there's 1/16 an there's 1/8 cork tape, most rod's have 1/16"... most of my rods have c.tape an are older than most of you. I wax my cork
an don't leave them sitting in the sun which will kill cork faster than anything I know of. my hands look like a rino's butt an they haven't worn the cork out yet,,,,YES I do fish them hard an have had no problem as of yet.