Clamping leather

[wmhammond]

Hey guys:

I am having difficulty finding some clamping mechanism that won't leave a permanent mark in the leather. It is particularly bad when I am wet forming a specific knife to a specific sheath. Can anyone give me some tips on how to clamp so that I don't get the permanent impressions left from the clamp in the leather. I have tried using bigger broader clamps, I have tried clamping with rounded dowels, I have tried a long continuous clamp but it seems like everything leaves a mark. I could really use some help. Thanks,

Wallace

 

[leatherman]

Now, this is my method, and only mine, well, hopefully not. But, I dont clamp my leather work, ever.

Its a little more work, but go back to your molding occasionally as it dries and reinforce the molding. Dont over work it though, you'll get that nasty burnished look.

As the leather dries it will lip up and roll, no worries, it will work down as long as you have some moisture in the leather. Dry slowly, sometimes it takes more than 24 hours to properly dry a wet molded sheath. #1 reason why a lot of makers dont do it, it takes a lot of time, but the effects are so nice.

 

[Jason Wernli]

Dwayne, thanks for the tip! As a new knife maker, I appreciate this info too.
I was actually thinking that Wallace was talking about clamping the welt when gluing after it is dry.
I have used pieces of paint stir sticks for this. What do you use?

 

[ChuckBurrows]

FWIW - if your use contact cement for gluing in the welt there is no reason to clamp it......IMO wet forming should occur after the the welt is glued in and the piece is finally shaped - wet forming is the next to last thing that should occur on i.e. a sheath, holster, or whatever - wet form and then do any MINOR final sanding of the edge - then do your conditioning and top coat

While others mileage may vary this is THE classic method of the past masters for wet forming and finishing a sheath and while I have tried doing it otherwise over the last 50+ years of leather crafting, I found that the masters of the past had it right so I have for 40+ years followed their tried and true methods.....

 

[leatherman]

Dwayne, thanks for the tip! As a new knife maker, I appreciate this info too.
I was actually thinking that Wallace was talking about clamping the welt when gluing after it is dry.
I have used pieces of paint stir sticks for this. What do you use?

I've used both no glue and Chucks way of gluing first and both ways have their place depending on what style your using. If using the Randall Style pouch, the kind that is stitched on both sides then you'll need to keep the top part of the sheath unglued because of the dimensional raise in the leather, that way you dont get that "pinched" look to the top of the sheath. A folded sheath does best being glued together first like Chuck says, as well as holsters that are folded.

If your using contact cement, there is no need to clamp it together. Simply glue both sides of the pieces to be connected, let it set up, and press together. Run your stitch lines and stitch away!