Cold Steel Hand & A Half Grip Re-Wrap
Jan 18, 2022 18:40:59 GMT
Post by vorpal on Jan 18, 2022 18:40:59 GMT
Greetings,
The Cold Steel Hand & A Half was the first decent Euro sword I bought. It's a very good cutter for the money.
However, I hated the grip. I hated the wide risers, and I could no longer stand the feel of it's sewn seam. So I decided to try my first re-grip. The results were surprisingly good. Read on if you would like to know how I did it.
Supplies
Leather - Goat-Skin - Veg-Tanned - 1mm thick or less
www.brettunsvillage.com/leather/vegetable-tanned-leather-hides/vegetable-tanned-goat-hides/
Riser Cord - 3mm Round
Underwrap cord - 1mm Waxed Cotton Macrame Cord
Overwrap Cord - 1mm - Cotton cord
Wood filler + Gorilla wood Glue
Glue - Gorilla Clear Glue
Resolene
Skiving Tool
Exacto Knife Set
The Before - 4 Risers and a Sewn Seam
My first surprise came when I cut the sewn seam and removed the stock leather - wood risers!
Apparently, the risers were grooved in when the grip was lathed.
There was also a ~3 inch crack in the wood that had not been noticeable before and had not impeded function. I filled this with wood glue.
I always thought the grip was too thick anyway, so I sanded everything down, an filled in low spots with wood filler.
Next, I added 2 risers each about 4 mm from the crossguard and pommel. I decided to forgo a central riser(s) on this sword.
Underwrap
Next, I brushed a light layer of wood glue on to the grip. Then I wound on the 1mm underwrap.
Preparing The Leather
After measuring grip circumference with a tape measure, I cut the leather to match.
Next, and very important - I skived all 4 edges with a skiving tool. Getting the edges as thin as possible leaves less seam edge, and makes it easier to wedge the leather into each end joint of the grip where the grip meets the pommel and grip. This skiving step can take a while if done correctly, but the results are absolutely worth it.
The leather should be damped with warm water and patted dry before application. At this point, I also opted to apply an initial first dye to the leather before glueing.
Apply The Leather
Next, I applied a mixed of 75% wood glue and 25% water to the grip. I then applied the clear Gorilla glue in 1/2 inch strip to each edge of the leather.
Now the messy part, I pressed the lead edge on to the grip and allowed it adhere a bit before continuing to wrap it around the wood core. Many small adjustments were needed to get the alignment right.
When satisfied with the leather position, I wrapped the grip moderately tightly with the cotton cord. Finally I used an Exacto knife to trim the leather overage at the pommel and crossguard
End Result
After 24 hours I unwrapped and found this
:
To finish, I applied 2 coats of Resolene about 4 hours apart to seal the finish and voila - a much more tactile, somewhat less bulky grip:
The Cold Steel Hand & A Half was the first decent Euro sword I bought. It's a very good cutter for the money.
However, I hated the grip. I hated the wide risers, and I could no longer stand the feel of it's sewn seam. So I decided to try my first re-grip. The results were surprisingly good. Read on if you would like to know how I did it.
Supplies
Leather - Goat-Skin - Veg-Tanned - 1mm thick or less
www.brettunsvillage.com/leather/vegetable-tanned-leather-hides/vegetable-tanned-goat-hides/
Riser Cord - 3mm Round
Underwrap cord - 1mm Waxed Cotton Macrame Cord
Overwrap Cord - 1mm - Cotton cord
Wood filler + Gorilla wood Glue
Glue - Gorilla Clear Glue
Resolene
Skiving Tool
Exacto Knife Set
The Before - 4 Risers and a Sewn Seam
My first surprise came when I cut the sewn seam and removed the stock leather - wood risers!
Apparently, the risers were grooved in when the grip was lathed.
There was also a ~3 inch crack in the wood that had not been noticeable before and had not impeded function. I filled this with wood glue.
I always thought the grip was too thick anyway, so I sanded everything down, an filled in low spots with wood filler.
Next, I added 2 risers each about 4 mm from the crossguard and pommel. I decided to forgo a central riser(s) on this sword.
UnderwrapNext, I brushed a light layer of wood glue on to the grip. Then I wound on the 1mm underwrap.
Preparing The Leather
After measuring grip circumference with a tape measure, I cut the leather to match.
Next, and very important - I skived all 4 edges with a skiving tool. Getting the edges as thin as possible leaves less seam edge, and makes it easier to wedge the leather into each end joint of the grip where the grip meets the pommel and grip. This skiving step can take a while if done correctly, but the results are absolutely worth it.
The leather should be damped with warm water and patted dry before application. At this point, I also opted to apply an initial first dye to the leather before glueing.
Apply The Leather
Next, I applied a mixed of 75% wood glue and 25% water to the grip. I then applied the clear Gorilla glue in 1/2 inch strip to each edge of the leather.
Now the messy part, I pressed the lead edge on to the grip and allowed it adhere a bit before continuing to wrap it around the wood core. Many small adjustments were needed to get the alignment right.
When satisfied with the leather position, I wrapped the grip moderately tightly with the cotton cord. Finally I used an Exacto knife to trim the leather overage at the pommel and crossguard
End Result
After 24 hours I unwrapped and found this
:To finish, I applied 2 coats of Resolene about 4 hours apart to seal the finish and voila - a much more tactile, somewhat less bulky grip:
Attachments:
