22 Plinking Pouch

[Brokenolmarine]

Busy Work and a Gift for a friend.  I am designing a pouch to hold 22 ammo for walking the trails or accompanying the wife or I wandering the farm when we are carrying the 22 rifle or pistol.  You never know when you'll need to put down a varmint, or decide to plink a bit.  Plus I have a friend who offered up some rare ammo she no longer needs and I can't find.  She is getting along in years and no longer shoots the larger calibers and sticks to the rimfire, so I offered to make her a plinking pouch as well.  Mine will likely have a belt loop. Her's will have d-rings to allow over the shoulder carry on a lanyard.

I started playing with the design, and rejected the first few, then realized I wanted an oval side panel with a notch, so the flap coming over the top for closure would lay FLAT on the lower enclosure.  I played around with sizes and settled on this one.

 

 

It should give enough depth that rounds won't fall out when you open the pouch to access the ammo, but not too deep to limit access.  Should also be wide enough to allow about two boxes of 22 LR or a box of 22 Mag.  

[Brokenolmarine]

Satisfied, I transferred the design to a thicker leather stock and cut out a sample, then tested the sample with a piece of leather I'd use for the main panel.  This worked out pretty well.

 

The testing of the application gave me the length of the panel I need, and I'll end up with 10-3/4 to 11.  Width?  About 3-1/2 to 4"  4" for a lanyard rig and 3-1/2 for a belt worn pouch.

 

 

Once the carving and tooling is completed, and I am about to start sewing, I'll trim the notch area on the side panels for a flush fit BEFORE marking and applying the holes for stitching.

Until then, I won't touch the width of the gap, as I might cut another panel if errors are made and it could be thicker.  (Sigh.)  Been there done that.

[Brokenolmarine]

My friend would like Oak and Acorn as the pattern.  Been a while since I did that carving and tooling so I started practicing.  Here is practice pattern number three.  I need to watch some videos and hone my technque.  I can see the areas where I need lots of work.  My pear shading needs a lot of attention... and the swivel knife could be much smoother.

 

I went ahead and oiled and waxed the practice piece, for the practice.  The friend liked it.    What does she know.  

 

I'll get back at it and try and get the carving and tooling done.  I'll probably do a basketweave on my pouch, with maybe a cowskull in the center.  I can handle that.

[Brokenolmarine]

worked a bit this morning, the tooling is done on the flap and front panel areas and the border is tooled.  Of course, until I apply finish and sew them in place, I will always see things and touch up.

I will start on the D-ring assemblies which will be sewn in before the main project is assembled.

 

The color will even out when the leather dries, of course.  Nothing has been applied at this point but water for tooling. 

[Brokenolmarine]

I made the D-Ring straps, accenting with the Barbed Wire stamp.  Appropriate for a pouch for a Single Action Revolver Fan I think.  Go Cowgirl. 

I burnished all four edges on both straps.

 

I measured and marked the back side, then painted on the Contact Cement, and after it was tacky, carefully slipped on the D-rings carefully avoiding Contact with the Cement. 

I folded over the strap and carefully, carefully matched up the end to the guideline marked on the backside to trap the D-Ring.  I clamped them and set them aside to cure.  I'll sew them tomorrow.

Next step is to decide where to attach them.  Upper edge of the back of the pouch, or on either side on the side panels.  Decisions, decisions.

 

I will also touch up the tooling where the barbed wire seems lighter.  Lessons learned.  Solid Strikes on EVERY strike.

Duh.   

[jrdunn]

I like where your pattern is going.  Somewhere I read (on here I think) that beveling around the barbed wire tooling really improves it.  I haven't used them, so I don't know.  It looked better in the pictures.

JM2C

[rleather]

Thanks for taking the time it takes to go thru your process and sharing with us. The actual assembly of a project is the procrastination point for me. 

I don't know why, but it intimidates me on projects I have never done. You would think after being in and out of the craft for 50 years I would be over it, but no. 

Looking forward to seeing the next installment

[Brokenolmarine]

I haven't tried beveling around the barbed wire but when I have some practice time I'll give it a shot, trying various bevels.  Good tip.  I went out this morning to figure out where to attach the d ring assemblies, and found that folding and gluing had faded a couple of the "barbs" right over the d-rings.  Hmmm?  Then I marked the holes to sew down the fold and when I drilled them thru the bit wandered because someone didn't mark the holes deep enough.

 

The d-ring straps are a minor feature in the project and would be unlikely to be seen or noticed by any casual observer of the project while it hangs on the hip of the user.  Should be "Good Enough" but this was to be a gift. Not good enough for a gift.  I took a razor and sliced down the center of the two folds, pulling the brass D-rings.  We will redo the straps, pics to follow.

 

Good enough isn't good enough.

[Brokenolmarine]

I went out this morning and cut new D-ring straps with the strap cutter.

 

After I had the 9 x 7/8 inch piece, I cut it in half to give me the two 4/1/2 inch strap pieces.  I cut a reference line down the middle using the  compass.

 

Carefully, I followed the line and stamped each barbed wire set with a firm solid strike.  Each following strike was perfectly aligned, then a firm solid strike.  Speed was NOT a consideration.  When that was done I set the straps aside to dry so I could check them and oiled the main panel.  Note the two clear areas, this is where the straps will get glued prior to sewing them down.

 

You can see the stamped / tooled straps drying in the background.

[Brokenolmarine]

I oiled the straps and burnished the edges, preparing to build the D-Ring straps.

 

While the oil dried, I worked on the main panel, antiquing and applying Mink Oil to keep the leather supple.

 

The side pieces and D-rings got attention, I had glued and clamped the straps and they were ready to be sewn.  I textured the side panels.