How wide should the Ito be?

[Ferahgo]

I hope I am using the right vocab here. I plan on wraping a handle with leather, but I am not sure how wide I should cut it. Suggestions?

 

[Kohai999]

I hope I am using the right vocab here. I plan on wraping a handle with leather, but I am not sure how wide I should cut it. Suggestions?

It's not that simple.

Japanese leather ito is turned so the seam is on the inside when wrapping.....it also seems to come pre-stretched....the leather itself is very thin, because there are basically two layers of it.

Lohman sent me a sample of ito, here are the widths, should you choose to go ahead and try cutting your own leather anyway:

Katana=.310"
Thinner Katana or Wakizashi-.280"
Tanto=.250"
Thinnest=.160", this is doubled for fancy tsuka, also called string.

The thickness of the material is .0450", so you would likely start out with .0225" material and fold it, which would give me fits, it's folded both sides towards the middle, not like a simple fold in half.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson