Just Finished My First Piece!

[BobW]

Hi everyone. I am very new to leather working. In fact I just finished my first piece. Its very exciting! I think I my have gotten the bug!

I made a case for my phone. Very simple but much better looking than the Otterbox.

The pictures aren't that great, I was in a hurry and took them with my son's phone.

The case is made from ~4oz veg tan leather. I used Tandy waxed nylon thread and blunt saddle needles to hand stitch it. I wet formed the case directly on my phone with the Otterbox in place! I did cover it with plastic wrap first!

I didn't come out perfect, but it did come out better than I expected for a first try.

[humperdingle]

Looks fab!

[veedub3]

What a great first piece!!

[Reegesc]

Impressive. Looks like you're on the fast track. Good job.

[WoodBoneAndStone]

I think you meant first piece this week?

I see nothing wrong with that! Nice work!

[BobW]

Thanks everyone. It is my very first piece ever. I am practicing leather working in order to incorporate into my first love, metal fabrication. These are only hobbies but I have found they both provide an avenue for creativity that is not possible in my 9 to 5.

[Ferg]

You done a fine job. You do need to work on the burnishing of the edges.

ferg

[Reegesc]

You done a fine job. You do need to work on the burnishing of the edges.

ferg

I was tempted to say that myself (bet everyone else was too). So....now that the lid is off the Critique Can-o-Worms, I'll add that the backside needs work as well. Just skiving and/or sanding would have produced a more finished look. From there you could have stained and/or lined (suede would be my preference). Burnishing the backside is not an option as it would be too slick and your phone would inadvertently slip out. Yeah, you'll have to take it apart to do that, but then you have an opportunity to fix any stitching errors. :-) Or you can just leave it as is (I would) and make another one. Has anyone here ever been 100% satisfied with a completed project of their own?

Be sure to hang on to this first project as your personal HRP (Humility Reference Point) and keep out for public display in your workshop. Right now it's the most beautiful thing you've ever seen and you're proud of it (and rightly so). A year from now you'll wonder why you thought it was so wonderful. Two years from now you will cringe every time you look at it. Three years from now you'll want to throw it away. Five years from now (if it's still around) it will be a quaint anachronism of where you started, how much you've you grown, and that every project could have been better.

Btw, just curious, are you a Smithy?

[BobW]

You done a fine job. You do need to work on the burnishing of the edges.

ferg

Thanks ferg,

My burnishing does need work. The edges around the opening were intentionally left raw as I could not figure out a way to burnish around the tight radius's given the equipment I had at my disposal. The stitched edges had a very good burnish on them before I dyed. I glued it up and drilled the holes for stitching before I dyed it and it started falling apart instantly when the dye was applied. I stitched it up real quick but it left an unsightly edge. Lesson: dye first, glue after.

I was tempted to say that myself (bet everyone else was too). So....now that the lid is off the Critique Can-o-Worms, I'll add that the backside needs work as well. Just skiving and/or sanding would have produced a more finished look. From there you could have stained and/or lined (suede would be my preference). Burnishing the backside is not an option as it would be too slick and your phone would inadvertently slip out. Yeah, you'll have to take it apart to do that, but then you have an opportunity to fix any stitching errors. :-) Or you can just leave it as is (I would) and make another one. Has anyone here ever been 100% satisfied with a completed project of their own?

Be sure to hang on to this first project as your personal HRP (Humility Reference Point) and keep out for public display in your workshop. Right now it's the most beautiful thing you've ever seen and you're proud of it (and rightly so). A year from now you'll wonder why you thought it was so wonderful. Two years from now you will cringe every time you look at it. Three years from now you'll want to throw it away. Five years from now (if it's still around) it will be a quaint anachronism of where you started, how much you've you grown, and that every project could have been better.

Btw, just curious, are you a Smithy?

cseeger, I appreciate honesty. Don't hold back if you see a post I have started. That's why I post them. I am not going to re-do anything, what's done is done. Leather is relatively cheap. You brought up a really good point. I too, much prefer the finished appearance of lined cases. The leather I was working with was a very poor quality. The backside was awful. I tried sanding and the fiber "hairs" just got worse, and as ferg pointed out, my burnishing is inadequate and inconsistent (my words, not his:). Lesson: if you want top quality results, you have to spend the money on top quality materials.

A Smithy? I do very little "blacksmith" type work. All the hammering really ticks the neighbors off! That is another plus to leather working, the neighbors aren't giving me dirty looks every time I see them.

Bob