Big Papa Leather

OK first I need to thank ATX for the pattern. Thank ya ATX! Here is a bottle cover/koozie I made yesterday. It was a project that I tried out a new toy on.... An airbrush. OK not earth shattering but it was SO COOOOOL! I used it to put the primary color Eco-Flo range tan over the enite project. I then used the air brush to "smoke" in the area with the steer skull. I also applied a dark border around the entire edge. Afterward I applied just a smidge of antique gel to the thing to try and age it a bit and blend some of the black to the lighter browns. As you know the antique also accents the grains and character of the leather. The lacing was the toughest part as It is pretty tight once you start to cinch up the top. It turn out good (if I say so myself). Allen PS I went "cheapo" on the Airbrush. I got a Harbor Frieght on sale deal. $14.99 for a dual action brush. Actually I have about $35.00 in the whole set up as I bought a 10' air line, additional regualtor and air seperator. I already had a compressor (a monster Husky model more suited for a auto repair shop.) But I regulated the compresser to 50 psi and then reduced the pressure at the airbrush regulator to about 35 psi. Maybe I'll upgrade the airbrush later. Until then this worked for me.

OK. Thanks for the replies so far. Luke, I was afraid I might have to brush them in. Rawhide, the block method I assume since the material is draped over the block it remains tight and does not allow the dye to be put into the recesses? Russ, I assume you are doing the block method as well? Only using a lighter stain before the over all color? Allen

I would like to learn how to get stamped letters to look like these: I know how to stamp them, I am curious as to how to get the color in the recesses to come out lighter than the leather color. I can darken with antique application. How do you get the lighter look? I haven't tried experimenting yet. But if someone can enlighten me as to the process that would be great.! Allen

I thought I might get a matte and frame it. A door sign great idea Allen

Ha Ha made ya look! Not really a self portrait, this guy is much more handsome than I. I made this... because. I have been trying to practice my swivel knife cuts and the evil jester just called out to me. The coloring is all dyes, hand brushed. I used the Eco-Flo Scarlet and sunshine yellow to make the background orange. Letters and bells are Sunshine yellow. Scarlet tongue. Deep violet jesters hat. I put a coat of Smoke black antique and used wet Q-Tips to clean it off the letters, a wet paper towel to clean the face, and a soft rub on the background to hit the high spots to let the orange show through. I used super sheen as a resist and over the dyes when I finished them, even the back ground. I wanted to get the pooling effect of the antique without disturbing the dye colors too much. I can pick this thing apart for beveling errors and the like. Let me know your opinions on my little friend. Allen

I have found that the cermaic blades need alot of inital help in the stropping area before they are good to go. Once you get it right though they are good. The dual line blade I bought was the same as yours... it took awhile and some extra love to make work. Try using a rouge with aluminum oxide in it. Ceramic can contain aluminum oxide and silicon oxide. Using a rouge with aluminum oxide (too me) seemed to speed the process. I made a strop with a 1X4 and scrap leather, one side is glued with the flesh side up and use a stainless steel paste called Semi Chrome. The other side is flesh side down and I use the Koyo Green rouge. You can get it at Japanese woodworker supply. It is kind of expensive and you will NEVER use it all. I have it for my regular day job. It gives a semi aggressive cut on the blade but if you vary the pressure you apply to the blade you can end up with a blade with the machine grind marks out of it, then flip the strop board and polish. This is a manual method to get you where you want to be. My day job gives me the luxury of using a machine to sharpen that is great for any sharpening need, so I doctor my edges with it then move to the hand held strop as I carve. Also the dual line blade does require a bit more angle than a regular single line blade. Allen

I think a tear just came to my eye... That case is absolutely incredible. Thanks for making me feel feeble and inadequate. Allen Great job.

Plus a new red & black SKULL & crossbones LINING Got a pic of the lining/insides? That's a baddazz wallet.

Koozie, Huggie or whatever you call it, it's job is to keep your chosen beverage cold. I made this one actually as a mistake. I was just freehand carving shapes and made the first Maltese cross. Then I thought… hey that don't look half bad. I then decided to make it into something. I made a smaller cross on each side. Then the border was done. I used the Tandy Craft tool M656 background tool. I used Scarlet dye with a super sheen treatment afterwards. Then I made two generous coats of Eco-flo Smoke black. I then wiped it a few times with a wet paper towel to remove the excess and took some off the high spots. I sealed the inside and then glued ridge strip insulation inside to help keep the cold in. The outside was then sprayed with Fiebings Leather sheen spray. Notice my beverage of choice! Doin the Dew… Allen ,___

Thanks Graybeard, That's the view off my back porch. It is a much better view when the lake is up to level. Right now it is 10'+ down. All I can see is a small little creek. I live 35+ miles from Austin and when the drive in starts to get on my nerves, I grab a cold one and sit on the back porch and remember why I bought this place. Allen that and now I do not have to deal with Houston, Houston's traffic and big city problems. Small community and good people.

Sorry if I sound as if I was scolding, I was just clarifying. Believe it or not this thread has really made me consciously aware of my technique. I have discovered a few flaws in my swivel knife usage. I thank those who spoke up. I still intend on looking into different blades. Allen

Blake, I do not think the issue is a starter one. Although I am new to this craft. The blades are sharp as well, the angles are correct. I was taught that the knife should be angled slightly away from the user as it is pulled through the cut. Allen PS Burnet is NW of Austin

Blake, I think you are close, However I do not think I am lifting the heel as much as maybe not using enough angle. Angle away, and not toward me. I noticed that I have been holding the knife almost perfectly horizontal. Allen

I was able to get a couple pieces done on Thursday and Friday this week. I took the 8th and 9th off for my B-day and to go to the doctor for him to tell me it's time to get my knee re-did. Yea for me! Anyway I made three notepads. One I sent my buddy without photographing it. Here is one I made for another bud, I did his initials and a compass. The second is for my sister-in-law. I kinda did it to match a purse I did for her. Sorry it's not a great photo of the notepad. Here's the purse... The third item is what I call a cell wallet. My teenage children's school always complains about them carrying a cell phone in there back pockets. So I make ip this simple wallet/sleeve. It makes the cell phone print like a wallet in the back pocket. The little charm is attached and hangs outside the pocket like a lanyard. So far I have made about 15 of these for other kids and they all love them as they don't get harrassed for haing a phone in thier pockets. Will be great till one gets caught and the teachers find out. Yeah contributing to the deliquency of minors I suppose, but oh well.... Allen

Great job on the holster. I like the color as is, another vote nor "not black." I'd be happy carrying my brick in that anyday. On the brick and rant on Glocks, my dad has a saying... There is an ass for every seat and a seat for every ass. Basically something out there for whoever wants it. Being a certified gun nut, I carried a Glock on duty for 7 years. Upon making detective I bought a Kimber. Loved it. Still have it. I also have 4 Glocks. I have since left the Police Dept, but my EDC is a Glock 27. Why? Because it works, works well without fail. Is it purty? Nope. Does it need a bunch of fluff to make it a real gun? Nope it'll kill a bad guy dead just as the Kimber will. "It is a mass issue weapon for people who have not been taught to view their sidearm as a more perfect embodiment of the self..." I guess I view my choice of sidearm as a practical self defense tool, more than I would a embodiment of the self. I doubt the bad guy would hold me in any higher regard starring down the barrel of a nickle plated, custom gripped show piece than my lead mosquito throwing brick. Just sayin... Allen

Steve I do have to work a bit on the control of the depth of my cuts. I tend to want to make everything as deep as I can go without cutting through. I noticed on a scrap piece last night that if I "lay-up" a little in the turns I can reduce some drag, but the beveling suffers a little as it isn't as deep and defined. I will play around some more. I am tempted to re-grind one of the Tandy blades to match the angle of the ceramic blade. The bevel is same angle but the the angle of the taper is different on the Tandy and the Barry King blades (steel).Even the Tandy steel filigree blade is slightly more obtuse. If I re-grind the blade (for a lack of the correct terminology) approach angle, I might find it works as well as the ceramic for me. Allen

I got the bum joke and tried one of my own. It flopped. Sorry... Allen

Last night I played around again with the steel blades. I think my technique is more suited for the ceramic as it has a slightly more pointed angle than the Barry King blade. I also looked at the other steel blades that I have bought from Tandy. I played around on some scrap and if I use the filigree blade. I like it better than the regular 1/4" angle steel blade. I do know that the cheaper Tandy blades need more stropping. The Barry King blade is very nice as well. It cuts well but I still bunch the leather in tight curves more so than with the ceramic. Allen

Well, I have never seen a shiny bum. Most around here are quite dirty, disheveled clothes and mumble to themselves. Many stand with signs that say "Will work for food". So a shiny one would be a change. Allen

Pabloz, If what you say is true, the composition of the blade's steel can have a component that will retard the formation of these crystals and therefore reduce or eliminate the drag? If so, are your blades made with this alloy? I use aluminum oxide abrasives (3 micron) to remove the grind marks before the blades were used. Polished to a mirror finish using a .5 micron diamond powder mixed into a spray. I sit with a strop on my lap as I carve... Even if I strop after just a few minutes of carving the drag is there. Allen

Hidepounder, Yes, I use a jewelers engraving tool jig to set my angles and then each abrasive change the angle remains the same. It is 1000% more accurate than the Tandy tool jig. The Tandy cheap-o steel blades do the same as I think the angle is a bit shallower than the ceramic. Allen

I have gotten another swivel knife. I bought a Barry King swivel with the 1/4" blade. I absolutely love the knife, but the blade... well not so much. It does a great job, don't get me wrong, but even after super stropping (removed all grind marks and applied a mirror finish using various grits from 9 micron to .5 micron diamond spray, it's not gonna strop/sharpen any better than it is now) I still have some drag in tight corners and it will cause the leather to bunch a bit. I re-evaluated my technique even. I do not have this problem with a ceramic blade I worked over. So I guess I am curious, is there another blade that will fit the Barry King knife or a Tandy AS swivel knife that is not ceramic that is even better for detail work or tight turns? The Barry King blade won't fit my Tandy AS knife (second favorite one) I thought maybe the Henley 1/4" angle thin blade? Any suggestions? Allen PS I also got a Barry King Tapered Maul. It's DA BOMB. So much better than the poly head hammer style Tandy job. Makes the beveling so much more pleasurable!

Yes, the disc side is excellent for stropping. Instead of rouge on the leather I use a paste called Semi-Chrome. It is a chrome polish. It takes a few applications to "season" the leather, but it will make your edges shine like there's no tomorrow. Also if you are really careful you can use the Tandy handy hone dealie to strop your swivel blades. I do not know how long the roll pin in the Tandy jig will hold up to the high speed rotation. I use a jewelers engraving jig to hold the swivel knife blades to the exact angle I want. My set up is horizontal though, not vertical as the belt/disc combo. You can attach the leather using a good spray adhesive. That way you have less cushion from the double sided tape. To "true" the leather after applying it use a sanding block and a series of papers. Start with about 120 grit and move to 280 or so. This will make the leather perfectly flat. Also you can "renew" the surface by sanding down past the knicks or to remove built up rouge and metal particles by using sand paper and the block. My set-up is variable speed. I usually run it at about 700 RPM which is not speeding but fast enough to get the job done. Be careful of flying objects, always apply the tool with the sharp edge toward the rotation and not into it. I's hate to hear some one ended up "wearing" thier tools as a piercing. Allen

Looks great! Allen

Harvey, I had some problem adding pix as well. Even though you upload them, you have to go to the manage attachments drop down tab and then attach them in the message. If you edit the first post as MadMaxx suggested, you will see right above the upload menu a manage attachment area, that's where the magic happens. Click the plus (+) sign to add each photo. Hope that helps. Allen