wolfeyes

Hey All, I was able to get to this project over the last week. 1. I am pretty sure these are a variety of Chinese chestnuts, or at least crossed with them, as that is what the MO Dept of Conv. is working with. 2. Not pleasant to deal with. (#1) 3. With stout gloves, pliers and a hammer, I broke them into little pieces. After getting about 2 cups worth, I gave up. (#2) 4. I dumped the broken ones and then filled a large crock pot with whole ones. 5. Filled the crock pot with water (a little over 2 liters) 6. Heated on high for 4 hours, then on low for 20 hours. 7. Drained and thanks to using a liner, just transferred those spiky things to the trash. 8. After cooling, I soaked a holster that honestly had made its way to my trash bin as I was not pleased with the cut I did. 9. Soaked the holster for 10 hours, then let it dry for a day. 10. One coat of neatsfoot oils, after it soaked in and dried, I added a coat of a mix I made of 2 parts neatsfoot, 2 parts olive oil and 1 part beeswax. I think the colors in the picture are fairly accurate. Wished it came out a deeper color, but I typically put a cup of isopropyl alcohol in natural dye to prevent mold. I think it helps open the pores too, so need to do that and dip something else. All in all, I like it.

I am currently working on a batch of chestnut. I have done walnut and vinegaroon as well. (if you can find iron (II) acetate, mix with a WEAK vinegar solution, same thing). I will post back in a couple of weeks on the Chestnut.

Thanks for the replies. I will check both places.

Hi Leathersmyth, Do you have a source for them? I am redoing a Gladstone bag, but may need to do more. Bag was going to be for me, rare occurrence I make something for me, but jealous eyes are watching progress. Thinking I could make several if I had a source for similar hardware. Thanks,

What is the proper name of these latches? My google-fu has reached its limit.

I see those now. Thanks for the information. May have to order one or two of those.

Great looking Sporrans and many thanks for the link to the cantles. I do have a question about the cantles. How do you attach them to the leather?

Looking good. Toe plugs are the bane of my existence. I cheat on them now. I stich the plug to a thinner piece of leather that is larger, it is turned up and the holster is stiched to the turned up piece. It works a little easier.

Thanks for the comments. Yes, I did the beading, first time I have tried my hand at it. I found a great tutorial on the leather forum at paleoplanet (http://paleoplanet69529.yuku.com/). That brass framed remington with the stock is a tack driver. I got the shoulder stock for an 1860 colt army I shoot and was gifted the remington. I found out that there is a bolt for the hammer that allows shoulder stocks to be added. Picked it up and with a little dremel action the stock fits both. although it will probably never be taken off the remington. Oh, and Dwight, awesome sheath and beadwork. The work that went into that beading is excellent.

I made this for a friend, took the inspiration from the Apache Saddlebags that had apliqued leather over wool. This is brain tan deer with beading and red trade will. the front was sewn with buffalo leg sinew, but I moved to linen when my sinew pieces were getting short. Here it is with a few others I have done.

Here is my first attempt at a Saddle Scabbard.

Here is a copy of an 1860 Main and Winchester holster I recently made.