What weight leather for bow grips?

Don Armstrong · February 03, 2012, 11:27:00 PM

I want to get enough good leather or goat skin for four grips. What weight should I get and is goat better than leather. Thanks, Don

jsweka · February 04, 2012, 07:07:00 AM

Anything will work, but you probably don't want to go too thick or you'll have a tough time stretching it to conform nicely to a grip with any sort of dished or locator type profile. I'd stay on the thinner side just for ease of working with it.

PEARL DRUMS · February 04, 2012, 07:52:00 AM

FREE leather is my favorite! I will use whatever fits the particular bow Im working on. Thickness of leather can make a thin handled bow feel just right, and vice-versa.

Bowjunkie · February 04, 2012, 08:36:00 AM

I use only deer leather... unless I get fancy and use beavertail, snapper skin or something. Deer leather is very stretchy, strong, just the right thickness, and comes in a multitude of colors.

Dimondback · February 05, 2012, 12:52:00 PM

I use vegetable tanned leather in the 4-5oz range. This allows it to be thick enough for tooling but does not increase the size of the grip all that much.

coaster500 · February 07, 2012, 11:54:00 AM

Like Chris free or cheap works great. I did one bow with pigskin that was so thin it felt elastic. I wrapped the handle with cordage and stretched and stiched the skin over it. It made a cool pattern (from the braid of the cord) and feels real good in the hand. The Pig Skin and cord was recycled

Eric Krewson · February 07, 2012, 12:58:00 PM

To answer your question; My vote would go with 1 to 2 oz leather. Stretchy, easy to work and lets you fold over the ends for a nice finished look

Roy from Pa · February 07, 2012, 01:24:00 PM

Tanned deer hide is the best.

Cuban Missile · February 08, 2012, 10:31:00 AM

Go to the thrift store an buy a coat or a leather skirt. Always works for me.

Roy from Pa · February 08, 2012, 01:00:00 PM

Geeze Cuban Missile, ya wearing skirts now? LOL

TroutGuide · February 08, 2012, 01:09:00 PM

Pig skin makes me wonder if anyone has done a football leather grip. Textured already. I have an old ball in the garage that will be used for this at some point in the future. Now I just need to get a good bow finished.

coaster500 · February 08, 2012, 01:31:00 PM

Brian I think an old football would work great. It would probably form around a contoured handle very nice... post a picture when you do it