Bawana I like expermenting with grips. On that rod I cut 1/2" off the butt cap with a razor then taped 2 1/2" of c tape, its very smooth and ya get a little fater feel in the palm. the forgrip is cork....it looks orginal and feels it to. slime+cork=firm grips
No I haven't tried laying thin diameter rope under the s tube yet. Your right its gonna be real tricky to get them to line up. I have bunch of ideas. Laying a pattern with more x's then the ones on the shrink tube would be just as effective and not that difficult, thats what I'll proably end up doin.