# Thinking about making repop hand grips



## rideahiggins (Apr 1, 2012)

I have been thinking about making some repop hand grips. I've done the smaller coke bottle version, not the kind with the reflectors. I've got the machine and have access to people to draw and make the molds. My question is. What kind of grips would you like to see repopped? I guess more specifically what repopped grips would you buy? Tell me what you would like to see and post a photo if you can find one.  
Here are the coke bottle grips I make.


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## abe lugo (Apr 1, 2012)

*I would take a look at the memory lane catalog*

Then repop ones that are not there, They have the jeweled coke bottles. 
You'd also be surprised if you'd ask the vintage BMX community, there are grips they want too.

One think I don't see is white versions of some grips, white and cream.
I'm just saying.


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## bentwoody66 (Apr 1, 2012)

How about some Gripwells or some pre-war Huffman grips.


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## Freqman1 (Apr 1, 2012)

I, too, would take a set or two of the Gripwells. v/r Shawn


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## ratina (Apr 1, 2012)

what do you charge for a set of grips?


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## bricycle (Apr 1, 2012)

1920's ball-end grips, blk and red. Both laterlty and circumfrenced ribbed.


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## rideahiggins (Apr 1, 2012)

*grips*



ratina said:


> what do you charge for a set of grips?




$23.50 shipped. Some colors I may be out of stock of for a couple weeks yet.


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## bentwoody66 (Apr 1, 2012)

How much if you have to make molds for new designs like the gripwells


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## rideahiggins (Apr 2, 2012)

*grips*

Right now I'm not sure. I have to get a tooling cost and try and figure just how many sets I may be able to sell. Any idea how many different bikes the Gripwell went on?


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## bentwoody66 (Apr 2, 2012)

I'm not really sure about how many bikes they came stock on, may have been more of an aftermarket thing. I do know Scott M. was looking for some a while back, correct me if I'm wrong but these may have been stock on the Safety-streamlines. I do know that 4 sets could go now, probably alot more.


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## ridingtoy (Apr 2, 2012)

Tricycle length - about 3" to 3.5" - black ball end grips would be nice in the 3/4" bar size.

Dave


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## cstorar (Apr 2, 2012)

Sorry for being a noob and not knowing what they are called but I would like a set of the long coke bottle style grips they used on the old motorcycles.


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## bentwoody66 (Apr 4, 2012)

BTT, I don't want to see this post fade into the archives. Hope more members need some grip-wells so they can be removed from the un-obtainiam list.


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## Larmo63 (Apr 4, 2012)

Definitely GRIPWELLS!!!!!!!!!!!


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## rideahiggins (Apr 4, 2012)

*gripwells*

OK so gripwells  is one of them. Now does anyone have one I can borrow to make an accurate reproduction. I will provide one free set to someone who can provide  me with a decent example. It can be lightly broken or cracked just not badly distorted.


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## bentwoody66 (Apr 4, 2012)

I'd like to submit an A.P.B. to the individual who bought the grips and bars that I pictured to please submit one of those grips so they can be re-pop'ed. I'm going to post on the rat-rod site as well, I think that's where they sold.


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## 37fleetwood (Apr 4, 2012)

these are the common prewar Huffman grips...


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## bud poe (Apr 4, 2012)

bentwoody66 said:


> BTT, I don't want to see this post fade into the archives. Hope more members need some grip-wells so they can be removed from the un-obtainiam list.



But then they wont be nearly as cool...
Just kidding, I say go for it.  I've got some weird coke bottle-ish grips I'd like to see repopped, I'll try to post a pic...Best of luck!


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## Uniblab (Apr 4, 2012)

As some of may know by now (and fewer care) I'm in the motorcycle biz. I've met the owner of Avon Grips and I'm here to tell you that he told me directly to my face (poor bastard) that his bottleneck grips are cast from the original Schwinn molds. The only alteration he made was deletion of the Schwinn script. He said he would've like to have retained it but couldn't for obvious legal reasons. Avon is out of Texas and it does my cold heart good to know that these molds still exist and are in use here instead of the land of a future combatant.

Not trying to steal anyone's thunder nor am I attempting to drum up business for his company, just relating what I thought may be of interest to others.

This is not the only time that original molds have lived on. Several styles of Studebaker wheelcovers have seen double duty. The mid to later 50's caps were used on Checkers with a different logo in the center. The '64 covers were used by International Harvester by punching a hole in the middle for the axle hub to pass through on their 4x4 Scouts. Aren't I fount of useless info?


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## bentwoody66 (Apr 5, 2012)

Thanks for the pic Scott, I would have posted one but didn't have it. The prewar Huffmans would be of great demand too, being that most people just use Monark grips in their place. Are you going to submit one of your grips Scott?????? yippee, I hope these can be done too.


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## Rambler (Apr 5, 2012)

*source for grip molds*

rideahiggins,

you may want to contact Fox Grip to see if they are willing to sell you their rubber parts molds for grips and other restoration items. I believe George Fox has passed away some years ago and his wife is selling off remaining stock. If Fox doesn't plan to continue to reproduce grips and other parts you may be able to obtain the molds saving you a bunch of development time and effort.

Antique Classic Vintage
High Quality Repro Parts For
Bicycles Scooters Motorcycles
Petal Blocks Grips Decals
George Fox
5181 Greencroft Dayton Oh. 45426
Ph.937-854-9192


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## rideahiggins (Apr 6, 2012)

*Grip well*

OK so if no one has a grip well that I can borrow in exchange for a free set once I get the mold made. Does anyone have a grip well that I can buy from them. It doesn't have to be perfect just so I can get the dimensions.


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## bentwoody66 (Apr 6, 2012)

Won't you please help the needy friend with a sample. I understand if someone has a set and doesn't want to deplete the value of them but....... you'll still be able to tell the old from new. Don't make me get Sally Struthers to make a plea.


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## Larmo63 (Apr 6, 2012)

Sorry, not paying attention here, we have a set. they are crappy, but let's talk......?


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## bentwoody66 (Apr 6, 2012)

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you. Are they fair enough for a mold to be made from them?


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## Larmo63 (Apr 6, 2012)

I'll go check, they are really deteriorated....be right back...

Okay, seriously, they are "two to make one," they each have their pluses and minuses.

I have the Delta horn button in the end of one of them too.... very rare


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## bentwoody66 (Apr 6, 2012)

I'd say there are 3 ways this can be done. 1st option would be to lay the grip on a sheet of 1 inch grid graph paper with maybe 3 shots of top, bottom, and side views. 2nd option would be 5 shots with above pictures plus both ends with a 12 inch scale laying next to it in each shot. 3rd would be to ship grips to rideahiggins for him to measure dimensions. all 3 would work i think, just what is easiest for the donor. Yours are for a Safety if I'm correct in my assumption,


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## 37fleetwood (Apr 6, 2012)

Lawrence, can you get some casting alginate and dip one or both in it bar and all? then you could peel the moulds off and send them to him.
they sell the casting resin on ebay, it's kinda got the consistency of silicone. you could fill a 20 ounce coke bottle with the top cut off and use it to dip into. then cut the bottle off after it sets and peel the cast off carefully. shouldn't hurt the original grip I wouldn't think. maybe try it on a couple common grips first.


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## 37fleetwood (Apr 6, 2012)

something like this:
http://www.amazon.com/Life-Casting-Starter-Alja-Safe-Alginate/dp/B000QCM27Q
http://www.amazon.com/Skullduggery-Cast-Paint-R-Gestures/dp/B000NQMABS
http://composimold.com/


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## 37fleetwood (Apr 6, 2012)

here's an ebay search:
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l2736&_nkw=casting+alginate
or just look for casting alginate anywhere


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## Larmo63 (Apr 7, 2012)

I'll try it next week.....!

Kinda busy with Easter and family......

Someone remind me....?


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## bentwoody66 (Apr 9, 2012)

BTT, Let's not let it die


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## rustyspoke66 (Apr 9, 2012)

bentwoody66 said:


> BTT, Let's not let it die




Whats your email? I have a set I can donate but they are very rough and you might want to see them before I mail them off.


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## rideahiggins (Apr 10, 2012)

*Grips*

We have a winner Rustyspoke66 is going to let me borrow some grip wells and will get a free set. Also if larmo63 has already started to cast them and he sends me the casts he will get a free set. Drawing to production hopefully will take only about 4 weeks more or less.


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## Freqman1 (Apr 11, 2012)

Wha is the projected cost for these grips? Just want to know so I can start saving! v/r Shawn


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## chucksoldbikes (Apr 11, 2012)

*hello*

and id like a couple pair of the  big red cocke bottle grips
with out the  reflectors
chucksoldbikes


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## rideahiggins (Apr 11, 2012)

*cost*



Freqman1 said:


> Wha is the projected cost for these grips? Just want to know so I can start saving! v/r Shawn




Cost is still up in the air and will depend on alot of things like tooling cost, degree of accuracy and the fact that these need to be made as a set from two different molds to get the horn button, is that correct. I see alot of repop grips going in the $65 range some for more. I guess I would like as you would a pair of new wooden rims--be nice enough for a serious collector but not cheap enough everyone wants to put them on there Huffy's. I guess the target price would be somewhere between $50 and $70 if I can get the quality that good.  Let me know what you think, but do it nicely.


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## Freqman1 (Apr 11, 2012)

That doesn't sound unreasonable to me at all. V/r Shawn


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## rustyspoke66 (Apr 11, 2012)

I sent the grips off today USPS priority. As far as pricing goes, the prices on Ebay are high. You can buy the same grips through Memory Lane for a fraction of the price. For instance the jeweled coke bottle grips are 75.00 and up on Ebay, the same grips through ML are 30.00 and anybody can call them up and buy them. Hope this helps to see what the actual market is.
http://www.memorylane-classics.com/


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## bentwoody66 (Apr 19, 2012)

Any progress reports on how these are coming along?????


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## rideahiggins (Apr 20, 2012)

*grips*

I received the grips this week and I am working the tooling drawn up to make the grips. I have one question for for now. What do you think about having the grips say GRIP WELLS instead of  GRIP WELL so as to help avoid any legal issues and to help keep them from being passed off as originals?


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## rideahiggins (Apr 20, 2012)

*Elgin grips*

Would anyone be interested in the pointed Elgin Style grips in different colors such as blue, green, red? Or is that just to much of a stretch?


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## Lawrence Ruskin (Apr 20, 2012)

I have some pictures of CCM grips, they would sell in Canada.


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## rideahiggins (Apr 20, 2012)

*pics*

Can you post the pics?


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## sm2501 (Apr 20, 2012)

rideahiggins said:


> I received the grips this week and I am working the tooling drawn up to make the grips. I have one question for for now. What do you think about having the grips say GRIP WELLS instead of  GRIP WELL so as to help avoid any legal issues and to help keep them from being passed off as originals?




I would say that would be a deal killer for some of us. I wouldn't use them if not accurate. However, very rarely can you not tell an original from a repop. 

As far as making them with and without the hole for the horn, I would only make the closed version. They would be easy enough to convert. The key on the gripwell is the end is about 1/2" thick. (maybe more) The more accurate the repop the higher price it will maintain.


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## markivpedalpusher (Apr 20, 2012)

I'm way late on this thread however if someone reproduced any standard ball end, coke bottle etc grips in a pre-war red rubber they would sell like hot cakes. BUT they can't feel like plastic or feel like a sponge. They would need to feel and look like good ole american made rubber...AND not stink like some of the smelly repop pedal blocks LOL


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## bentwoody66 (May 3, 2012)

Any progress reports on how things are coming along?


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## rideahiggins (May 3, 2012)

*Progress*

These grips are off to the design department at my buddies, last week he said they could do them within the next month (sigh). Then I have to check there work and then they can cut the steel. It's going just slower than originally planned. Here is what I'm looking at making repops of right now.


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## rlhender (May 3, 2012)

I would really like to see you repop these grips..I would buy a pair for each of my bikes.....


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## Oldbikes (May 3, 2012)

rideahiggins said:


> These grips are off to the design department at my buddies, last week he said they could do them within the next month (sigh). Then I have to check there work and then they can cut the steel. It's going just slower than originally planned. Here is what I'm looking at making repops of right now.
> View attachment 50465




Nice selection!  Anxious to see the final product!


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## Larmo63 (May 3, 2012)

I concur with Scott on the Grip wells. Just do them original. 

I'm sure nobody owns the rights to them any more.


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## Uniblab (May 4, 2012)

rlhender said:


> I would really like to see you repop these grips..I would buy a pair for each of my bikes.....
> 
> View attachment 50471




You *sure* those are grips? They look like something that can be purchased from one of those all night stores in the seedy part of town with sticky floors LOL


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## Uniblab (May 4, 2012)

rideahiggins said:


> I received the grips this week and I am working the tooling drawn up to make the grips. I have one question for for now. What do you think about having the grips say GRIP WELLS instead of  GRIP WELL so as to help avoid any legal issues and to help keep them from being passed off as originals?




Good thinking but in the eyes of the law that won't work as they have some language (regarding trademarks) that basically says that anything that can be confused as being the same or very similar is not permitted. Adding just an S wouldn't be enough to stave off the process servers in light of this.


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## videoranger (May 4, 2012)

http://tess2.uspto.gov/bin/gate.exe?f=tess&state=4009:vfa270.1.1
This link is for registered trade mark searches. A Chinese company is using "gripwell" according to this source. "grip well" as two words did not come up as an active trade mark. Not sure what to think other than look for a cheap legal consult.


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## bentwoody66 (May 4, 2012)

It looks to me like the word is separated into "grip well" maybe with a dash between them.


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## Uniblab (May 4, 2012)

videoranger said:


> http://tess2.uspto.gov/bin/gate.exe?f=tess&state=4009:vfa270.1.1 This link is for registered trade mark searches. A Chinese company is using "gripwell" according to this source. "grip well" as two words did not come up as an active trade mark. Not sure what to think other than look for a cheap legal consult.



  I forgot to also say that although adding an "S" wouldn't be enough to protect you the reality is that whoever repops these grips would probably make so few that it would be below the TM holder's radar and certainly wouldn't be worth their time to pursue this. Most lawyers I've encountered share an attitude of "Do you want to be right or do you want to win?" In other words, choose your battles based on the likely outcome instead of taking the other party to court to prove that you're right even though you haven't been financially harmed. To prevail you must prove not only your case but the damages that you've incurred.


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## brwstrmgmt (May 4, 2012)

*Just saw this thread*

Please sign me up for 2 pair as well!  My original pair say GRIP-WELL  with  definite dash in the middle.


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## bricycle (May 4, 2012)

Uniblab said:


> Good thinking but in the eyes of the law that won't work as they have some language (regarding trademarks) that basically says that anything that can be confused as being the same or very similar is not permitted. Adding just an S wouldn't be enough to stave off the process servers in light of this.




Auto supply stores used to sell Buick hubcaps spelled "Buuck"...lol.


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## bricycle (May 4, 2012)

...Some folks on this site should get ones that say "Gripe-Well"


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## bricycle (May 4, 2012)

rideahiggins said:


> These grips are off to the design department at my buddies, last week he said they could do them within the next month (sigh). Then I have to check there work and then they can cut the steel. It's going just slower than originally planned. Here is what I'm looking at making repops of right now.
> View attachment 50465




Fox Grips were making the first 4 and #7. Are they still around?


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## greenephantom (May 4, 2012)

I'd really like to see the super fat 1950s era Schwinn grips repopped.  The ones I'm talking about had no finger indents, had a dense foam rubber core wrapped in grip material, and only came on the Tandem line and the tourist Paramounts.  Real monster of a grip, and they look great on all the other Schwinn heavyweights even though they aren't stock.  The originals didn't survive the years very well and they're real hard to find.
Cheers, Geoff


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## bentwoody66 (May 16, 2012)

Any updates to the progress???????


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## rideahiggins (May 16, 2012)

*Progress*

Still waiting on the drawings. They have one drawn. They're a big company and they are working me in as they have time. It's going just not as fast as I had hoped.


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## ccmerz (May 17, 2012)

Just to be clear are these repop grips going to be made of 100% RUBBER as per the originals, or of some other composite material that is rubber/plastic like?  Are rubber grips more costly to produce or does no one care what they are made of as long as they "look good" ?


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## rideahiggins (May 17, 2012)

*Grips*

Rubber products are compression molded where take a loaf of uncured rubber, you cut off the amount you need to make the part. Put the chunk of rubber in the heated mold and sandwich the two mold haves together for a period of time. The heat of the mold cavity cures the rubber then you can trim away the excess. The uncured rubber has to be refridgerated and has a shelf life. My guess is that all the old rubber grips you see today are hard and somewhat brittle because of the age. The parts I intend to make will probably be run in a couple of different compounds via injection molding. The first compound I'm going to try will be a soft Polyvinylcloride, this will be used on the prototype parts for cost purposes. My pick for the final product is a plastic compound that feels like rubber and is very environmentally stable. It's used on a lot of medical grade electrical plugs. I'm only going to make them in black to start with. I also plan on trying to get some sample parts to some cabe members for feedback on the finished product. The one and only reason I'm going with injection molding is that is the kind of equipment I have, I don't have any compression molding machines.


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## lobsterboyx (May 17, 2012)

I was thinking about 3d printing a mold (complete with negative) of some grips of my own design then casting them out of a closed cell foam instead of rubber or latex. I work at a special effects studio so doing this would be pretty easy. we made a rubber/foam frying pan a few weeks ago and I messed with couple different materials and the closed cell looked the best, but if it would withstand the test of time... who knows. 

those repop flexgrips are in worse shape now than some originals i have. 

Im also thinking about reproducing some other things (but mums the word, i dont want to get castrated by some of you purists)


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## bentwoody66 (Jun 2, 2012)

Hows the progress????? Don't mean to be persistent, just looking forward to a set of gripwells for my ridewell.


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## rideahiggins (Jun 2, 2012)

*Progress*

They are supposed to get back on it this next week. Hopefully something happens in the next week.


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## bentwoody66 (Jun 9, 2012)

time for another progress report. by the way if you need a test subject...... I'll be happy to help you out LOL


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## Larmo63 (Jun 9, 2012)

We will take some Gripwells too, whenever they are done.


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## rideahiggins (Jun 11, 2012)

*Progress*

I'm still at the mercy of the design engineers, just checked with them and they said maybe by the end of the week they would have drawings for me to approve.


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## bentwoody66 (Jun 18, 2012)

Any new progress to report?


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## rideahiggins (Jun 21, 2012)

*update*

Supposed to have the drawings done tomorrow for me to check, then it's on to tooling.


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## bentwoody66 (Jul 11, 2012)

Howz the toolin' comin', just checkin' in on these. Need me some gripwells


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## bentwoody66 (Jul 14, 2012)

.................................??????????????????


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## rideahiggins (Jul 14, 2012)

*some progress*

OK'd the final drawings, now we wait for the tooling.


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## bentwoody66 (Aug 5, 2012)

Just checkin in


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## rideahiggins (Aug 5, 2012)

*Tooling*

They have begun working on the tooling but I haven't heard when they might have it done.


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## rideahiggins (Sep 5, 2012)

*The tooling is in the mail!!*

The tooling is being shipped today. I should see it in a couple days. Should be able to make samples next week.


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## militarymonark (Sep 5, 2012)

what is this all costing you? I have a grip that I can't find anywhere and I would like to get that remade and possibly resell


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## silvercreek (Sep 6, 2012)

I want a pair of grips like this. Betcha can't do that huh?


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## Freqman1 (Sep 6, 2012)

silvercreek said:


> I want a pair of grips like this. Betcha can't do that huh?




I thought these were already reproduced? Have you checked MLC?


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## rideahiggins (Sep 6, 2012)

*Grips*

They sell them on ebay.


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## rideahiggins (Sep 10, 2012)

*Grip-Well proto type grips*

Well I got my molds here are the first proto type Grip-Well grips. the finish isn't real good because the plastic I used had moisture in it causing streaks and bubbles. A couple touchups and some polishing and we'll try the good plastic. Let me know what you think.


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## 37fleetwood (Sep 10, 2012)

I'm going to guess a few hours in a rock tumbler and those would almost look like a set of originals. are you working on the fingered grips? I have one if needed for a pattern.


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## Nick-theCut (Sep 10, 2012)

You are a true artist.  Your grips look spectacular.
These grips would be my dream come true pair


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## Nick-theCut (Sep 10, 2012)

How much interest would it take for these to be considered as a future project?


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## Larmo63 (Sep 10, 2012)

I would want some red Mead grips and, 

the Grip Wells look amazing.....!


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## rideahiggins (Feb 5, 2013)

*Anybody remember this thread*

Well guess what I finally received today........................................OK are you guessing?  My Grip-Well molds came today. So after I do a little polishing and relocate a half dozen bikes so I can have some room to work, then we'll have grips. Well I'll have grips and then you can buy them from me. Then we'll have grips. I'll post them in the Buy sell trade forum when they are ready.


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## Mike Rosseau (Mar 31, 2017)

cstorar said:


> Sorry for being a noob and not knowing what they are called but I would like a set of the long coke bottle style grips they used on the old motorcycles.



Those 8" long grips are called "Rough Riders."  Some on eBay.


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