Smoothing flesh side?

[zbean]

It's been a good while, but I wanted to post the resolution of this one.

I finally got the thing stitched up and sent off (months later). I was in such a hurry to send it off I didn't take any pics, so I only have the one my father sent me. He seemed happy enough with it, so that was good. I know I've a long, long way to go, but I'm pretty happy with it for my third sheath.

Thanks to everyone for your advice,

-Bean

[thecapgunkid]

Funny how you trip over this stuff by pure accident. Many of the Cowboy Action Shooters I sell to ask for unlined holsters because they are working a persona from the 19th century rather than a 21st century competition rig. Many of these holsters were unlined, and the gunsight and metal rubbing on the inside of the leather yields a dust all over the gun.

The best way I have found to smooth the flesh side is as follows;

1. Pick a chunk of leather to work weith that is not already shredded ( rocket science...huh???)

2.Slick it once while it is still wet and before any carving. Make sure the flower side in on a smooth lap or marble stone so you don't get unintended impressions

3. You do that voo doo that you do so well on the leather through tooling and dying, and let it dry.

4.Dampen the flesh side but don't soak it.

5. Consume the contents of a no-sugar added glass jar of apple butter common to any grocery store and wash out the jar, leaving the paper label in place. The reason for the apple butter or no sugar added label is because they use jars that don't have a rim around the base, so the entire outside of the jar is one round, smooth surface.

6. Grasping the label ( which helps traction ) lay the piece rough side up on your marble or lapstone, and work toward you in smooth, long, even strokes with a measure of elbow grease. This is an eye-ball thing and you'll know you're done when you see that you have really compressed the grain. By keeping the decorated, flower side of the leather dry (step 4) you won't butcher your work.

7. Let it dry. Now get on the treadmill because all that apple butter you just ate is headed right for your beltline

8. Now comes it the tan-coat. I like brushes where I have cut the bristle length by about half...usually a one inch trim brush that my wife is gonna yell at me over because I did not paint the room but made some cowboy the John Wayne Rig he always wanted as a kid instead.

9. I like to run a shoe brush over the surface. It probably doesn't do anything but it is a nice and pastoral feeling like I fit in with the ecology or something by not using a machine.

Hope this helps, and, don't shoot yore eye out, kid

The Capgun Kid

[Des804]

I use a Little bit of Gum Tragacanth and then rub my bone Folder up and down it it makes it really smooth then I seal it with satin Shean once it dries.

[pepeunidos]

Thanks for the info! This is all super helpful. I have a question: if the flesh side was to be dyed, where in the sequence would that happen?

PepeUnidos