Cotton bar tape question

[dirttorpedo]

The shellac really mutes the tape and gives it a very organic look - many of the examples I've seen look great with Honey and Brown leather saddles. I'd imagine they would keep the tape looking cleaner over time and function better than leather in wet conditions (I live in a very rainy area). What is it like to remove when worn out?

 

[cycletothesea]

Love a bit of shellac and twine.

 

[cycletothesea]

Love a bit of shellac and twine.

 

[averagebiker]

Has anyone tried using yacht varnish instead of shellac?

 

[cycletothesea]

Has anyone tried using yacht varnish instead of shellac?

No, but I'm guessing that clear varnish would be a bit more hard and glossy, and in wet weather your hands would slide on it. Shellac 'embeds' into the cotton better I think.

 

[averagebiker]

No, but I'm guessing that clear varnish would be a bit more hard and glossy, and in wet weather your hands would slide on it. Shellac 'embeds' into the cotton better I think.

I suppose it would all depend on how thick or "thinned" the varnish was and how many coats were applied. I may have a little play/experiment. I had a nice fishing rod as a kid in the eighties that had the ring whippings protected by varnish that must have been quite thin as it protected the thread but added virtually no weight and was barely visible.

 

[dirttorpedo]

So i started varnishing two layers of newbaum's red tape on my ellis briggs with a home mixed 1oz shellac: 1 cup solvent mix. Five coats in and its hardening, but not getting that varnished look. I've mixed up another batch at 2 oz shellac: 1 cup solvent and will apply a couple more coats at that strength when its finished dissolving in a couple of days. I've got some very blond shellac and the tape colour is mostly preserved so far.

 

[Nabeaquam]

I use wine bottle corks in the end. I wrap the old fashioned way, from the stem to the plugs. It will not unwrap if you use a sealer. If you dont use a sealer your cloth tape will get nasty the first time you have to fix a flat or put a thrown chain back on. I use a very thin coat of quick drying epoxy as a sealer. Then another light coat. The light coat prevents the epoxy from soaking into the bars. You can use more coats. It can be lightly sanded if you want to. You can remove it with a box cutter and peel it.
Champaign bottle corks.

 

[Mickeyspinn]

I use wine bottle corks in the end. I wrap the old fashioned way, from the stem to the plugs. It will not unwrap if you use a sealer. If you dont use a sealer your cloth tape will get nasty the first time you have to fix a flat or put a thrown chain back on. I use a very thin coat of quick drying epoxy as a sealer. Then another light coat. The light coat prevents the epoxy from soaking into the bars. You can use more coats. It can be lightly sanded if you want to. You can remove it with a box cutter and peel it.View attachment 621587
Champaign bottle corks.
View attachment 621588View attachment 621589View attachment 621592View attachment 621590

See your woodrims are spoked up
You have fine taste in bikes!

 

[sam_white]

Yellow tape with brown shellac, twine and cork on my Raleigh Stowaway