Airth

I'm adding cloth liners to wallets, and everything is nice and flat when the wallet is open, but crinkles and bunches up along the folds whenever I actually close the wallet. For adhesives, I've tried Barge cement, regular rubber cement and even double-sided tape. I've even adjusted the size of the cloth liner so there isn't an excess of fabric, but for whatever reason I get the same results. Thanks in advance for everyone's insight!

Thank you! I used stamps and craft aides to get the outlines for the gears, then cut them out and tooled them. I use a single chisel punch to cut them, as the smaller ones are too fine for a swivel knife. The backgrounder is just angled sharply for the interior of the gears. Thanks for the feedback, everyone!

I haven't posted in quite awhile, but wanted to show a little progress thanks to those I've conferred with here. Attached is a "steampunk" styled phone holster/wallet sized to fit an iPhone 6+. It's all hand cut, tooled and sewn out of veg-tanned 4-5 oz leather, and finished in tan gel antique. The front pocket is large enough to hold an ID, some cards and cash, so it's essentially a minimalist wallet one can wear on their belt. Thanks for looking, and thanks for your feedback!

Great work and awesome concept! Those last ones screw with my head, haha.

Gorgeous! I especially like the wood grain detail in the guitar. Thanks for sharing.

That looks awesome, especially considering you're using "hobo" tools. I'm envious!

It looks vintage and definitely enviable--very nice!

Wow! Let me say that backwards....wow!

Looks quite fitting so far...can't wait to see it finished!

It's been a *very* long time but I've dabbled in maille, mostly the European 4-in-1 pattern. The only thing I have left is the original coif I made for my sugar-loaf great helm. I had begun crafting the tools to get into riveted maille but saw something shiny and my interests went elsewhere. With riveted maille you can get away with a much smaller diameter wire and make your wedge rivets out of the same wire, so the end product is less than half the weight but at least twice as strong. With the proper tools, it's just as fast as linking butted maille---which is to say still extremely time-consuming.

Nifty idea--thanks!

I miss living there, especially 100 Yen stores! Those are like dollar stores in the US, but instead of cheap junk it has high-quality odds-and-ends you can't figure out how you lived without.

Wow, very nice!

Very nice! I know your customer will love it.

I've had the exact same result...here's what I did to fix it: Make sure your leather is *dry*, as any contact with the setting/doming tool will leave marks. I tap the washer piece down until it's just snug, then continue with light taps while rotating the tool; this seats it evenly all the way around. I use small bolt cutters to chop off the remaining rivet to about 1/8" sticking up, then a small ball peen hammer to mushroom it over. This part can be tedious as you don't want to hit the leather...only the rivet. Once set, I switch to the dome end of the tool, rotating and wiggling it around while tapping it to even out the hammer marks. I hope that helps!

Beautifully done! I especially like how some elements "poke" into the picture.

That's impressive! I like how you included the in-progress shots too.

Thanks for the replies, all! I really like how everyone's is unique, and that gave me some inspiration. Now here's mine, delivered today from Steve of Embossing Die Company. My many thanks to his patience for helping me work through what would work and what wouldn't. Big props to you, Steve!

They look great to me!

Beautiful work, Rohn!

That's unique--I like it!

Will do, Treed--thanks for the suggestion! I got lucky with that one, as it was a two-piece copper rivet that set really flat. I've had enough bad experiences with offset rivets and armor bites, but that's for another thread. Not to keep resurrecting this thread over and over, but I for one like to see how things have evolved from my first wet-formed holster to my latest all on one place. By comparison, my very first leather project...a knife sheath I made nearly 20 years ago...seems outright childish to what I've been doing recently, and the hope is with your continued help and feedback here my very latest will seem childish in another few years. Speaking of the latest, here it is...made to fit a Samsung Galaxy 3/Galaxy Note 3. I really like how this one turned out, done in antiqued black. One it dried overnight, I added a patch of deerskin to cover the concho screws. I purposely distressed the backside somewhat so it wouldn't look too pristine and plastic-like. Thanks for looking!

Beautiful marks and wise suggestions...thank you all! I'm actually working with someone from the forum to have one made, and will be sure to post it up once completed. Keep them coming, especially the different ways everyone sets them. I've heard everything from presses to heat to smacking them squarely...do you have a preference, or is it different depending on the project? Thanks again!

That's pretty slick!

Thanks for the replies, everyone! It seems maker's marks are as varied as the people behind them Excellent pointers, EDC; thanks for your time and expert eye with this. So the next question is one of material; it seems metal would be the first choice but likely the most expensive as well. What are your opinions of the different materials in getting one made...particularly the first one on a budget? Thanks again!