Cattleman

Wet leathet does indeed cut easier... However it is also easier to stretch and deform the leather while cutting it wet.

I generally use 6B pencils as they don't crumble quite as easily as 8B. But if I need to draw on very soft or cased leather I use 8B.

I think I'd use copper rivets on something like that. The snap could be set through a single layer before cementing the stack.

Shoulder strap, nothing super fancy. It's pretty much finished, except the hardware. Which consists of grommets and clasps to attach the shoulder strap, and a buckle for the closure strap. Also getting a rivet domer to gussy up the copper rivets a little.

Thank you. This is after slicking and dying the rest of the edges... I'm currently working on the shoulder strap... 2 layers of 6/7 veg tan cemented together, with a little detail cut end to fancy it up some... Pics to come soon.

Thank you. I did consider dying the back side of the strap, but decided against it as I dont want the dye to transfere to the tooling. I instead slicked it with some tokonole, as it will not be visiable most of the time. The shoulder strap will however be dyed on both sides.

It has officially become a bag... Still have some edging and dye work to do, as well as a buckle and strap. But I'm currently waiting on some hardware I ordered.

Lol... Funny how when you're focused on a particular feature, the rest just kinda disappears... Until it changes.

No dye or paint on the flowers or vine work... Your probably seeing the light reflecting off the top coat.

So today I managed to get both the main body panels lined and the front body panel sewn to the gusset. It's finally starting to resemble a bag!!!

Thank you. If it looked awesome before antique, it should look even better now... Now all the little details really jump out and give it some real depth. Thank you, and my pleasure.

Some very nice blades and sheaths. Really like the one with the tooled antler.

Dye and resist completed... Once the resist dries I'll antique.

Lol... Thats why I'm charging $750 + shipping. Thank you. I'm getting excited to see it finished too.

Well, I'll have it done before then I think... But might not arrive to my client until a few days after, as I am going to have to order the hardware... My local source doesnt have what I want. Yes the dye is definetally making it pop...

Here is the final tooled panel.... And how it will set to create a small pocket after assembly... And all 4 tooled panels...

Thank you... I didn't want to bar-ground that large of an area, but it isnt really enough room for initials even. So I very lightly pressed a few basket stamps into it to see if I liked the way it would look. After the first 3 I was sold, and set them hard and fast.

This panel brings the tooling to about 90% completed for the entire build...

Several hours later... Beveling is now complete... Good thing too, my arthritis was starting to get to my hands.

An this piece has ALOT of swivel knife work. By far the largest single floral piece I've ever done. Now onto the fun part!

I really like the tooling... A little antique would really make it pop!

Tooling pattern transfered to the largest piece...

Thank you... I wish weilding a swivel knife was as easy as weilding a pencil, Especially the erasing part... Lol there are several cuts in that that if I could have moved them just a little bit I would have.

So the pattern that my client chose has a spot left blank for intials or a brand, neither of which he wanted. This is the original... And this is after I modified it... I'm waiting for approval of the line art before I put it on leather.

I generally send photos of each step of the process as they happen to my clients. Ive had some really great feedback from this. And I think it helps the customer appreciate all the work that goes into a particular piece. No this is actually the first time I've built this purse. And the first time tooling this particular pattern, but I have tooled several floral patterns by the maker that created it.