Type Of Leather For Sword Handle Wrap And Other Advice

[grmnsplx]

Hi all. I am looking to wrap a sword handle in leather. I am wondering what would be the best kind of leather to use and maybe some other advice.

My plan is to do a spiral wrap. I'll use a long strip of leather about an inch wide or a little more and start at the top (the hilt) and then wrap around and around to the bottom (pommel). There will be an overlap of maybe 3/16ths or so. One side of the lace will be rolled and the other skived so that when the handle is wrapped only the rolled edge will be seen and the other edge hidden underneath. I'll work out some kind of fancy knot at the end with a separate piece of leather.

Questions:

1. I was thinking to use vegtan leather. Would it be better to use a chrome tan leather? Or maybe it doesn't matter. Maybe latigo? Someone is going to be using this for training so I want something as wear resistant as possible.

2. Is the rolled edge even a good idea?

3. Is dampening the leather before applying is a good idea? I am thinking it will shrink and help compress the handle.

4. Glueing: Should I use a glue or contact cement to heal hold the leather in place. If so, would I apply it everywhere or only in selected spots. Type of adhesive?

5. Thickness of leather? I am thinking 2-3oz

6. Anything else I should be concerned about?

Thanks!

josh

[camano ridge]

Is this going to be wrapped over a wood core? Will the leather be wrapped in wire, or will it be a straight leather wrap?

[grmnsplx]

Yes, around a wooden core. No wire.

[Colt W Knight]

What type of sword?

Samurai swords use ray and shark skin an long swords often had a wooden handle with either leather or wire wrapped around for grip, then it was wraped in thread or yarn to smooth it out, then covered in thin leather.

[camano ridge]

If you are doing just a wrap. I like shark skin. It gives a good grip and is durable. If you do a search for wrapping a sword hilt in leather you will find some you tube videos that may help. Here is a you tube video that may help this one is wrapping a tennis racket handle but the principal is the same. If you want it permanent I would use contact cement and would coat the handle and the leather strip. <iframe width="640" height="390" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Re7BnG0bRs0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Edited August 14, 2015 by camano ridge

[grmnsplx]

Thanks for the replies.

@Colt, it is for a Japanese sword. While tradition would have the handle wrapped in a rawhide samegawa (stingray), it is very common to have panels of stingray inserted into the handle and then wrapped with some sort of cord. In this case the samegawa is purely decorative.

That is the case here. The handle I will have is a wooden core with samegawa panels. I plan on doing a non-traditional wrap on top of that. Something that looks like "gangi maki" but not quite.

Any other thoughts? Anyone?