ozleather Report post Posted March 28, 2021 Hello! I am new to leather working and wonder how would you wrap bicycle bar ends with leather? Please see the attached picture. The bar ends are not a straight rounded tube, they are slightly deformed. Thank you! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rahere Report post Posted March 30, 2021 Having done that with tape, the secret's in a good glue - and I never found one. However, having found Renia's range, I might be forced to change my opinion. From there on in, it's simply glueing technique. I'd use the surface side down, offering the suede side for grip, pushing towards chrome tan, as it's bound to get soaked and you don't want your leather flopping as it stretches. Use really thin leather, almost vellum weight. The tapes are 1" width, but that's up to you. The end is finally turned inside the handle and held in place by a plastic stopper, force-fitted. Another approach would be to treat it like a rolled handbag handle, glued and sewn lengthwise, before the edges are thinned to nothing using edge beveller chisels. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rahere Report post Posted March 30, 2021 I live in wet England, we need all the grip we can get! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tugadude Report post Posted March 30, 2021 Also, since bicycles are often ridden in the rain, you might give consideration to going with a water-resistant leather such as Hermann Oak's Heritage 1881. Springfield Leather Co. will sell it by the square foot. https://www.springfieldleather.com/Hermann-Oak-Heritage Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites