Rank Beginner Artwork

[CedarSlayer]

First off, here is my leatherwork tool rack, with lots of room on the right bar, to drill more holes for tools.

I do a bit of woodworking and metal work, but I am a rank beginner at leather work, here is my most ambitious leather work so far, my son, Nathan, is the model.

Apart from the folding ruler, all the tools in this box where also made by me. The leather is all horse butt. The finish is two layers. Milk, borax and olive oil for the first coating, Milk, concentrated apple juice and olive oil for the second coating.

This tool box is delightful, but it takes up a very large area when opened. I am working on a version that remains on one end and also functions as a tool rack. I intend to make it mostly from leather. I decided to ornament it a bit, but seriously I have no clue here.

Some of my sketches and the result thus far:

I used tea to get the little bit of shading that I have done on it. I am thinking of using vinegaroon to shade it further, but I don't know how much that will bleed. I will try to test with a few scraps, but any advice would be appreciated. I prefer to mix my own stains and such from scratch, so I am avoiding the easy route of going to the hobby store and buying die.

Bob

[King's X]

Very nice tool box. I really like that maul. Wrap it with some leather and bang away. If you get a chance take a look at Stohlman Pictoral Carving book for some more tips on working trees.

Good luck and thanks for sharing.

[NoahL]

I use horse butt leather as well! Can you explain more about your use of milk, borax, and apple juice to treat the leather? I love that dark color you got with the leather, but I have never heard of using milk, borax, or apple juice, so I would love to hear more about it! Thanks!

~Noah

P.S. Looks good to me!

[CedarSlayer]

I use horse butt leather as well! Can you explain more about your use of milk, borax, and apple juice to treat the leather? I love that dark color you got with the leather, but I have never heard of using milk, borax, or apple juice, so I would love to hear more about it! Thanks!

~Noah

P.S. Looks good to me!

Thanks!

I did a bit of a write up on milk paint on my blog.

One classic method of treating leather is to do a two layer milk paint treatment. The first layer is light, the second layer is dark but thin. This give a feeling of depth. Milk paint is amazingly durable, but must be added with oil or it will crack when flexed. This can be used to make good solid new leather, look like really old checked leather however.

Bob

[Daggrim]

Beautiful toolbox! Is that a recreation of an historical design?

Daggrim

[NoahL]

Thanks!

I did a bit of a write up on milk paint on my blog.

One classic method of treating leather is to do a two layer milk paint treatment. The first layer is light, the second layer is dark but thin. This give a feeling of depth. Milk paint is amazingly durable, but must be added with oil or it will crack when flexed. This can be used to make good solid new leather, look like really old checked leather however.

Bob

That is a very detailed write up, Bob, though a good bit of it is lost on me, as I am not a woodworker in any sense of the word. Do you have any specific proportions you used to use this milk paint as a leather treatment? How much olive oil? You explain that the borax should be added to the 2% milk until it no longer dissolves, then add more milk to dissolve the remaining crystals, but "enough oil to cover the top of the milk" seems a bit vague, since that is going to be different for differently shaped containers. The same goes for the second coat, containing the apple juice concentrate. Sorry if I am being a pain, I just really like the look you got on that leather with your milk paint treatment! Thanks!

~Noah

[CedarSlayer]

That is a very detailed write up, Bob, though a good bit of it is lost on me, as I am not a woodworker in any sense of the word. Do you have any specific proportions you used to use this milk paint as a leather treatment? How much olive oil? You explain that the borax should be added to the 2% milk until it no longer dissolves, then add more milk to dissolve the remaining crystals, but "enough oil to cover the top of the milk" seems a bit vague, since that is going to be different for differently shaped containers. The same goes for the second coat, containing the apple juice concentrate. Sorry if I am being a pain, I just really like the look you got on that leather with your milk paint treatment! Thanks!

~Noah

Sadly mixing and adding the oil as well as applying it, is not something I have managed to get to precision. The other measures work out, since you are literally trying for optimum content. The oil, you will have to develop a feel for. Just as when you oil leather, it kind of take a feel for it.

Bob

[CedarSlayer]

Beautiful toolbox! Is that a recreation of an historical design?

Daggrim

I got the basic design from from Jim Toplin's The Toolbox Book. Jim Toplin got the design from Kit Africa, a ship builder, rigger and fancy work artist. If you want to know more about Kit Africa, he is in Sterling Hayden's book, "Wanderer"

From the little I know of Kit Africa, it could easily be an ancient design or something he whipped up with a few scraps of wood and some leather over a few days sailing the South Seas. If you scroll down here, you can see the original plan.

Here is my write up on the tool box, on my blog.

Bob

[DarkDreamsLeather]

I love that toolbox, it has a steampunk look to it!