Photos: How to Wrap a Japanese-Style Handle

Wally Hayes

2 years ago

The finished wrap should look like this.

Japanese Style Knife Handle Wrap — The finished wrap should look like this.

ABS master smith Wally Hayes details each step in this photo series. This demonstration wraps over a ray skin handle.

Step 1: Lay the middle of the silk wrap across the handle, overhanging the ray skin a little bit.

Step 2: Start by folding the wrap a half turn down. The trick is to fold the wrap, not twist it.

Step 3: Fold the wrap a half turn up.

Step 4: Fold the wrap a half turn down, being sure to always turn the half-turned-down part into the handle side.

Step 5: Fold the wrap a half turn up and lay it across the handle. Reach around the back of the handle and pull the ends of the wrap tight.

Step 6: Start again on the right-hand side of the handle. Fold the wrap a half turn down.

Step 7: Fold the wrap a half turn up.

Step 8: Fold the wrap a half turn down and then a half turn up, lay it over the right side and grip it. Adjust your grip, pull the ends of the wrap tight and re-grip. The wraps will lock into each other. Keep the folds and crossover section in the middle of the handle. Pull both ends tight.

Step 9: Continue wrapping down the handle. The first wrap on each side is left over right. As you continue down the handle, alternate left over right, then right over left.

Step 10: Once you get to the handle butt, feed the wrap through the lanyard hole.

Step 11: Feed the wrap through the lanyard hole until you cover the entire butt.

Step 12: Hold both ends of the wrap and apply a drop of Crazy Glue® to freeze the wrap in place.

Step 13: Turn the knife over and clamp the blade to a table. Cut off the ends of the wrap with an exacto blade.

Step 14: Being careful not to get it on the ray skin, apply epoxy to the wrap with a small paintbrush.

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