Leather Sheath Progress

[theWeatherman]

Here are some pictures of the progress of my leather work. I am actually happy with how it is turning out. I will post some more photos that show the progress but this is what I have so far. Big shout out to KT and Paul Long for all the questions they answered, allowing me to get this far.


Pattern being put onto the leather and block cut.

Hand stitching the deer skin liner (more difficult than I thought it was going to be, but if you use and awl and mark the placement of holes, it makes life 100% easier )

Rolled over

Before tooling

After tooling and working on getting the lacing punches through

 

[backtines]

looking good , cant wait to see it all sewn up ! love the inliner. I gotta try that .

 

[theWeatherman]

Finished pictures. It will lighten up after the neatsfoot oil has settled.

My leather work is getting better....but I am not sure I am really satisfied yet. I have to figure out why my borders don't look very pleasing.

 

[Ausbrooks]

Looks good Brian- that is how I do my sheaths now as the Long DVD was invaluable. Borders are always challenging for me to keep looking clean and straight - leather can be very unforgiving...

 

[theWeatherman]

Thanks Paul, I agree about the Long DVDs they were awesome and helped me get closer to what I want. I will just have to work at getting what I think looks the best.

The only other thing that bothers me is the lacing at the point. I can't get it to cover the point, EVER. I have made the point hole bigger than everything else and then laced through it 4 times and I have tried lacing through with just one side and then tried starting from both sides and meeting in the middle and making it look spliced. Never works I don't know what I am doing wrong.

 

[Josh Dabney]

Great WIP you've made here !

I've used the Mexican Basketweave a few times myself but my mentor DCknives used it ALOT and he warned me on multiple occasions to never attempt to take it around the tip of the sheath just becausee of the problem you're experiencing with it. He said if you want to basketwweave on both sides of the toe you need two seperate stitch lines that meet at the toe but do not go around in a continuous run.

I've never tried going around due to his warnings but it sounds like your experience mirrors his warnings.

On the border I'm curious if you're bevelling the inside edge before using your patterning stamps ? I'm certainly no expert merely curious.


It's a fine looking sheath for sure !

Thanks for sharing,

-Josh

 

[theWeatherman]

Josh,

I do start from both sides. What do you mean by two separate stitch lines that meet at the toe?

I also bevel the inside edge. It could be that I don't like the stamp much as well, maybe the wrong border tool? It doesn't cut very well like the custom stamps that I have.

 

[Josh Dabney]

Instead of one piece of lace thats starts at one end and goes all the way to the other, you would have two seperate pieces of lace. The first would begin at the butterfly and end at the point. The second would begin at the top of the welt and also end at the point.

This way neither piece of lace wraps around that point. You would still end up with a little showing at the point reguardless I think.

If I was doing a pattern like you've got I would cut the border with my swivel knife first

Then bevel the inside of the cut with a beveller tool like this-
http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/en-usd/search/searchresults/6203-00.aspx

Then stamp the pattern

and finish with the border stamp.


Not positive we're talking about the same type of tools. Your using a beveler stamp AND your border stamp ?


There is the small chance that your just being your own worst critic here because it looks dang good to me

-Josh

 

[theWeatherman]

Instead of one piece of lace thats starts at one end and goes all the way to the other, you would have two seperate pieces of lace. The first would begin at the butterfly and end at the point. The second would begin at the top of the welt and also end at the point.

This way neither piece of lace wraps around that point. You would still end up with a little showing at the point reguardless I think.

If I was doing a pattern like you've got I would cut the border with my swivel knife first

Then bevel the inside of the cut with a beveller tool like this-
http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/en-usd/search/searchresults/6203-00.aspx

Then stamp the pattern

and finish with the border stamp.


Not positive we're talking about the same type of tools. Your using a beveler stamp AND your border stamp ?


There is the small chance that your just being your own worst critic here because it looks dang good to me

-Josh

Thanks Josh,

I am being critical with myself. And I am doing everything that you have suggested.

 

[C Craft]

Hey I like it! Personally I think straight borders are one of the hardest things to do for me at this point. Sorry I can't offer anything on the tip dilemma but perhaps one of the pro's will jump in here!

 

[Jim Levite]

Looks good. I have never tried my hand at leather. I have everything to do it just ned to pull the trigger.

 

[GrizzlyKnives]

Weatherman- I see what you are talking about with the border stamps looking off. The center of the bottom of the stamp is higher than the rest and allows the cut edge of the leather to stand up.

I would take a modeling spoon tool and bevel them back down while the leather is still cased. I've had this happen before with border stamps and this is how I've fixed the problem. Or, if you have a smooth beveler stamp, you can use it.

 

[theWeatherman]

Weatherman- I see what you are talking about with the border stamps looking off. The center of the bottom of the stamp is higher than the rest and allows the cut edge of the leather to stand up.

I would take a modeling spoon tool and bevel them back down while the leather is still cased. I've had this happen before with border stamps and this is how I've fixed the problem. Or, if you have a smooth beveler stamp, you can use it.

I will have to try that... thanks!