Starting up a new hobby.....

[JMLangford]

Picked-up a 3 piece barbed wire stamp set....Boy! are they hard to keep lined up ....



Also got a new basket weave stamp that I like a lot....(my lines are getting straighter ).....




I know it seens like it's taking a long time to get started on a project, but it's a (learning) process with this new hobby.....you know "the journey not the destination" thang, ya dah, ya dah, ya dah.......




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[JMLangford]

Hey guys, I've decided to re-open this thread I started in Jan. 2019 to post some of my leather work I've been doing lately.....I didn't want to keep starting new post so I'll post everything I do here.
Hope y'all check it out from time to time!

Last thing I made was the pick caddy keyrings

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/making-some-pick-caddy-keyrings.545921/

That got me started and excited about what I could make next....
....So, I started simple (leading up to tackle making a knife sheath) I decided to make a cover for one of my leather tools.

This is a inexpensive (made in Taiwan) leather cutting/skiving knife that I keep in my leather working tool box, so I wanted to protect the blade....



Started by making a template....


Then using a couple of scrap pieces...


Cut it out and temporarily clamped it together to check the fit....


Lookin' good.....


Now it's glued and snap installed....


Stitching lines are scribed....


Holes punched....

 

[JMLangford]

I'm using .8 red Ritza 25 tiger thread....


All done....ready for the glamor shots....








More to come





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[GarageHobbyist]

I'm using .8 red Ritza 25 tiger thread....

All done....ready for the glamor shots..
More to come

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Looks really good.
I started dabbling in leather in the fall. It’s fun, and it will really make you appreciate the work that goes into something that is functional, durable, and looks nice for sure.

This was my most “okayest” so far. The purple wasn’t the best leather for this, aviation interior remnants.

 

[JMLangford]

Looks really good.
I started dabbling in leather in the fall. It’s fun, and it will really make you appreciate the work that goes into something that is functional, durable, and looks nice for sure.

This was my most “okayest” so far. The purple wasn’t the best leather for this, aviation interior remnants.

Well done....I like it
Great use of scraps into something functional and I love the 10 hole design element.

 

[JMLangford]

Back at it

Couple of quick leather items I made using scraps....


First up is a simple little cover for my bent nose pliers....



These pliers when not in use, stay opened with a spring which makes them hard to keep in a tool box, so the cover keeps them closed and contained....


I use these pliers to help pull the needles thru when saddle stitching....they have smooth jaws (no serrations) so they don't scar up the needles....


Next up I made a nice pouch to hold my 4mm diamond prong stitching chisels....



Snug as a bug in a rug....



Lastly, a square piece of veg tanned leather that I practiced my basket weave stamping with....




Still more to come.....



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[GarageHobbyist]

I like that chisel pouch, Nice work!

 

[zimman]

Nice work man. I've got a tool set myself and have not used it yet. Too many projects. Keep up the good work.
Zim

 

[niget2002]

A friend of mine took this up a few years ago. It's been fun to watch his skills progress.

 

[JMLangford]

Nice work man. I've got a tool set myself and have not used it yet. Too many projects. Keep up the good work.
Zim

Thanks Zim, don't worry before you know it you'll get around to it and you'll be hooked
I don't know if you noticed but I originally started this thread in 2019 and after "too many projects" I finally just recently started to actually do some leather work and I'm making up for lost time
I have made a knife sheath for one of the 3 knives shown in post #3.....I'll be posting pics of that soon as soon as I sort all the pics.

Good Luck and feel free to post any of your progress and leather projects here

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[rkevins]

I made this phone case after watching some videos from Weaver leather, I wet molded the pocket around a form I built, dip died it and saddle stitched, it has 2 belt loops on the back riveted on. This is the largest thing I have made so far, really enjoying getting started in this new hobby. I don't have any letter stamps so I scrolled out the letters and clamped them down when the pocket was drying on the form.

 

[JMLangford]

I made this phone case after watching some videos from Weaver leather, I wet molded the pocket around a form I built, dip died it and saddle stitched, it has 2 belt loops on the back riveted on. This is the largest thing I have made so far, really enjoying getting started in this new hobby. I don't have any letter stamps so I scrolled out the letters and clamped them down when the pocket was drying on the form.

Cool....that's a good lookin' phone case. I've been wanting to do some wet molding around a form but haven't yet.
When you say you scrolled out the letters, does that mean you made them out of wood and cut them using a scroll saw?....If so that is a neat idea !!!
The Weaver video you watched was it done by Chuck Dorsett? Chuck is a character and he sure gets excited about doing leather projects
You done anything else?

 

[rkevins]

"When you say you scrolled out the letters, does that mean you made them out of wood and cut them using a scroll saw?....If so that is a neat idea !!!"
Yes I printed the letters from Word in different sizes then scrolled out the size that fit best out of some plywood, if you want a little grain use the back side of paneling. Yes it was one of Chuck's 6 part videos and then I sized it to my phone, one note make your form bigger my pocket shrunk when I dip died it, it still works but the phone is tight.
I started with a sheath for a ax that was my grandpas that I made a handle for to carry in the toolbox on my 4 wheeler, I made it out of scraps I get at a local Ace dealer. I've made a few other small things, wanting to make a few key fobs when I get a chance.

 

[JMLangford]

Well....It FINALLY happened....Drum roll, please ~~~~~~~~~~I finally made a knife sheath for one of my knives (seen in post #3) it only took me about 6 years.

I chose the BUCK knife for the first one....here it is with it's factory nylon sheath (Booooring)....


I got started by making a paper pattern....




Traced it onto some leather and cut it out with a welt also....



Stamped a decorative border around the edge and glued the welt to one side....I got the little plastic clamps from Hobby Lobby (25 for $4.75 ~ .19¢ ea.) they don't leave as much of an impression in the leather as some other small clamps do....



Skived (thinned down) the end of the belt loop....


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[JMLangford]

Conditioning (both sides) of the leather with some Neatsfoot oil prior to dying....dying tends to dry out leather as it dries....




After the oil had time to soak in a bit I dyed the leather saddle tan (both sides)....




Stitched down the belt loop and skived the center down where it will fold over...




Then I folded it over and glued it to the welt on the other side (more plastic clamp action )....




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[JMLangford]

If you'll notice in the picture below that the first 4 stitching holes in the sheath are diamond shaped and the rest are round....I punched my 4 prong stitching tool thru about 3/8" of leather, where it proceeded to politely get stuck and it took me over 30 mins to wrestle it out.
So, I drilled the rest out on the drill press....


You will also notice that on the backside the holes got a bit wonky and strayed a bit off course.....


And.....you will also notice 2 knots in the stitching at the bottom where I ran out of thread 10 holes before I finished....but, it's finally all stitched up, so let move on ......


I wrapped the knife in Saran Wrap, wet the sheath and formed the sheath to the knife's shape....




After everything was dry, I lathered the sheath up with some saddle soap and buffed it out....


All done....even with all the mistakes and wonkyness I think it came out pretty good for a first attempt (hopefully it won't be 6 more year till I tackle the other 2).....



After about a week, I treated the sheath to my blend of honey butter (bee's wax and mineral oil).....




More to come (?)



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[JMLangford]

Here's a "quickly"....I made a BB bean bag weight....


I don't know the actual weight but it's pretty heavy....I used 2/3rds of the BB's (4,000 maybe? )
It was so simple and easy to make, I had it finished before I realized I hadn't documented the process.

USE: To hold down a piece of leather while cutting or tooling....





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[Houdini5150]

Pretty cool updates. Make any more wallets or card holders?

 

[JMLangford]

Pretty cool updates. Make any more wallets or card holders?

Thanks, but I haven't made a wallet or card holder yet....not to say that I won't, just haven't yet.

 

[Houdini5150]

Oh ok, I thought I saw something that looked like it. Been on a leather wallet interest as of late. I dont think I have the steady hands or attention to detail I would need to partake in this Hobby. Seems like cool stuff to do but yeah.

 

[JMLangford]

Oh ok, I thought I saw something that looked like it. Been on a leather wallet interest as of late. I dont think I have the steady hands or attention to detail I would need to partake in this Hobby. Seems like cool stuff to do but yeah.

GarageHobbyist made a nice, slick looking billfold/card holder out of scrap leather and rkevins made a cool phone case....Maybe those are the ones you saw and thought I'd made them (see below)

Looks really good.
I started dabbling in leather in the fall. It’s fun, and it will really make you appreciate the work that goes into something that is functional, durable, and looks nice for sure.

This was my most “okayest” so far. The purple wasn’t the best leather for this, aviation interior remnants.

I made this phone case after watching some videos from Weaver leather, I wet molded the pocket around a form I built, dip died it and saddle stitched, it has 2 belt loops on the back riveted on. This is the largest thing I have made so far, really enjoying getting started in this new hobby. I don't have any letter stamps so I scrolled out the letters and clamped them down when the pocket was drying on the form.

Watch a couple of videos, round up a few basic tools (knife, hammer ) and go for it....A billfold looks pretty easy to make.

If you try your hand at it be sure to post up some pics here.....


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[JMLangford]

Here is my amateurish attempt at tooling a flower in leather.....

I took a square piece of scrap leather and created a border and then free hand scribed a 5 petal flower (note the erased line)....


Then I taped the backside because it keeps the leather from stretching and distorting when tooling. (I was out of blue tape (low tack) so I used regular ole masking tape which left a bit of sticky on the flesh side)....


I then wet down ("cased") the leather to soften the leather to accept the tooling....


Next, I took my swivel knife and cut in the flower's outline....



Hammer and stamps are ready to start tooling.....


DISCLAIMER: I don't know what the hell I'm doing!... I understand the process but I'm not well versed in what stamp to use or when I should use it.....I've watched a few videos, but I don't have most of the fancy stamps they used, just the basic stuff.
BUT, I'ma going to try.....

In my (random) collection of stamps I found I have a "large smooth beveler" and a "small checkered beveler"....I'll start with them by going around the outside of the flower....


After that it was kind of a mess of trying different tools to see what they looked like.
I didn't have a "flower center" stamp so I just took a "seeder" stamp and punched it around in the center and then made a lot of swirly cuts with the swivel knife on the outside.
Then I took a "smooth thumbprint" or "smooth pear shader" (don't know what it was really called ) and tried to give the leaves a bit of shading.....


Then I wiped some antique finish on it to highlight the cuts and stamping....


Here's the finished flower....


It ain't da purdiest flower in da bunch, but I can only get better from here!! (maybe? )

I've got a whole lot of practicin' to do.....


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