Trying to get a wooden inlay to bend in a small circle can be frustrating at best.

Steaming or soaking to get the bend won't work.........

Here's an easy way to dress up a wooden rod handle.  You'll need: a.  A sharp utility knife, b.  A flat strip of flexible plastic (you can get this from a small coke bottle), c.  Carpenters glue, d.  A radiator hose clamp.

1.  Determine the width and depth of the inlay, and mill a groove of that size into your rod handle blank.

2.  With the utility knife, press an indent on the back side of the inlay at 1/4" intervals.  Be careful not to cut all the way through.  Just use sufficient pressure to notch the wood.  This will allow the banding to be bent in a very small arc.

3.  Place the banding in the groove, glue the end down and wait until it holds.

4.  Put glue in the remainder of the groove, and using the pressure of your thumbs roll the banding into the groove.  (The banding will snap as it goes around  and there will be high points at the snaps).

5.Wrap the plastic sheet over the top of the banding. Put the hose clamp over the top of the plastic, and tighten. (The plastic will release when the glue is dry.)

6.  When dry, sand the high spots with progressively finer sandpaper until smooth.  Seal the finished product with whatever you choose.  (I use 8-10 thin coats of Tung Oil.)

I've included a pic of a work in progress, showing the foregrip, rear grip and butt cap.