Over the past few months, the handle of my Regenyei feder had developed a noticeable “wiggle”. While the function of the sword was not impacted, I found the slight movement distracting and annoying. As the problem was getting worse over time, I suspected the issue was with the wood under the handle wrap.
I removed the leather wrap using a razor blade and used some sandpaper to clean up the wood. After careful inspection, I found that the wood had a number of cracks that presented themselves when the sword was stressed. I applied some wood glue into the cracks and let the sword dry overnight.
Next, I applied a thin layer of 30-minute epoxy to the handle. I don’t suggest using anything faster than 30-minute epoxy as it takes about that much time to fully wrap the handle and you need time to work before the epoxy sets up. I elected to use masonry line for my wrap as it is inexpensive, tough, and easy to work with https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00SOVTLB6/.
When you get started, keep a loop of wire handy along with some pliers and scissors. Start wrapping the line around the handle, overlapping a short section to hold it in place. Periodically push the line together to tighten the wrap and work your way down the handle. Note, this process is tough on the hands, you might wish to keep a small clamp around to use if you need a short break.
When you get near the end of the handle, wrap the loop of wire into the handle leaving the loop exposed near the pommel and the ends free. I suggest not covering as much of the wire in the wrap as I have pictured above as it made it more difficult to perform the last step. Once you reach the end of the handle, cut the masonry line leaving some extra length and pass the end through the wire loop. Using the pliers, grip the two ends of the wire and pull so that the loop pulls the end of the masonry line under the wrapping and out. Once the wire has been pulled free, you can cut any remaining excess line. Simply wait for the epoxy to set and you are done!
This project did fix the wiggle I had in my handle and I am fairly happy with the results. This was my first attempt so I expect I will get better with more practice.
Historical European Martial Arts Enthusiast 