immiketoo

Yes they are. Well, and some beveling in certain spots. Thanks! That was the plan Yeah, that's funny I realized after I put that post up it was kind of stupid... ah well

So four years ago, I started this crazy leather thing, and this is one of my best pieces so far. What do you think?

Almost everyone makes these kind of errors. Its what we call EXPERIENCE You just got some!

Nice looking rig, and you're right about the no wrinkle policy. No bueno.

Yep. They're expensive though!

Also, there are a lot of ways to build them. Some use more leather than others. The only real way is to have the experience of your process and take a good look at the hide to see whats useable and what is only good for practice.

It is lined. 6oz on both sides. I was up against two guys that were from Japan who did full western rigs. And they were really good.

Jeff, did you know Robert died a few months back?

Defunct as far as I know.

I don't care what they call me, as long as I get paid

I have one, or had as its still in the states. Its an ash tree. All I did is sand the top of mine and I used it for bag punches etc. This piece of log is so big I doubt it will ever split, but I suppose you could bind it. I started using mine right away, and it dried as I used it.

Never heard of it but it looks cool!

Welcome! Cant wait to see your work. Most wood workers transition quite well to leather.

Welcome to LW.net and to a craft thats done without buttons!

Welcome, and good luck on your journey! Be prepared to have a lot of money and time wrapped up in this new bag!

Hermann Oak offers three colors I think, natural, russet and black. Not sure if these are what you want though. Other leathers like English bridle leather comes in some nice colors as well.

Ok, so for finishing you're looking at opposing issues. Waterproof and flexible. The only finishes that are water proof are lacquer type finishes. They come in many forms including wood varnish. They can be flexible to a point and I have used them with some success, but they look plasticy. Bee Natural RTC is a great finish, but its water based and therefore not water proof. Just resistant for a while. You also have atom wax, and tan kote. Not water proof but nicer looking. Some folks combine the lacquer with one of the latter finishes to get the best of both worlds. Ive been making things for a while now(a little over three years) and Ive learned that oiling isn't as necessary as many folks think. If your making working gear for horses or people, oil is good since it will be subject to the elements. Regular every day items can use a little oil to set the tooling but its not necessary. Bob Park said this to me a few years ago and I have found it to be true for the most part. The darkness depends on what kind of oil. Neatsfoot compound gets the darkest but has a rich caramel color, pure neatsfoot is next and gives a golden color. Olive oil is the lightest, depending on which brand and its color is what I would describe as honey colored. However ALL of this varies on how much you apply and how much sunlight. If you plan on coloring your pieces, the oil will affect your outcome unless you use acrylic paint. Hope this helps.

Another option is to make a leather plug. You can get as much or as little reliefurther as you like, depending get on how much work you're willing to do. Here's the depth I got on my Hannya holster using this technique. You can find all you need on this in the Al Stohlman book on figure carving.

You had some serious competition in your category, Bob. Your figure carving is great as is the rest. Well done!

Thanks everyone.

The three tool set and a bunch of practice are the only way to get good at this. I don't always like the way mine look either. But I just watched Keith Seidel set some in his shop, and its clear that practice is the key.

Sanding is your friend. Id stay away from machines until you get the feel for it. Another option is to cut out one piece, glue it to the second piece and THEN cut the second piece. This ensures they match, but its a bit more difficult. Lastly, I'd try to get a good leather knife. They are worth their weight in gold for cutting out pieces.

No sir. Don't let the stitch line fool ya. Colt Commander.

I decided to enter the world leather debut in Sheridan this year. I didn't do to badly all things considered. I learned a ton and had fun doing it. Thanks to the judges and the leather crafters and saddlers journal for making it a success.