[Joshua P.]

I have an Albion first generation Gaddhjalt with a black grip. I'd like to dye it red. The black dye seems to come off the surface fairly easily - I can scratch or rub it off with ease, I don't think I would have much trouble there. Are there any chemicals I could use to draw out the rest of the black dye? Is re-dying the grip without re-wrapping it or removing it feasible or is this a bad idea? I'd rather not re-wrap the grip as I am not really comfortable with doing that quite yet.

[Al Muckart]

I think you will struggle to get enough of the black dye out of the leather to be able to dye it red. You might be able to manage a very very dark maroon, but even that would probably be pushing it.

If you *really* want a red grip you could alway ship it back to Albion to be regripped.

I don't know what Albion use to dye their grips, but assuming it is a fairly standard modern leather dye you'll struggle to get it out of the leather even using solvents. You might be able to get some of the dye into suspension again but rinsing enough of the pigment out of the leather to allow redying will be really hard and god knows what that'll do to the underlying grip materials.

There's nothing to say you can't put it aside for now and practice building and wrapping grip cores yourself off-sword so to speak until you get comfortable enough doing it to have a go on your own sword. If you do go down this path though, don't skimp on materials and try using upholstery leather or something on the sword, get some decent thing veg tanned calfskin and use that.