Show off your leather

[Tubby]

A second question, how do you mold to the shape of what ever you are putting in the sheath???

jB is the real deal!

Wet forming. The area that it to be molded can't have any tooling impressions without them getting distorted.

This is another YouTube channel that's helpful. This is a long video but has some great tips.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIOGDykXJFQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player"]Making a Spyderco Friction Sheath (75 minutes, HD) - YouTube[/ame]

[Tubby]

Here's another video where it's molded around a block form.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZKxHdNIiP4&feature=youtube_gdata_player"]Making a Pigskin Lined Leather Pouch for a Fallkniven TK3 Pocket Knife (1h15m HD) - YouTube[/ame]

[ny bowhunter]

Very cools pics. Enjoying seeing the progress of the crops.

[dstrong]

The work you guys do is amazing! Congrats on some very nice work.

[SouthTX1911]

Figured I might throw in on this. Made the holster and the mag carrier. Supposed to be matching but ran out of the more red leather so I just went with what I had. I love doing these types of projects. It is so fun to see what you have accomplished when it is done. Very rewarding.

[Ron]

Well Tubby has made me some fine leather items over the last year. I have seen this thread for a long time and I finally decided to read it all the way through.
I have to say all of you are very talented and I want to try my hand a some of the leather works, so please bare with me, while I ask a bunch of questions.
I do not have any yet,but I will.

[Tubby]

Figured I might throw in on this. Made the holster and the mag carrier. Supposed to be matching but ran out of the more red leather so I just went with what I had. I love doing these types of projects. It is so fun to see what you have accomplished when it is done. Very rewarding.
[ATTACH]364571[/ATTACH]

Those are great! Good job!!

I've always been intrigued by leatherwork and decided to give it a try almost 2 years ago. After making my first few items, I fell in love with it. I've almost bit off more than I can chew with the orders that I have in the books, but as you said, when you get done, It's something to be proud of.


Anyone thinking of giving it a try, Tandy sells an inexpensive basic starter kit for around $40. It's the same one I started with.


I'm no expert by any means, but like to see the questions posted on here. It may be something that I haven't experienced or heard of, therefore I'll try to learn about it too. One thing about working with leather, you never stop learning!

[Geezy Rider]

May not be the best way, but this is my way...

Two colors:

There's a couple of different methods. Use Cova Color and paint the inside of the letters turquoise. Allow it to dry then brush on a resist on top of the colored area. This WILL NOT work on lighter colors, ESPECIALLY WHITE! It can be painted again after staining if it does darken up after staining. Be careful not to get the resist on an area you have yet to stain black. Also, make sure you only apply the resist on the "raised" portion of the leather and NOT get it in the cuts of the tooling impressions. (shown in the pics below) Allow the resist to dry. Once dry, apply the black leather stain. The resist does just that, makes the area resist stain. IF the turquoise area darkens after staining everything in black, paint that area turquoise again. The. Apply whichever finishing products you wish after its dried.

This entire guitar strap was dyed without using a resist. Once dried, I painted the green and white in.

[ATTACH]364545[/ATTACH]

This piece was given a coat of Neatsfoot oil all over, allowed to dry then applied a resist on the lettering before staining. The Neatsfoot oil will give it the yellow/gold coloring.

[ATTACH]364546[/ATTACH]

This piece I did not use Neatsfoot oil. Applied resist to the lettering and outside edge before staining.

[ATTACH]364547[/ATTACH]

Antiquing:

This is the darker areas in the tooling impressions or "shadows". I use Eco-Flo Antiquing Gel, it's not the best to use but I is very easy to work with.

Here's a video.

Antique Finishing - YouTube

Tandy has lots of instructional videos. I spent a lot if time watching them when I started.

I'm in the process of changing to mainly Fiebings oil dye. Fiebings also makes an Antiquing paste. I've been practicing and experimenting with it.

Hope this helps.

Glad you posted the video of George Hust. He was one of my mentors when I first started and he was the owner of Hidecrafters. It sure was good to see him again.

[Tubby]

Glad you posted the video of George Hust. He was one of my mentors when I first started and he was the owner of Hidecrafters. It sure was good to see him again.

I can't tell you how many hours I've watched George on YouTube. I know I've watched each video at least twice. I even paid for the video subscription on the Tandy website to watch the "advanced" videos. Some of his older videos still have the Hidecrafters introduction.

[Tubby]

Still working on the shotshell pouches for the Delta Waterfowl Banquet. The one I painted then stained didn't make the cut... I'm making another one but trying to make this one look a little better than the other one that is just stained. I spent a lot of time with the modeling spoon doing the details on the duck heads. I think it'll turn out pretty good. This one will have the black background and be stained Saddle Tan as well

[Geezy Rider]

Dang, I just noticed that I spelled George's last name wrong in my previous post. It's Hurst. I'm such a dummy.

Great job on the ducks Tubby. The first ones were very good but the duck in the foreground looked kinda angry to me.
These are great.

[Tubby]

Dang, I just noticed that I spelled George's last name wrong in my previous post. It's Hurst. I'm such a dummy.

Great job on the ducks Tubby. The first ones were very good but the duck in the foreground looked kinda angry to me.
These are great.

Thanks! I'm glad he looks a little "angry". Rather than than looking like a sissy duck!


I've got a feeling that I'm gonna get bombarded with orders for these at the Banquet...

[Bowhunter9790]

It's a good work

[BBogie]

Man that is awesome leather work guys wish I had skill like that!!!!

[SouthTX1911]

Those are great! Good job!!

I've always been intrigued by leatherwork and decided to give it a try almost 2 years ago. After making my first few items, I fell in love with it. I've almost bit off more than I can chew with the orders that I have in the books, but as you said, when you get done, It's something to be proud of.

Thanks! I love that feeling.