Our clever customers find all kinds of unique DIY uses for our old-fashioned leather wraps! This post shows the different wrap styles and dimensions so you can DIY the perfect leather-wrapped handle, railing, bar rail, bannister, appliance, tool, door, and more!
Table of Contents
Summary
We're Walnut Studiolo, a family-run leather company on the Oregon Coast. We make several styles of leather wraps that can be used as DIY kits on just about any kind of bar, rail, or handle. We're best-known for our highest quality leather, which weathers well (indoors or out!) and gains a beautiful patina with time and use.
In this post, we go through the pros and cons of three different styles of leather wrap -- Coiled, Sew-on, and Braided -- and share customer project photos of each. Then, we'll explain more about our leather, what its properties are, what colors we make, which styles are ready-to-purchase and which have to be custom-made.
Leather Wrap Styles
Walnut Studiolo makes several styles of leather wrap:
- Coiled
- Sew-on
- Braided
Each style has pros and cons:
1. Coiled Leather Wraps
Coiled Bar Wraps are our go-to wrap for just about every custom project! They are the most flexible, versatile, and easy to install.
They can wrap around any sized or shaped bar, by simply coiling them around in circles.
Our unique leather uses water to make the leather flexible during installation, so it can handle tight curves and corners. When it dries, it hardens and shrinks into place. No adhesives or tape are required, except to hold the ends in place.
We have two different coiled leather wrap kits, which are somewhat similar. Both are 1.25" wide straps, but they have some differences:
- The Coil Leather Handlebars Kit comes as two straps, 72" long, which is the right length for wrapping a typical bicycle drop bar. This is enough to wrap approximately 44" total with a 1" diameter and a 1/8" overlap (may be more or less depending on how tightly it's wound around the bar and what the bar diameter is).
- The Oswego Leather Wrap Kit comes as a kit with one strap that is a minimum guaranteed 80" long - but may be longer. We cherry-pick these from the center of the hide, which can be anywhere up to 100" long. This is enough to wrap a 1" diameter bar (3.14" circumference) for a 30" length (with 1/8" overlap). We worked with a PhD in Mathemathics to come up with a calculator tool you can use to estimate how many kits are needed for your project!
Customer Projects Using Coiled Leather Wraps
These are some pictures and stories from our customers who used our coiled leather bar wraps on DIY projects.
Leather Wraps for Sports Equipment
Customer Tate used the Coil Leather Bar Wraps to wrap high-end croquet mallets. They are equally great for any sports equipment handles that have historically been wrapped in leather, like tennis rackets.
Coiled Leather Wraps on Car Steering Wheels
Customer Eric used our Coil Leather Bar Wraps to customize his car steering wheel. He plans to finish the ends by "whip-tying" it with waxed thread. He wrapped just the top portion of this wheel and said there was enough left over from an order to wrap another wheel the same way.
Coiled Leather Handle Wraps on Apartment and Commercial Front Doors
An architecture firm in Houston chose our Coil Bar Wraps to wrap around their exterior commercial door handle. This photo shows the rich patina that develops on veg-tan leather with the touch of hands.
2. Sew-on Leather Wraps
Sew-on leather wraps are perfect for a smooth, clean finish, especially if the surface underneath is also smooth. However, the design of each one is pretty specific to the project, so they are not versatile and generally only for a straight bar (non-tapering = constant diameter).
Our Bicycle Handlebar Sew-on Bar Wraps kit is designed to fit a pair of drop bars. They come as two wraps 22" long, suited for standard 1" diameter (25.4mm), plus or minus 1/8". They purposefully use a thinner leather so they can stretch easily and wrap smoothly around curves. We also make City Grips and Bare Knuckle Grips. These are sew-on leather wraps good for short spans with a 7/8" diameter (plus or minus 1/16"). One order of these wraps comes as 2 grips that are each 5.5" long. The leather is extra-thick for cushioning, but it cannot bend around curves.Our Portage Strap also shows our versatility in sew-on wrap design.
Sew-on wraps for DIY projects almost always need to be custom-made. Each one has to be designed to the exact measurements provided by the customer for the circumference x length. If the bar tapers in diameter, it can be extra-challenging to fabricate and requires precise measurements from the customer. It may require the customer to ship the item to our workshop for in-person measurements.
Customer Projects Using Sew-on Leather Wraps
These are some pictures and stories from our customers who used our sew-on leather bar wraps on DIY projects.
Leather Stroller Handle Wrap
Grandpa Larry commissioned us to make and install a perfect-sized Sew-on Wrap in Honey for his daughter's and first grandbaby's new stroller handle.
The handle was covered in a sticky, rubbery foam that they wanted to keep for cushioning, which made measurement challenging. The leather is sewn on top of the foam. Grandpa Larry sent us just the stroller handle for us to measure and install in the workshop.
Vintage Leather Emergency Brake Grip
Customer Pablo used our City Grip in Dark Brown on the emergency brake of his 1967 Karmann Ghia Cabriolet.
3. Braided Leather Wraps
The most challenging to install but definitely the most beautiful, our braided leather bar wraps are eye-catching, and provide the most cushion.
We have used two styles of braids for bicycle handlebars: a 2-plait and a 4-plait. We have also experimented with a greater number of plaits, which is not for the faint of heart! The less plaits, the easier it is to learn how to braid.
We retired the 2-plait braid product listing for bicycle handlebars many years ago, but it is the most forgiving braid style to learn. It's kind of like a more elaborate Coiled Wrap, coiled in two alternating directions. It is highly adaptable for long lengths and variable widths like the Coil Wraps - but it has a little more visual interest from the braid. If used with two colors, it can make a harlequin pattern. We can make these upon request.
We continue to stock and sell the "Bullwhip" 4-plait design for bicycle handlebars. The ready-to-go Bullwhip Braided Bar Wrap was designed for a 1" bar with a sew-on section mid-way through to go under the brake hoods. The sew-on section anchors the straps down and makes the braiding section shorter, too.
For most projects, we would need to customize the braid strap widths and lengths. Customizing this wrap is challenging but rewarding. Ask us about braiding options!
Customer Projects Using Braided Leather Wraps
These are some pictures and stories from our customers who used our braided leather bar wraps on DIY projects.
Leather Wrapped Handrails & Bar Service Rails
An upscale Tex-Mex restaurant chose our 2-plait Braided Bar Wraps style in Honey to cover their service bar rail. (They also custom-commissioned these gorgeous drink tray panniers!).
4-Plait Braided Leather Top Tube Cover
This customer commissioned a custom set of Bullwhip Leather Bar Wraps without the sew-on section, to be used as a top tube protector. He anchored it on both sides with electrical tape and covered up the tape with an old-fashioned whip-tie technique, using our white waxed thread.
Braided Leather Wheelchair Grips and Impact Guards
Wheelchair athlete Max Woodbury used our Braided Bar Wraps in black as impact guards and grips on his everyday wheelchair.
Two-Color Harlequin Pattern Leather Braided Handlebar
We installed this bicolor black-and-brown 2-plait braided leather bar wrap on a beautiful custom commercial delivery bicycle for a Portland chai tea company, Dragonfly Chai.
About Our Leather Wraps
All of our leather wraps have these important things in common:
- Can be cut short to length using scissors or an exacto blade.
- Are made of only the highest-quality leather: American full grain vegetable-tanned. This is the most sustainable and long-lasting choice (the way it used to be!).
- Gain a patina with age and use. Just like equestrian gear, the more it's handled, the better!
- Get "grippier" when wet
- Insulate from heat and cold
- Can be installed indoors or outdoors
- Are hand-dyed the old-fashioned way in four colors (it's gorgeous!)
- Have installation how-to videos on each product page, Vimeo, and YouTube, so you can see how it's done step-by-step.
- Will last a lifetime - can be un-wrapped and re-wrapped to keep the patina you've earned.
- Can have the ends finished with DIY leather "cuffs", electrical tape, or "whip-tying" waxed thread or twine with shellac.
Ready-to-Ship Leather Wraps
Leather Wrap Kits
Our Oswego Leather Wrap Kit was designed for versatile projects in mind. The coil design is flexible and forgiving, and they are in-stock and ready-to-go in all four colors!
Our blog post on wrapping handrails tells you how to use multiple Oswego kits to wrap any size or length by connecting two or more together using our Extra Staples.
DIY Leather Wraps with Repurposed Bicycle Bar Wraps
Originally designed for bicycle handlebars, these wraps are ready off-the shelf for all kinds of creative projects.
Not sure where to start? Our bicycle wraps infographic post is a great place to start - the guidelines as just as relevant in choosing the right bar wrap for your DIY project, guided on size and dimension.
Leather Wrap Colors
Our high-quality American tooling leather is hand-rubbed with oil dye. This is a vanishing skill and we think it's what makes our products special. This is akin to wood stain rather than paint in woodworking. It allows the natural grain and character of the leather to shine through.
We keep four standard colors: Honey, Dark Brown, Black and sometimes Natural (undyed - always available upon request).
Custom colors in earth tones may be available upon request. Read this post to learn more or ask us for more info!
Sew-on wraps come with waxed sailmakers thread suitable for outdoor use in a choice of natural colors: White, Dark Brown, or Black.
Other American-made colored thread choices are commercially available for purchase. Learn more about other thread colors!
Last Thoughts
Leftover wraps are great for tennis rackets, wheelbarrow handles, rakes, hammers, bicycle chainstay guards, gardening tools, axe handles, or brooms.
We know leather! We provide a variety of leather wrap styles in our unmatched, vintage-quality full grain leather.
Ask us if you have any questions about your project! We offer Free Design Advice on our products, and can do Custom Work.
Valerie
August 29, 2024
Great question, @Aaron! The picture here shows that the chair has feet: to prevent hardwood scratches from feet, we recommend using standard felt pads on your chair feet. These are cheap and widely available at hardware stores. If, however, the feet were removed and it’s the rail that’s contacting the floor, then we’d recommend either our Oswego Wrap or a custom sew-on tailored to the diameter of the rail. The coils on the Oswego Wrap would add a bit more friction, but a sew-on wrap with the stitching on the top side would have a smooth surface for easier sliding. Hope this helps, thanks for asking! -Walnut