Wyvern

Does anyone have a way to clean pig skin or suede leather? My wife has two suede leather vests, costs as much as the vest did to have them dry cleaned, and was told that it would make the leather stiff. HELP!

Welcome from just north of you, Statesville!

That looks great! How did you manage to sew the gussett on there without tucking any of the fur into the seam? And ditto on a supplier for the cantle?

Many thanks, Lobo

I am very new to holster making and have a question. How much do you add around the weapon when you draw your sew lines? Al Stolman book adds 3/4 of an inch. Is that enough for wet forming a holster of this type? Paddle? Thanks Donnie

I have bought from Zack White for several years now, and have always had excelent customer service. Just give them a call! They will bend over backwards to insure you are happy! Donnie Owner and Sporran maker Wyvern Leatherworks

Was a pattern ever completed? Even for sale?

OdinUK, I used the antique gell ove the entire piece, black and all. The final finish is a sealer I get from Zack White. I like it because it has a UV protect-ant in it.

It is a sporran, and I dyed the background black with a brush, an acrylic sealer to seal just the headphones, then used a med brown antique gel over the whole thing. Seems to add just enough color to the leather that isn't sealed.

I believe he top piece is sometimes called a "cantor" also.

A lot of ya'll seem to like skulls. Here is my latest effort.

Thanks for the offer Tom, I ended up doing the emblem by hand, Whew!

Does anyone out there know where I can find a Craftool Masonic emblem stamp or something similar? I have a project in the works and would really like to have or have access to one. I have found two on Ebay but they are out of my price range for just the one project. Thanks Donnie

OOH OOH me too, please!

As always JD, you do very precise and beautiful work!

Now THAT is some detailed work. I likee!

Druid, no offense taken at all! I asked for an opinion from everyone. I think your thoughts on the tassels is a VERY valid point. My concern even before your suggestion has been 1. placement of the tassels, and 2, How to attach the tassels inside. I don't want knots inside the sporran (offensive to the hand). I have to figure out some way to attach the ends of the tassels inside the sporran. I am also struggling with keeping the gusset from bulging at the top. I am going to have to try JD"s tapered gusset. JD, as soon as I get the chance, I will send you the details. My summer time job has started and I am having a time getting everything done. Donnie

My friend, I am not very good with fur yet. I also have a personal bias against full face sporrans. Also wouldn't have the foggiest idea of how to mount the face. I am trying to reinvent the wheel with the whole fur thing. Can't find very much in the way of instructions. JD Ramsey has helped me quite a bit so far. As far as the pinking iron, the only ones I have found are much too expensive. I don' want to pay as much for one as folks are asking. I guess it's my Scots blood. I am "thrifty".

I just finished my first sporran made with fur. This is badger. Any suggestions as to improving anything?

Found this on another forum that I visit on occasion. The frustrating part is not seeing how he actually put the back and the front together! Pretty interesting though, from the 1950's http://ssa.nls.uk/film.cfm?fid=0958 Would anyone know where to get one of the tools he uses to make the wavy cuts?

This is twice I have asked questions that apparently no one knows the answer to!

This is for those of you that make belts on a regular basis, or anyone else who might know. Does the stitching around a belt that is unlined do anything but decorate? Does it reduce or prevent stretch? Inquiring minds and all that stuff.

I make my cutting patterns out of flexible cutting board from the kitchen section at wally world

I am thinking about covering the grip portion of a dirk with sting ray. Does anyone know if you can wet it and get it to form around something like the grip of a knife?

I use Zack Whites also. Their domestic tooling sides are better (to me) than Tandy's. Their customer service is second to none!