If I have a dagger grip that is smooth leather and wanted to do a cord over-wrap to give the leather texture like an Albion grip, would that work? Would I just dampen it slightly and wrap it?

Chad,

In theory, you could just dampen the leather, wrap it in cord and let it dry, as you suggest. That said, some makers use glue on their grip wraps. Warm water will cause hide glue to loosen, and some glues are just generally water soluble. As a result, a glued on grip should probably be wrapped in cord (to ensure the leather can't move), moistened, and then over-wrapped again (to be tighter and press the texture into the leather). If the grip leather is stitched, this becomes less of a concern. If a hard glue (like super-glue/cyanoacrylate) is used, you might not be able to get enough compression in those spots to make it work. Also, some leathers will take the imprint better based on how they were tanned (I don't think you'll get good results with a chrome-tanned leather) and/or finished (some oils can break down the structure of the leather slightly and make it less likely to hold imprinting).

If it were my project, I would try to do a couple wraps at the top or the bottom of the grip. If it doesn't work as desired, it is not as obvious as an attempt in the middle (and might be passable as a decoration of sorts even if it doesn't turn out). If it does work, then it should blend in easily when you go back and do the rest of the grip. That said, if the dagger was made by someone you can contact, you might be able to avoid some of the guess work by asking them about the leather and process that they use.

Michael and Greyson,
Thanks for the advice. I did contact the maker who confirmed I wouldn't screw it up too badly. :) I bit the bullet and tried it earlier today. The result is pretty subtle (see the not-so-good pic that makes it look even more subtle than it is), but I think I like it. Perhaps the leather wasn't wet enough for a deeper impression. Who knows? :)

My original minor quibble with the grip was visual more than functional. This adds just a hint of visual texture to the expanse of the grip. There is a slight change in the feel in the hand, but nothing major.

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Here are some better before and after pics. Top is before, bottom is after. It's subtle, but I prefer it. I also widened and deepened the long grooves on the pommel.

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Before

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After