Western Purse (work in progress)

[Cattleman]

So I had a customer place an order for a purse as a gift for his wife. He originally wanted it as a birthday gift, but I dont think I'll be able to get it done by then (August 3rd) so I told him Christmas would be better. I'm waiting to receive his down payment before doing any of the custom tooled pieces, but I got most of the veg tan pieces cut out and will start tooling some of it this weekend. I will post more photos as the project progresses.

 

[Cattleman]

This is the rear pocket...

 

Not the straightest basket stamp I've ever done... But close

[AlZilla]

1 hour ago, Cattleman said:

This is the rear pocket...

 

Not the straightest basket stamp I've ever done... But close

 

Oddly, I was just zooming in and lamenting that my basket stamping always looks like it was stomped out by a herd of cattle. Stampeding. Drunk.

I'll take obviously crafted by a skilled hand over die-straight machine stamping any day.

I'll be following this one.

 

Edited July 6, 2024 by AlZilla

[Cattleman]

45 minutes ago, AlZilla said:

Oddly, I was just zooming in and lamenting that my basket stamping always looks like it was stomped out by a herd of cattle. Stampeding. Drunk.

Ive found that the key to straight basket stamping is your starter row. Don Gonzales has some good videos on tooling on his YouTube channel.

The rest of this purse will be carved floral and some free hand lettering. The customer opted to basket stamp the rear panel to keep cost down, as this is a very expensive piece.

[Cattleman]

Toolimg pattern transfered to front pocket panel...

 

Now I get to breakbout the swivel knife and see how badly I can mess it up.

[Cattleman]

Swivel knife work done for front pocket panel...

[AlZilla]

48 minutes ago, Cattleman said:

Swivel knife work done for front pocket panel...

Really?  13 minutes between laid out and finished cutting? (time stamps on your posts)

Nice work.

[Cattleman]

35 minutes ago, AlZilla said:

Really?  13 minutes between laid out and finished cutting? (time stamps on your posts)

Nice work.

Lol... No it was more like 45 mins to an hour.

 

Here's what I have beveled so far... Need to spray it down again... Its getting a little dry.

[Cattleman]

Beveling complete...

 

Onto the background and details... Tomorrow.

[Cattleman]

Front pocket floral tooling finished...

[AlZilla]

Fun seeing how each step builds on the last.

Is this a standard pattern for you that you've tooled before?

[Cattleman]

18 minutes ago, AlZilla said:

Fun seeing how each step builds on the last.

Is this a standard pattern for you that you've tooled before?

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.

Edited July 7, 2024 by Cattleman
Addition

[bladegrinder]

That’s looking great!

[Cattleman]

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.

[dikman]

Your swivel knife cut lines are very smooth. Thanks for taking the time to post each step.

[Cattleman]

44 minutes ago, dikman said:

Your swivel knife cut lines are very smooth. Thanks for taking the time to post each step.

 

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.

[Cattleman]

Tooling pattern transfered to the largest piece...

[Cattleman]

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!

[Cattleman]

Several hours later...

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

[Cattleman]

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

[rktaylor]

I really like the basket weave in the scroll heart. Nice touch. Thanks for sharing the progress. 

Randy

[Cattleman]

2 hours ago, rktaylor said:

I really like the basket weave in the scroll heart. Nice touch. Thanks for sharing the progress. 

Randy

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.

[Cattleman]

Here is the final tooled panel....

And how it will set to create a small pocket after assembly...

And all 4 tooled panels...

[AlZilla]

That August 3rd deadline isn't looking so unlikely, after all.  The dye is really going to make that tooling pop!

[Cattleman]

8 hours ago, AlZilla said:

That August 3rd deadline isn't looking so unlikely, after all.  The dye is really going to make that tooling pop!

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...