Handlebar tape/cloth

[Yellow Saddle]

Here is an old one, a little worn. Shiny when first applied but dulls after a while. I only had clear shellac on this but Amber would have browned the red tape and garnet would have made it more like claret. This is regular cloth over cheap psuedo Cork tape to give a little padding. The shellac glued down the twining finish so it won't move around. The shellacked tape is smooth and hard when dry, pretty much water/sweat proof. Cotton bar tape once shellacked can last for years. If I weren't using moustache bars on this bike, I'd slop another coat on before using just because.

Thanks.

 

[Old jon]

Here is an old one, a little worn. Shiny when first applied but dulls after a while. I only had clear shellac on this but Amber would have browned the red tape and garnet would have made it more like claret. This is regular cloth over cheap psuedo Cork tape to give a little padding. The shellac glued down the twining finish so it won't move around. The shellacked tape is smooth and hard when dry, pretty much water/sweat proof. Cotton bar tape once shellacked can last for years. If I weren't using moustache bars on this bike, I'd slop another coat on before using just because.

Hmmm, only about shellac, my instrument maker recently sent me this description of the stuff:--

Shellac isn't heated up (in fact, since it's dissolved in alcohol, that could go horribly wrong!). Shellac is the secretions of the Lac bug from India, Thailand and a few other countries. It's a very traditional finish for instruments and I find it works well due to how thin you can put it on (strong but not sound-dampening!), as well as match it up for repairs etc. I mix up my own shellac using flakes and methylated spirits. The type I use is blonde dewaxed - It's had a lot but not all of the original dark colour removed, leaving a pale, almost clear 'blonde' finish to show the wood, and has also had the wax removed.

Sounds as if you can make it the depth of colour you wish. In England anyway.

 

[12boy]

I get mine in a can, made by Zinser, a pint for $10 or 7.60 in lbs. I've read about the dry stuff which I understand you mix up for each use and pitch the excess, but I am too lazy. I have no idea what kind of dye could be introduced if you wanted blue or green, for example.

 

[Windhover]

I've just finished wrapping my bars with cloth tape. I'm trying to keep period correct mid 70.s unfortunatly the bars are scraped ( see pic) I'm wanting to keep the look even and clean would it look out of period with finishing tape over the scratch or is there any other ideas

Not sure this helps but I used a shellac finish to my tapes which gave a period finish turning the yellow tape a deep brown with a smooth finish which also covered the junction with the alloy bars neatly.

 

[midlife]

I used shellac to make moulding trays back in the 70's.... I never, never, never want to see shellac again.