First time working with leather and probably the last. Thought I would just share my efforts at leather wrapping bottle cages. My cages and bottles were both metal so there was lots on rattling, which was very annoying, so I bought some leather, thread and needles. My fingers ache and leather is the hardest thing I have ever sewn but I'm pretty happy with the results.


Bottles Before leather.

Pretty good first effort. I can only imaging what sort of mess I would have made trying the same upgrade. Congratulations on the start of a new skill.

Yeah. Not bad Aidan for a first try. For what it's worth...having hand-stitched a lot of leather..that thin, soft stuff is some of the hardest to work with. It can help to pre-punch holes with a stitching chisel, or, have a stitching awl in one hand and punch as you go, using a tighter stitch pattern. But that's neither here nor there and I realize you didn't post this looking for unsolicited advice. I solved my metal bottle rattle problem by wrapping the bottles themselves with color coordinated plastic tape. Two bands, several layers of tape each. Doesn't look quite as custom but works OK and is replaceable.

I punched holes in them but they were small and I couldn't find them when sewing, they still work though..

Yeah. That's the problem with pre-punched holes in that kind of leather. It seals up! Just ruminating on how I'd do this if I were to try it...I think I'd apply some cement to the leather, stretch and squeeze it together as I went around the frame, burnish the joint where the two pieces of leather join, with a plastic "bone folder", then run along the join with a stitching awl and needle and thread. Trim the excess with a very sharp knife, perhaps the hardest part! Again, not critiquing, just ruminating. Neat idea and project, Aidan.

Way to go!

Next time- Thimble!

It would be easier to wrap the bottles. I wrap my metal bottles with cloth bar tape--no more rattles and it looks cool.

Next, wrap your brake levers