. I'll put up a pic, if I can get a good closeup shot showing this.

I have a set of Batson Dream Reamers. They work nicely. Except with Winn Grips.They are tougher to ream than burl cork .I've reamed by hand and stretched the skin. I've chucked the reamer in a drill and stretched the skin. I even put my Rikon lathe on it's slowest belt/pulley setting and tried using it. there seems to be a very fine line between applying enough force to get some reaming done, and applying enough to damage the skin.

[MickD]

Thank you for the tip.

The Pantone color for the blue Winn grips is 281C , per Winn.

http://rgb.to/pantone/281-c

If you go here and try to find 281-c, it looks pretty good to me.  But I don't have blue grips with me.  Keep in mind that the colors will vary with computer calibration AND the angle you're viewing the screen with.

If you look at 293, the pantone reference to the Pro Wrap Wildberry 449, you can see how it looks.  I suggest putting your blue grips near the computer image of 293 and see how it looks. It looks too light to me.

Bluegill is 2945 and looks too light.

This site gives Madeira polyneon color match to Pantone numbers.  Closest to 281c seems to be Madeira 1767, according to Madeira rep.

http://www.madeiramart.com/index.cfm?

Mudhole sells Madeira.  Your local thread shop will, too. Best solution is IMHO to take the grips and one of your rod wrapping spools (to get weight match) to the thread shop and find 1767 Polyneon in the right weight.  Or another color that may look better.  With CP the color should not shift much.  You HAVE to use CP with Madeira to avoid any problems with lube that may  be on the thread and cause fisheyes.  I would use two coats, but usually one will do. two always works.  

That's about it from here.  

 

[.ghoti.]

Hey Mick, here's the best pic I could get of the screwed up Winn grip.My best reaming results were done using my wood lathe. I chucked up the correct dream reamer, and put the belt on the slowest speed pulleys. I think it runs right around 600rpm when using that set.

when reaming you have to use the lightest pressure possible. I hold both ends of the grip by the foam, not on the skin. Takes quite a while to get the job done, but by using just finger pressure applied only to the foam ends, you will not wrinkle the skin.

If you find a better way to do this, I'm all ears.

[MickD]

I have a good contact at Winn if you are interested in discussing it with them.  I think they would be very interested.

I expect you have tried very high speed reaming so as to increase the material removal at lowest torque?

thanks, Mick

I expect Winn would like to figure out whether what you have is slipping of the skin or failure of the substrate foam.

[.ghoti.]

I tried using the lathe at my normal setting for cork turning. Somewhere around 2000rpm. That fine line I alluded to was way to easy to cross at that speed.

I wouldn't mind talking with somebody at Winn. I can tell you the substrate foam did not fail. The skin came loose from the foam core. The grip in the wrinkled area still feels sound.

I tried using the lathe at my normal setting for cork turning. Somewhere around 2000rpm. That fine line I alluded to was way to easy to cross at that speed.

I wouldn't mind talking with somebody at Winn. I can tell you the substrate foam did not fail. The skin came loose from the foam core. The grip in the wrinkled area still feels sound.

One of my email addresses is in my profile if you want pass this on to them. I'd guess they have a better way to do the job, and I'm not smart enough to figure it out.