It took me a while to learn how to do this and make it look as good as the man that showed me. J.D. Jones (aka Horseapple). He has done several tuts at mojam and ojam on this, but I just had a hard time learning it. I am gonna explain it here, so bare with me.
I've found that a good weight latigo works best for most handles,but anything will work as long as it is fairly thick.Also the type of handle on your bow matters a good deal. This type wrap works best with a more rounded handle,you can have a little bit of boulbus but not much.I've never tried it on..say a Howard hill type handle so not sure how well that works.
I cut a piece of good weight leather,1" wide. Make a sharp clean cut. On most 4" handle it will take a 17-20" piece so cut according.This is a piece of tanned elk hide.
Next make a tapered cut for the start of your wrap.
I then dry fit it around the handle to get my length.
Be sure and overlap the wrap as you go around the handle. This is the way it should look.Mark the finish end where you wish to end the wrap.
Cut the marked end so that it is an opposite cut from the first one you made. The wrap should look like this.
Again, do a dry fit run to make sure your cuts and length are close. Adjust if necessary.
The next part is what I think is the most important and the hardest to achieve. This is also were a good belt sander is needed. I use a belt dresser to sand the edges of the wrap,The dresser has to be tilted so that a knife edge is acheived.
This is about the proper angle.
I tried to get a clear pic of what the edges need to look like to get a good clean wrap, but failed in every attempt. The object is to feather all edges of the wrap,The cleaner the edge, the better the wrap will lay down and look. Just use the edge of the dresser and apply enough pressure to remove the leather on angle. Sorry this is alot easier to show,than it is to explain.I can't stress the "knife edge enough. It takes a good bit of practice, so you might want to do some test runs first. It also pays to be ambidextrious here,( you'll see why)
This is what the back side of your wrap should look like.The edges are feathered, but the middle is still full thickness.
Another dry fit run.Looks ok. Ready for glue.
I use barge ,(contact cement)on this wrap, Give it a good coat and also some around the handle, and let both pieces dry.You will want them dry because that will allow you to give the wrap a good pull as you are wrapping it around the handle.
Now just start your wrap as you did during the dry fit and begin pulling it around,being sure to barely overlap as you go. You will soon learn the importance of the knife edge I spoke of. Sorry here again for not having a pic of me wrapping, but you should get the piture?
This is what it should look like.
Next I always apply some sort of leather dressing over the wrap.I use Montanas picth blend,give it a good liberal coat and then burnish the grooves in with a deer antler.
Here is the finished wrap ready to go,
If you have some leather that you wish to dye a different color, be sure and do it after you feather your edges, and make sure to get the edges are dyed well. The dye will also leach out some on you hands later, so be mindful.
I'll try to field any and all questions.
