Just for Fun

[PANTHER]

Hi All

Eco-Flo has a new book out as a guide to using their dyes, stains etc. In the back of the book Peter Main has a guide on how to make a handle from leather mache.Thought I'ed give it a try. If you do try this do wear gloves. It's like working with sticky clay. I didn't want to spend a lot of time in cutting up leather so I put my leather bits in a blender I use for some of my other crafts. It worked great! This I believe would work well for those of you who do a lot of embossing. Saves a load of time.

As you can see, I made mine a bit thicker and I molded it to fit my hand as I lay my first finger along the spine of the blade when I cut. This gives me better control with my grip I feel. Anyway take a look. Its nothing special but it was fun to make.

PANTHER

Edited April 23, 2009 by PANTHER

[RustyMelton]

It looks cool, what do you use to hold the bits of leather together?

[PANTHER]

It looks cool, what do you use to hold the bits of leather together?

RustyMelton

The instructions call for Leather Weld or Leather Cement. I used Leather Cement.

PANTHER

[LittleL]

Good job, it turned out just like the one in the book. How did you add the stain, when you mixed with the glue or after?

Edited April 26, 2009 by LittleL

[PANTHER]

Good job, it turned out just like the one in the book. How did you add the stain, when you mixed with the glue or after?

Thanks. After I formed it I let it dry out,(harden). Took about six hours. Then diluted the stain with water and dunked it in that solution for about five seconds. Let it dry overnight then applyed three coats of leather sheen.

PANTHER

Edited April 26, 2009 by PANTHER

[Sasquatch]

What a great way of using up scrap leather.

Just a question, in the book by eco-flow is there any info on finishes for the Hi-Lites?

[Cowboy316]

Panther

tell me bout the tool you put the handle and if you have a pic of it before the leather handle is formed on it

that would be cool i love the look of it and wanna make one

Cowboy316

[PANTHER]

What a great way of using up scrap leather.

Just a question, in the book by eco-flow is there any info on finishes for the Hi-Lites?

Yes, there is a compatibility chart in the book also. The book has a wealth of info in it and you wouldn't go wrong in adding it to your other leather books. It's called," Coloring with Eco-Flo." Tandy has it.

PANTHER

[Rawhide]

Peter taught me how to do this about a year ago and I did it to one of my scalpel handles. It helps in the grip of it tremendously.

Glad he decided to put it in print.

[PANTHER]

Panther

tell me bout the tool you put the handle and if you have a pic of it before the leather handle is formed on it

that would be cool i love the look of it and wanna make one

Cowboy316

Cowboy316

It's a medical scalpel. The blades are micro sharp and should be handled with extra care. There are different shaped handles and about 20 different shaped blades. I have three different handles and mostly use #10, 11, and 12B size blades. Here is a picture of the handle I covered. I have friends in the medical field so get mine for free. Leatherwranglers sells the handle and # 11 blade. It's at the bottom of their page and the cost is reasonable.

[leatherwranglers.com/products.html]

PANTHER

[Cowboy316]

thank you Panther ill have to try to pick some up and do that i love the look of it

Cowboy316

[TexasLady]

Peter taught me how to do this about a year ago and I did it to one of my scalpel handles. It helps in the grip of it tremendously.

Glad he decided to put it in print.

8/18/09

Rawhide,

The leather pieces on your handle look slightly larger than the pieces on Panther's. I'm guessing that you didn't use a blender. Did you skiver down the ones that you wanted to cover the outer area? How did you cut your small leather pieces?

TexasLady

[TTcustom]

This is really cool. Now I have to stop in at the thrift stores looking for a blender!

[Rawhide]

8/18/09

Rawhide,

The leather pieces on your handle look slightly larger than the pieces on Panther's. I'm guessing that you didn't use a blender. Did you skiver down the ones that you wanted to cover the outer area? How did you cut your small leather pieces?

TexasLady

I did not use a blender, I used a safety skiver to slice very thin slivers from the grain side of some scraps. I used different leathers to give me slightly different colors when dyed. I used Leather cement as well to glue them down.

Marlon

[TexasLady]

I did not use a blender, I used a safety skiver to slice very thin slivers from the grain side of some scraps. I used different leathers to give me slightly different colors when dyed. I used Leather cement as well to glue them down.

Marlon

8/18/09

Thanks for answering, Marlon. I've done a lot of artwork and some 'decoupage', so when I saw how conveniently 'random' the leather pieces were on the surface of your handle, I knew that there was a 'intelligent designer' behind it. And that you had skivered the pieces, too, wow, I'm just so proud of myself for figuring it out that I'll probably be smiling all day. I hadn't thought of how using different leathers would give slightly different colors when dyed. I'll go get some 'Leather cement' at Tandy when I get my next paycheck. Can't wait to get started. What color of dye did you use? I hope you don't mind that I'm trying to 'pick your brain'.

- TexasLady

Edited August 18, 2009 by TexasLady

[Rawhide]

8/18/09

Thanks for answering, Marlon. I've done a lot of artwork and some 'decoupage', so when I saw how conveniently 'random' the leather pieces were on the surface of your handle, I knew that there was a 'intelligent designer' behind it. And that you had skivered the pieces, too, wow, I'm just so proud of myself for figuring it out that I'll probably be smiling all day. I hadn't thought of how using different leathers would give slightly different colors when dyed. I'll go get some 'Leather cement' at Tandy when I get my next paycheck. Can't wait to get started. What color of dye did you use? I hope you don't mind that I'm trying to 'pick your brain'.

- TexasLady

Not at all, I'm glad to share. Here's the basic step by step.

1. cover the handle with a thin piece of leather tightly, by wrapping it onto itself and glue it to itself. This will give you a base to glue to because the glue won't stick very well to the bare metal.

2. Then skive out the pieces to glue on from however different leathers you care to have.

3. Next glue them randomly onto the already leather wrapped handle. Don't worry about the residual glue, because it will give you some contrast when dying.

4. Let it dry for a week. (Yes a week).

5. Sand it with some progressively finer sandpaper I think I used 400/600/800 or so.

6. clean off the leather dust created by sanding and then dye with a brush. (I used Saddle Tan dye)

7. Seal with Neat lac, or Saddle Lac and let dry.

Marlon

[TexasLady]

8/20/09

Thanks Marlon (Rawhide),

I've written those last 'ingredients' down on a piece of paper so that I can carry the list to Tandy with me when I go there to get my supplies. I wish I had a 'doctor friend' who throws away worn out tools (like one of the other forum members has). I do have an automechanic friend who may get rid of broken, worn out, or otherwise mangled tools from time to time, and maybe I can get him to save them for me. Actually, he probably wore them out while fixing my car, so in a sense, I've already 'paid' for them!

Thanks again.

-TexasLady

Edited August 20, 2009 by TexasLady