DIY Leather Grips

[Kjong3545]

I remember seeing a Euphonium player who did this a while back, but has anyone made leather covers for their horn (neck and grip points to minimize skin contact and degradation of lacquer)? I was thinking about trying to make some for my own (I also need one for an old wooden case handle that is scratching up my hand whenever I take the case anywhere.)

If anyone has done this, any advice? It seems like a relatively low risk project that could be a fun venture.

[BGuttman]

Fun venture? Possibly. Leather Specialties has been selling these things for years.

[boneagain]

"ordinary" leather can actually trap moisture against the lacquer.
Some of the techs here can tell you what happens then, and it ain't pretty. Kinda the opposite of "minimizing the degradation of the lacquer."

Leather Specialties does NOT use "ordinary" leather.

[GabrielRice]

"ordinary" leather can actually trap moisture against the lacquer.
Some of the techs here can tell you what happens then, and it ain't pretty. Kinda the opposite of "minimizing the degradation of the lacquer."

Leather Specialties does NOT use "ordinary" leather.

That's correct. Leather Specialties - and Griego, who also makes leather grips and neckpipe covers - sew together multiple layers of leather and other materials, for actual protection against moisture.

In other words, just a layer of leather will do more harm than good.

[Bach5G]

The phrase “reinventing the wheel” comes to mind.

[Kjong3545]

Fun venture? Possibly. Leather Specialties has been selling these things for years.

Oh obviously I’m well aware that plenty of companies make them. Honestly more than an explicit need for them I just wanted to try a fun side project, but others in this thread have made a very good point, if the materials alone make it non-functional, it’s not worth the time. Still might try and reline my case handle though.

[Posaunus]

Not sure about lacquer damage, but for a while I used leather mouthpiece pouches that soon tarnished the silver plating on the mouthpieces. [Sulfur compounds in the tanned leather? ] Whose brilliant idea was that? Those pouches were given away or used only for gold-plated or plastic mouthpieces.

[LeTromboniste]

It's a good idea if your goal is to "skeletonise" your slide grip , otherwise I would avoid. Even with the specially made ones I noticed more oxydation than when I didn't use the leather covers, despite the moisture-wicking layers. A friend had a homemade one out of only leather. When he took it off there was a very thick green crust of copper oxide underneath...