CapnCohen

Possibly the most useless thing I ever made for me. I don't ride horses. I just made 'em for my High Plains Drifter/Good, Bad, and the Ugly costume, which I won't wear this this year, because I'm traveling during Halloween (to Phoenix, ironically). I'd like to make another pair as an act of validation, because the Tandy template was about 1" too short and didn't include a keeper (I probably should have ordered a center bar buckle, instead of the heel bar), which I had to fabricate. Still, it was a great opportunity to exercise my new small, steep bevel and Barry King 3/8" swivel knife.

I just finished a wallet especially for the Virginia Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Silent Auction. The Phoenix Wallet is a nine-pocket bifold made from 4/5 oz and 2/3 oz Hermann Oak veg-tanned leather. I tooled the Phoenix and painted it by hand, then saddle-stitched up to four layers. Whew! When it was done, I had a beer and rose from the ashes.

As a martial artist in karate, kobudo, iaido/iaijutsu, and archery, I find myself possibly heading towards this specialty. While I'm laid up after foot surgery and unable to train, I'm making a Sengoku Era set of samurai armor out of leather, and I started a blog at https://www.crozetleatherdesign.com/blog. Please let me know what you think.Thanks.

Beautiful piece! Reminds me of a Mexican Drop Loop knife sheath.

Very nice photos and leather work! I have a background in photography and use a homemade light box to avoid harsh shadows (to build your own for a fraction of the cost of buying one, go to https://digital-photography-school.com/how-to-make-a-inexpensive-light-tent/). I then create composites in Photoshop. The lack of harsh shadows makes my product look more polished and my compositing task much easier. Also, by using at three or four soft lights depending on the project, I avoid glare and overexposure on the leather and metal fittings. For maximum clarity, set your Coolpix's ISO to 100 (200 maximum), use a tripod, do not use direct flash (cover with gauze or translucent plastic), and shoot with a timer. I like the use of the dark background for dramatic effect. But be aware that it will show dents and other imperfections (as in the revolver photo) much more than a white posterboard. Good luck!

I posted this before, but forgot to upload the image. I didn’t realize it until 2 weeks and a bunch of snarky replies later. I made this conductor’s baton case for my daughter, a music education major. Veg-tan, 3/4 oz. Internal brass tube for protection. Tooled initials painted with metallic gold paint. Resolene finish. I designed the template after looking at various models online. My apologies to those who were mystified.

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Made this for my daughter graduating this year with a music education degree. Saddle-stitched 3/4 oz veg tan. Hand-carved initials with metallic gold paint. Interior brass tube to prevent breakage.

I really appreciate the great input from everybody! Thank you.

Thanks for the compliments. I made the bag for my own use in the dojo and for travel. It was also a great learning experience.

Just finished my Dojo Duffel Bag, 24" x 12" x 12". The body is 5/6 oz, chrome-tanned, supple, pull-up leather. The flesh side is a gorgeous burnt orange, so no lining. Exterior pockets and emblems on ends are 3/4 oz veg-tan that I tooled, painted, and dyed (Chinese tiger, Japanese dragon, Chikubukai seal, and mitsudome). By the time I make the shoulder strap, I will have assembled about 35 pieces, all saddle-stitched by hand. Antique brass fittings. Holds my gi, weapons, and towel with room to spare. I plan to use this also on the road for week-long trips. I purchased the template from Creative Awl and made changes to suit my vision (3 mm stitches, rather than 5mm; Frontier Leather, rather than Crazy Crow; different end designs; diamond punch, rather than round punch; tooled veg-tan pockets, rather than blank chrome-tan). This has been my most complicated and long-term project, which taught me a lot about cutting, handling, and sewing chrome-tanned leather. It got rave reviews at the dojo. I'm hoping to make more for a bit of revenue. I did the photography and compositing today and still need to post this on my website, https://www.crozetleatherdesign.com/.

After visiting lava glows and n Hawaii, I want to duplicate the “braided” lava in leather. How do I tool those so they’re rounded?

Client ordered project for delivery in 10 days. All I had in stock that was suitable was veg-tan 4/5 oz. Custom-designed template. Hand-carved and stitched (client later wanted me to add more pockets for a total of seven AFTER I had sewn in flaps, pen sleeve, and border stitching). Name and inscription done with calligraphy pen. I was aiming for rustic, Indiana Jones, explorer product. Carved but not stamped to get the sketch effect. Antique-stained and airbrushed with Resolene to protect ink from running. Portfolio at https://crozetleatherdesign.com/my work.

Thank you!

Archery arm guard with contemplative samurai scene and kanji for "heijoshin" (constant peace of mind) and "bushido" (way of the warrior). Airbrushed and handbrushed paint. Antique finish to accent lines. 8/9 oz veg-tan lined with black pigskin. Looks best flat, before laced with black ties and formed. Tailored for my wrist and forearm measurements.