DEBATE: Jimmy Deforest's Quotation Regarding Dempsey's Hand Wraps

[OctoberRed]

Its all good in the neighba-hood

[HOUDINI563]

The tape used in those days was NOT bicycle tape. It may have been termed that by those who used it but it was not actually tape used to wrap bicycle handlebars. Instead it was an early development of electrical tape which was gauze like tape impregnated with "Chatterton's compound". Chatterton's compound was a thick, stiff adhesive that was found in the precursors to modern electrical tape.

[BattlingNelson]

The tape used in those days was NOT bicycle tape. It may have been termed that by those who used it but it was not actually tape used to wrap bicycle handlebars. Instead it was an early development of electrical tape which was gauze like tape impregnated with "Chatterton's compound". Chatterton's compound was a thick, stiff adhesive that was found in the precursors to modern electrical tape.

No it wasn’t.

[billeau2]

Truly a saint. Kept a lot of kids sane, including me.

[billeau2]

The tape used in those days was NOT bicycle tape. It may have been termed that by those who used it but it was not actually tape used to wrap bicycle handlebars. Instead it was an early development of electrical tape which was gauze like tape impregnated with "Chatterton's compound". Chatterton's compound was a thick, stiff adhesive that was found in the precursors to modern electrical tape.

From what I can tell there is some truth for this. As said, as kids we called electrical tape bike tape. We used it on broomstick handles for stickball.

Another thing that might allude people is that Knob and Tube wiring had a slightly different set up than modern wiring. Tapes were used a lot... and they were made to imitate the covering on the wires which was a kind of thread like substance with some rubbers added. The cloth would dry out and get hazardous and the tape had to not dry out.

Because knob and Tube was such that the wires were run separately from each other, and "knobs" were put in areas where the wires touched wood areas, in some ways it was a safer system. I actually love to look at the stuff, it looks like a loom! But at any rate, the early tapes had very little gloss, and were more like the cloth electrical tape we see less often these days. For those who care: the big difference was the absence of a neutral wire in Knob and Tube... which was not a good thing.

[billeau2]

No it wasn’t.

? and ? so what would you say instead Batts? I don't know about the bicycle tapes de facto myself, other than to know that what Houdini has said about electrical tapes makes sense.

Heres a theory: The tape that wraps handlebars would quite naturally work well to tape stickball bats. I still remember that tape, it was also used on paddles for paddleball. It was cloth like with a bit of rubber texturized as Houdini said. It gave one a superior grip and held the broom stick together! t would seem to be a good tape to hold the hands together but...athletic tape, if it was around back then? was lighter and stronger for that purpose it would seem.

Regarding adhesives the one physical fact that would have to be overcome would be the sheer layering. We all can imagine that with enough layering cement can harden and hold, like plaster. The problem comes with keeping it in one piece.

could fighters have put a cement adhesive on the wraps? thats a possibility for sure, but again we are in a race between the amount to attach, the time it takes to set, and the integrity of the set once it takes hold.

[BattlingNelson]

? and ? so what would you say instead Batts? I don't know about the bicycle tapes de facto myself, other than to know that what Houdini has said about electrical tapes makes sense.

Heres a theory: The tape that wraps handlebars would quite naturally work well to tape stickball bats. I still remember that tape, it was also used on paddles for paddleball. It was cloth like with a bit of rubber texturized as Houdini said. It gave one a superior grip and held the broom stick together! t would seem to be a good tape to hold the hands together but...athletic tape, if it was around back then? was lighter and stronger for that purpose it would seem.

Regarding adhesives the one physical fact that would have to be overcome would be the sheer layering. We all can imagine that with enough layering cement can harden and hold, like plaster. The problem comes with keeping it in one piece.

could fighters have put a cement adhesive on the wraps? thats a possibility for sure, but again we are in a race between the amount to attach, the time it takes to set, and the integrity of the set once it takes hold.

What I am saying is that this dude has send us on wild goose hunts before, so him barfing up unsourced claims again does nothing for me.

[HOUDINI563]

Tape impregnated with Chatterton's compound is the one that makes sense as it's designed to be somewhat hard. Real Bicycle tape is way to soft. Would hard tape inside of a 5 oz glove from that period have that much of an effect? Having a hard time visualizing this.

[travestyny]

Tape impregnated with Chatterton's compound is the one that makes sense as it's designed to be somewhat hard. Real Bicycle tape is way to soft. Would hard tape inside of a 5 oz glove from that period have that much of an effect? Having a hard time visualizing this.

The boxers and people involved with boxing at that time have stated that hard tape inside the gloves did indeed make a difference.

And I agree with Battling Nelson. It seems strange that you would say what bicycle tape was after you came in and said rather rudely that I should "put up or shut up" about finding white bicycle tape on bikes from the early 1900's.

[billeau2]

What I am saying is that this dude has send us on wild goose hunts before, so him barfing up unsourced claims again does nothing for me.

I don't know about specific compounds...But the theory is sound.