Can anyone, please explain the process used to make nice classy leather fore-grips?

I purchase the leather wrapping and am planning on laying it over hard EVA. I've not glued the fore-grip to the rod yet. I think I have a general idea on how to start, but I'd like for the forum to help me minimize my mistakes. I want the ends to be crisp and sharp.

- epoxy?
- tie off ends with?

I'd appreciate any helpful comments on maintenance and potential problems I will encounter. But please don't try to talk me out of it!

Thank you for your time,

~Mark

I'd recommend cork rather than EVA. The leather is plenty soft enough. Not sure about longevity with the extra flexing and movement of EVA.
Shape the cork so you have a ramp on the ends and the ramp is slightly larger than the rest of the grip.
You want it the same diameter as the rest of the grip PLUS the leather.
Then you trim the leather against the ramp and bind with thread to hold.
I use contact cement to fix it and standard epoxy to finish the ends.

I remember past post about the process. Try doing a search here for leather grip and select ALL DATES

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!!

Thank you Owen, that helps a lot.

Mike, I've exhausted my search and found a lot of threads about leather grips, handles and material. But none I found actually laid out the steps, most of the comments were drama concerning problems and opinions.
I would have preferred to find my answers using a search of past threads; but thank you for reminding us all.

Thank you for your time,

~Mark

I maybe wrong!!, but if you do your leather .layout like you would layout an Abalone strip. Measuring the length then measuring the diameter of both ends of your cork, cut the leather accordingly Then glue it onto your cork using Rod Bond for your adhesive. Then wrap it tight using cellophane strips. Unwrap after 36 hours, You should get a perfect fit. Go to MudHole.com look up Abalone how to. Then you will understand what I am saying. I am not sure about this point. You may want to dampen and roll the leather with a dough roller (using a heavy press) before measuring and cutting. This should make the leather softer, easer to work with and stretch it to its maximum. By damping the leather should make it form to the cork when it dries. I remember doing this when I was in USN hospital back in the 60's. The USN discovered I had Diabetes. I almost died from it and spent 6 months in the hospital before being Honorably Discharged. I made lots of wallets. Also you may check with Tandy Leather for more info on leather.
Good Wraps Bob

Good Wraps Bob



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/02/2010 12:54AM by Bob Balcombe.

Bob,
In addtition to Bob's comments, I would like to add the following:
You can get the leather really quite wet to get it nice and soft. Wrap the wet leather around your handle form , wrap it with clear sealing tape and let the leather dry for a week.
Take off the sealing tape and expose the dry leather. Now, use the glue to put the "preformed leather" on the form. By doing this in two steps, you won't have a moisture issue with the moisture not letting the leather have a good bond to the rod handle form.

This method is commonly used for many different types of leather work.

Roger

Mark,
In addtion, another way to make a nice leather grip is to use a continuous strip of leather to create the grip. i.e. take a pice of leather strip, say 1/2 inch wide. Wet the leather, and then starting at one end of the handle stretch and wrap the strap the leather around the handle forming the handle in the very same way that you would put cork tape on a Surf rod. When done well, this makes a great looking handle.
Again, after drying, remove the tape and leather, coat the handle and put back on for the final fit and fnish. Obviously trim the ends of the leather strap in an manner analogus to the way that you would trim the ends of a cork strip when wrapping a surf rod.

Roger

Roger thanks for the up date trick

Good Wraps Bob