Has anyone tried with any success to build rod handle from cowhide discs similar to the handles on Estwing brand carpenters hammers? With epoxy coating or good spar varnish they should be indestructable. Anyone have a source for this type of cowhide?

No, but having use the hamers for years I would think it would tend be be kind of heavy especially on a rainy day when the leather soaks up the water

I think leather would be heavier than cork but you could build it on a foam arbor. Several coats of Tru Oil or some other ought to make it sufficiently water resistant if not fully waterproof for fishing. Why not give it a try and let us see the results. Knife making suppliers would be my first guess as a source. Some have been mentioned here in the past.. so run a search (use the ALL DATES option) for knife making suppies or such in the Forum Search engine and on yahoo or goog. Then there's tanners.. etc. Also try flea markets for an old baseball glove. Contact cement might be a good adhesive for the leather.
Dave

I've done it and they make beautiful handles. But, they're tricky to turn. The leather will easily catch a turning tool and can be dangerous if you're not very careful.

They weigh quite a bit more than cork. That may or may not be important to you depending on the type rod you're building.

..............

Punch them close to size and then glue them up and sand them to shape. Takes longer but is much safer.

Tom.... You turn them with a cutting tool? A skew?
Yeah, sounds like that could have dark clouds hanging above. Have turned some viton and epdm, which is a bit like leather in feel, and when it grabs a tool I'm real glad I'm wearing gloves and eye protection. Leather not being as homogeneous in composition, should grab even worse.

Should note that I see knife builders sand. Sounds like a much more forgiving and safe path. Very interesting tutorial I tripped over at [www.britishblades.com]
Looks like the guy seals the leather with CA as well so it doesn't wick water.

Robert,,, thanks for giving me a new thought that will likely eat up more garage space in the future. Just what I needed :-( I think it might be a nice thought for some trolling rods I have in mind now that you mentioned it. Less damage prone than EVA or Hypalon in the holders, and more tactile than the hard plastic butts.

How about belt making leather? I'm sure the Flea Market Belt makers have to get there leather someplace. OR since it's yard and garage sale season, buy some old leather belts and punch out your discs. I'd think that baseball gloves would probably work but it would almost be like Birch Bark and take a ton of discs

Bill in WV

Yeh Bill,,,, they get belt blanks which are already colored and finished. Of course you need to decide if colored leather is what you want, and it so, just the surface or vat dyed..
That knife making link I put in earlier talks about the types of leather a bit. I know plain untreated and thick leather rings are available and cheap since I pick them up every now and then for my bird to tear apart. @#$%& shows a bunch of leather sources as well.

This is not leather, but it might have the effect you are looking for. See this thread on another board: [flyanglersonline.com]

Greg,
Birch bark grips are very popular and if you do a search on this site and type in birch bark, you will get tons of info. There are also a lot of pix on the photo page of birch bark grips

Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/05/2007 10:27PM by Mike Barkley.

Indeed, some very nice work is shown in the photos of this site. Thanks for pointing that out to me, Mike.

Greg

Didn't know if you'd seen them or not. Birch bark grips are awesome!

Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!