Leather Weights Tooling And Construction

[gtwister09]

For those that use "bags" or leather weights to hold down their carving or use them for other purposes like saddle seat construction, what weights and sizes do you use? What materials are you using for fill in them (steel shot, lead shot, ceramic/deburr material, chunks of steel or other metal, etc).

The reason I am asking about material is that I recently was talking with an older saddleamker who had his weights for more than 45 years and was having to get rid of them due to lead contamination. He found this out because one of his younger great-granddaughters (1-1/2 yrs old) was diagnosed with lead poisoning after being in his shop. He didn't think that he had any lead paint because the house and workshop were only 5-6 years old so they went on a diagnostic mission doing lead smack tests and found his old leather weights were "high". [No I don't know actual levels of contamination and he couldn't remember them].

An interesting note --- He said that the lead shot bags registered significantly higher than the leather covered lead brick he had. I told him that would be a normal reaction because the shot would rub against itself and create fine dust over time.

He picked up some smaller used ceramic vibratory deburr media to create new weights so that made me think what other unique ideas do people use for filling their leather weights.

I have seen leather covered granite, steel and lead. I have seen numerous sizes of bags from a pound to 30-40 pounds. Even seen a couple with zippers but they complained of black marks on their leather all the time. I've seen hot dog shaped ones, some triangles, rectangles and so forth. Some were tooled but most of them were not.

Any pictures you would like to share would be great.

Here's one my son made for my Dad a few years back. It was made of many layers of leather. All the center sections were punched with a large punch to allow steel shot to be used. One side of it it had a brand and the other side was stamped with a basketweave. The picture shows them partially completed and the inset shows one stitched up and just prior to having the sides cleaned up. These were a pain trying to stitch through 1-1/2" of material....even for just two of them. Personally I wouldn't recommend making them like this.

Last but not least which are your preferred ones and why?

Size/Design

Weight

Material[External/Fill]

Purpose used for

Preferred

Regards,

Ben

[TroyWest]

I have a couple I use all the time especially for holding down things to tool. I made them a number of years ago out of some top grain chap leather. They are about 8" long and aprox. 3" across. I filled them with brass BB's. They weigh about 4 1/2 lbs. each. Very convenient and useful.

[bruce johnson]

I've got a few bench ones. These are all made from light colored chap and filled with coated BBs. I have a couple of 4" ones that weigh about 1#. They are alright for holding a tracing pattern. My users for stamping are bigger, one is 4x6 and weighs 4#. The bigger one is 6x10 and weighs 6-1/2#. My seat bag is made from that vinyl covered tarp material and I got it from a friend a while ago. I think it is stuffed with sand probably by feel. It is about 16x8 and weighs 18#.

[BondoBobCustomSaddles]

I have a bunch of weights that came from an old weight lifting machine, they are encased in poly pro, I think they are filled with sand (?) and are about 1 1/2" thick by 6" by 12" and weight approx 10lbs. I use then for everything. they even are handy for stretching and setting stirrup leathers. I just put a piece of broom handle through the stirrups and put them on the handle through the holes that are in them. They work great and you can find them at garage sales for next to nothing.

Bondo Bob

[joe59]

My favorite weights are old sadd irons. ( the ones Grandma used to do her ironing) I glued a piece of chap leather to the bottom. Be careful of your toes if you knock them off the bench. I also have several bags in various sizes and shapes. Most of them are filled with number 7 1/2 shot. The one I use for my saddle seats is bananna shaped and weighs 25lbs. I have a friend who owns a spring shop, he gave some scrap pieces anywhere from 2 to 4 inches wide and 4 to 8 inches long. They are 3/8 inches thick. I wrapped them in 3/4 oz. veg tan. I find that I can never have enough weights on hand when laying out patterns.

[gtwister09]

Gentlemen,

Thanks for the replies.

Regards,

Ben