stormdevil

Hi I'm also in the UK. I started a couple of years back. For tools there are some you really need good quality E.g. swivel knife), and some you can get away with the cheap and cheerful from China that you'll find on ebay. I'm still using my cheap Chinese maul, burnishers and slickers and some of my stamps (the ones I don't use a lot). For leather I started out with some small pieces from ebay, before I got to the stage of buying a whole shoulder or side. Qualities vary and it really depends on what you want to make. For videos I'd recommend Ian Atkinson https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLkCG-505-1t0rYlgBTSnpQ I've followed along with one of his knife sheath videos and the end result was pretty good.

Here is my latest archery quiver. A special request for a Game of Thrones dire wolf. Design carved and tooled, then pained with Angelus leather paints. I had to antique this to get the definition on the design. I'm reasonably happy with the result and the owner is delighted.

Absolutely brilliant. Well done :-)

Hi I'm using a laser for many things. Have used it to "engrave" patterns on leather, but also for cutting acrylic template patterns. You can create the patterns on the supplied software, but I find it better to create in Adobe Illustrator and then import into the laser software. Have made some nice belt end templates in acrylic. Laser is an LS3020 desktop laser: http://hpclaser.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=92 It's a hobby machine and not cheap - but my husband bought it for doing some wood work, so why wouldn't I take advantage of it :-) Showing an ebook cover I did with it

The one on the left is the correct one - it's the right handed one. Also the one on the right (the left handed one( has the retention strap the wrong way since I was thinking right handed.

That's the one that's wrong. It's a left handed sheath with a right handed retention strap (doh!). Doesn't really matter the person is right handed and gets the right handed one and the other as a bonus. It won't fit any other knife since the knife is hand made.

Another knife sheath. It was supposed to be right handed and I convinced myself when I cut the first piece I'd got it wrong, so I recut and happily made the sheath. It was only when I was showing a friend that I realised that it was wrong handed, so back to making a 2nd one - this one correctly right handed! Just shows you should check and recheck what you are doing.

Hi Yes the front and back are separate with packing at the sides to allow for the depth of the guard. That's one of the things you get from the Ian Atkinson video.

OK - Knife and sheath separately :-)

Here's the first knife sheath that I've designed and made. I'm really chuffed that it turned out well. Many thanks to Ian Atkinson of Leodis Leather for his videos - especially the one: Designing and Making a Ka-Bar Sheath - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkMSlgR-Yks If I hadn't watched that I'd have got the 3D aspect of the sheath wrong as this knife has an especially large guard. The video has 7 different ways for how to handle the "thickness" of the knife and guard. I used the "ramps" method (Method 2) to pack out the sheath to accommodate the knife.

Looks great. I've been doing some bits and pieces with my husbands laser. Do you engrave after you have dyed, or before?

I'd rather rivet than hand stitch :-) It wasn't too bad once I had everything marked out.

Here's my latest laser engraved offering - a vanity tray made for my daughter. Laser engraving done on an LS3020 desktop laser: http://hpclaser.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=92 It's a hobby machine and not cheap - but my husband bought it for doing some wood work, so why wouldn't I take advantage of it :-) Dyed first with vinegaroon, then finished with Fiebings black oil dye mixed with irridescent medium (to give it some shine) Dragon painstakingly painted with Angelus leather paint (pewter)

Hi Here's the final product. Well - actually two. I did a cartridge belt slider and a full belt. The slider was to make sure I had the spacing correct - (I did do a couple of loops on some scrap first so I was pretty sure, but didn't want to ruin the belt). Then I finished the belt. I went with military grade elastic webbing - which works well, and rivets.

Hi Dikman It's for hunting. The guy I'm doing this for is a game-keeper. He'll be out stalking deer etc. PS I don't even know what Single Action is ;-)