DIY "Custom" Leather Grip for Wilson 8862

[James the Hogan Fan]

 

I wanted to share a little project from today. I have always liked the Wilson 8802 headshape, but I have never happened to have one. I missed out on the recent (beautiful) release, and wasn't too keen on searching for older models. When local Craigslist had this 8862 available for $35, I had to swoop it up.

There was one small issue, the grip was not the best I've ever seen:

Now normally I'd just play it. There was some tackiness left and I've played worse. But since I needed to shorten it to my preferred 33" anyway, I thought I could do something special instead.

First things first, I carefully peeled off the 'skin' of the grip from the underlisting. Now this wouldn't work on something like a regular golfpride, but this being a winn AVS grip, I knew a rubber profile would be under the synthetic surface layer.

I then removed this underlisting, as carefully as I could. I wound up slitting it removing the skin, so the tape in the picture is holding the slit together. It won't matter much once its back on the club.

My local tennis shop has this leather tennis grip for $20 or so. Yes it's a bit pricey but I don't mind for this project. After cutting down the shaft, I put the underlisting back on the club and commenced to wrapping:

I had to restart a couple of times to manage the bulge created by the split (until there wasn't a bulge anymore) and to line up the logo how I wanted it on the face of the grip. I then tucked the tape in under the rubber at each end and taped off the bottom.

The finished product:

I wound up with a firm feeling pistol grip with minimal taper down the sides (the original was more pronounced). I tweaked it to sit a hair open to suit my stroke and alignment and it's almost ready for play. The grip weighs a bit more than it used to and combined with cutting down the shaft means I need to add some weight to the head. (lead tape) Once I dial that in this putter is ready for the course.

I think its too bad the leather grip has fallen out of style, especially when Wilson literally sells leather grip tape for their tennis rackets. I personally love the longevity. I expect this grip to be in play for multiple years.

[BIG STU]

You did an outstanding job there my friend

[seis]

Looks fantastic!

[James the Hogan Fan]

Thanks stu, means a lot. I was really happy to get Wilson leather, it really completes the club.

You been playing any?

[dbdors]

That is really cool!

[James the Hogan Fan]

 

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[bazinoz]

Great looking job. Love a leather grip on a putter.

[BIG STU]

I can't play right now.I got in a serious accident April 28 cracked my left scapula and cracked and compressed the L2 Vertebrae in my back. Doing therapy on my shoulder right now perhaps the back on the 15th of this month. May be in action maybe the beginning of September

[coops]

Beautiful - and clever choice to use Wilson leather tennis wrap for the matching logo... very nice.

 

I'll just highly recommend the method you've used - all those plasticky Winn type grip covers can be slit at the visible seam with a Stanley knife etc and ripped off and replaced with lovely leather or a cloth wrap even ("Newbaum's Cloth Tape") - a good option is to look at Bicyle handlebar tape for options.

Dipell brand leather tape is excellent - Leather Grip Tape for Handlebars, Hockey Sticks & Tennis Rackets | DiPell

I'd replaced the Superstroke grip outer with Dipell leather tape - that Superstroke stuff rots like h@ll here in Thailand... also you can finish with Twine and shellac to cover the electrical tape finish to prevent any gooey leakage or that tape coming loose. I also added a couple layers of hockey tape over the underlast first, to build the thickness back up as the leather wrap is a bit thinner than the original plastic stuff.original_twineforsite(2)(1).pdfhttps://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzehUKAztnO8MzEwYWZiYjItY2NlNC00MWM3LWI0ODItZmY5MzBmMDJkMjU2/view

 

Here's my way, way uglier putter - so weird I kind of like it now... and never thought i'd ended up using one.

 

Get all the feel and long life of leather with your favourite grip shape/size whatever it may be.

 

[kmay__]

Nice job, really like that.

[dbdors]

I was wondering if the same could be done with a super stroke? Can you share some close up pictures?

[coops]

Easy to rip off the Superstroke outer layer and replace with leather...