Tips for making leather hand guards

[Three Valves]

The Velcro would work but the corset-like stitching is sexier!!

[tokuno]

I like the 3M headliner adhesive idea.
I have used the leather as a stencil to cut a matching swatch of Pacific silver cloth, and then just held leather and cloth together during the lacing, but that's a bit cumbersome.

I prefer the feel and strength of leather, and was concerned about the tannins, but I've been wrapping my horns for over 3 decades, and as long as the leather is lined with cloth, I haven't seen any effect on the silver upon removing the wrap. The one time I didn't add a cloth layer, the wrap moderately tarnished the silver. Polished right up, but nevertheless, I've always used a cloth protector since.

I roll the leather at the edges and punch through both layers. This adds reinforcement to the hole and makes a tidy edge.
I've tried using leather lace, but I prefer the results using plasticy lanyard lace (it's strong, lies flat, and is just elastic enough to make it easy to work with).

I like the look of closed edges, so to get a precise fit, I take numerous incremental measurements around the bow, and transfer the measurements to a paper template. It makes a very irregular shape. Once I've confirmed the template sizing around the bow, I add a margin for the folded-over edge.

Between the iPhone camera and the baritone's tight angles, it's a little hard to see, but shows the mating, rolled edges:

IMG_0832r.jpg

[Bandmaster]

Won't the eyelets scratch the new lacquer?

I made this protector for my Sanders Custom (Miraphone 191 clone) 10 years ago. I sold the horn to a friend who plays in a band with me and the protector is still working fine today. It is made of quality naugahyde with a felt backing. Cotton shoe laces tie it onto the thumb ring and close the seam in the back. The only place the lacquer still looks good on that horn today is under the protector.

[Bandmaster]

Won't the eyelets scratch the new lacquer?

That's a good question, and I thought of that, but the eyelets are flat and smooth, so I don't think it's an issue. . But like I said, I consider the eyelets to be optional anyway. . If you use a good grade if leather, the lace will tear before the guard will

I'm not so sure, if you look at the photo, the tension on the string causes the eyelets to turn on their sides and not lay flat, which could cause them to dig into the lacquer.

[tclements]

I did not read the OP really closely but I would caution using leather without SOME kind of backing. ONCE, I had a leather maker put a really NICE leather wrap on the horn. Without really knowing any better, the tannic acid in the leather actually ate the lacquer and marred the brass. Be careful.

[IOS]

Once you have the leather cut to size and the velco strips installed on the edges (I prefer this to laces because of the easy removal of the guard when I flush my instrument), put an adhesive backed felt on the underneath side of the guard. This has the advantage of providing a cushion and serves a barrier to the tannic acid in the leather. With the adhesive backed felt you have a urethane barrier that the adhesive is applied to as well as the felt itself to prevent migration of the tannic acid.

One source of the felt is

http://www.mcmaster.com/#catalog/121/3542/=vqmjr2" target="_blank

[elihellsten]

One of my old teachers (a pro musician) used tape that is normally used for tennis rackets and such. Worked like a charm! Something like this:

[DouglasJB]

Once I get my F back, this is something I want to do on it