Wrap the steering wheel with rope?

DRG-ler

DRG-ler

Senior Member
Hello guys, I have a question.

My Bakelite steering wheel doesn't feel very nice and you always get dirty fingers because the Bakelite rubs off. I've tried cleaning several times, but it keeps coming back.

Now I would like to try to wrap the steering wheel with a rope / cord. Like in this picture.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a6/Bentley_6%C2%BD-litre_1929_-_Registration_no._UL_7320_-_Steering_wheel.jpeg

Is also visually more appealing. Question: Does anyone know the winding technique that you don't see any knots like here? Has anyone ever done that?

Greetings from Berlin Andy
 
Well I drive with white gloves. Now they are getting dirty. When the cord is around, both should stay clean as possible. But time shows that. If necessary, you have to replace the cord again.
 
Wow, sounds classy. OK. Once you've found a wrap style you like (There are several) look into a turks head knot to both hide a loose end and mark 12 o'clock on the wheel.
 
I have in the past painted an original steering wheel. It helped for a few years but wasn’t perfect.

I finally replaced wheel with a new one. Did not take long, looks great, and no more dirty fingers.

Enjoy.
 
Well ... Bakelite is a phenolic resin, and it is difficult to paint over the long term because it outgasses. The paint will always come off and peel off over time. I wouldn't like that, so I don't really want to paint.

Cord wrap will take time and patience.
Click to expand...

Especially when you want perfect results.

I have to ask my uncle. He's a boat owner on the Baltic Sea. It is possible that he has contacts with someone who knows something like that.
 
DRG-ler said:
Well ... Bakelite is a phenolic resin, and it is difficult to paint over the long term because it outgasses. The paint will always come off and peel off over time.
Click to expand...

I painted my 1930 steering wheel in 1968 with a quality black, and it is not peeling or rubbing off. I think wrapping the wheel is a fine solution and looks interesting.
 
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Well, I have an old tube radio (Mende 205 W) from 1939 with a Bakelite housing, which was once clear varnished. The paint was already peeling off.
 
I wet sanded my steering wheel with a very fine sand paper ,then scotchbrite pad and water to get a uniform mat finish . Spray your wheel with a satan urethane product from your local paint or hardware store. I used the fast curing as apposed to the 24 hr. curing , that way a second coat could be added later the same day . If you have properly wet sanded your steering wheel , the eurethane will last for years . I did mine in 1989 and it still looks and performes as I hoped. You could attain the same results , have your steering wheel look stock. Good luck.
 
Thanks Jackson for the Youtube link. The variant with the leather cover and the nylon cord doesn't appeal to me, but it was a good indication of what to look for. I clicked a little further and found this video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnWD58gWY10

I think that's going to be the way I'll work. Completely without knots, and if you do it right you won't even see the beginning and end of the line! Now all I have to do is see which line I'm using and where I can get it during Corona times. Except for groceries, all shops are closed. I have to see, I don't want plastic cord like nylon or something. I would like one made of natural fibers. A product that already existed in 1930 ...
 
We did it in the Navy on certain handrails that were always getting the paint rubbed off. If it got dirty we painted it white. As said above, google turks head knot etc. Also gluing the ends down worked well. I plan on doing it to my speedster wheel.
 
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