Should Stamping & Creasing Be Done Before Wet Forming ?

[ToddB 68]

Hi Folks !

I am making a Scabbard (or if you prefer, a long, narrow Sheath) out of 12 oz. Veg-tan leather for a digging tool. I have the leather parts cut to size & shape and the edges roughly rounded in the appropriate areas but they still need sanding smooth. Final finishing of the edges to be done later.

I cut the front wider than the back to allow for wet forming to provide space for my digging tool to slide in. After the front piece is wet formed and dried, I plan to glue the parts together, make sewing holes with awl and hand-sew parts together by the process described in Al Stohlmans' book: The Art of HAND SEWING Leather. (I like the old traditional ways of doing things !)

After gluing and sewing the formed /dried front to the back, as mentioned above I plan to do the final finishing of edges, i.e. a light sanding to remove roughness and round edges, dye with vinegaroon and let dry , lightly burnish to smooth-down leather fibers, seal vinegaroon with whatever sealer I decide on (Still checking the properties of various products suggested by members here.), a more intense burnishing and then final polishing with paraffin wax, to achieve a glossy-black finish on the edges. Then apply coats of 100% Premium Neatsfoot Oil over all outside and inside surfaces.

OK, enough background information so you know what I'm planning to do.

Now, to the question in my topic. " Should Stamping & Creasing Be Done Before Wet Forming " ? Or can it be done after wet forming ? If after, I assume the dried front will be harder and somewhat more resistant to creasing and stamping unless supported underneath. What are the pros/cons ?

Need your advice please.

Thanks,

ToddB68

Edited January 24, 2014 by ToddB68

[camano ridge]

Depending on the type of stamping or tooling you will be doing if you stamp then wet mold you will loose some defenition in the areas being molded or stretched. If you form it then let it dry if you had a mold under the leather to support it you would have to wet again to try to tool or stamp. I did this on a pocket knife case and it worked well. How ever the front of the pouch was flat and was suppoted by the wood I used to mold the leather around.

[ToddB 68]

camano ridge,

Thanks for your explanation of why it would be preferable to stamp and crease the front of my tool sheath after wet forming and drying (If done before, wet forming would deform the stamping and creasing from molding and stretching the leather.).

Attached is a drawing that member Dwight Cimino posted to me, showing how I could make the mold, but I won't be "round forming" the bottom, as he mentioned on the drawing (See next paragraph for explanation.).

I designed my sheath to be square at the bottom and the mouth of the open hole (Ref. attached drawing.)

plugged with a 3/8" to 1/2" thick, half-moon shaped, piece of leather cut and shaped from a shoe heel, then glued in place and tacked with a few small brass escutcheon pins. Other than the creasing, my stamping is going to be very meager.....a single symbol on the face piece, done with stamping tools I made in High School metal shop around 1959, approx. 55 years ago !

Thanks again to Dwight for the idea on the mold !

Cheers !

ToddB68

Edited January 24, 2014 by ToddB68

[UKRay]

One comment, be careful if you use steel nails as they can discolour/stain wet natural veg tan if they are in prolonged contact - like more than a few minutes. Check out the threads for dying leather black with vinegaroon to see the process.

Ray

[ToddB 68]

UKRay ,

Thanks for the caution on using steel tacks/nails, however, as I stated in the third paragraph of my post #3, " and tacked with a few small brass escutcheon pins.".

Nevertheless, I appreciate your concern.

Cheers mate !

ToddB68