Skullbelt

[TomSwede]

I lost some weight and had to get new pants. Levis 506 fits a belt with the impressive measurement of 2,36" precisely and what a coincidence that I found a piece of leather once ordered for a guitarstrap laying around a couple of weeks ago with this exact dimension. I got a new belt now. Still needs some work on the edges but I'm to lazy right now so I just shot it at the same time as the dayplanner.

Played some with fingercuts here on that tribalistic carving and inverted colouring using blockdyeing technique (but with cottonballs tightly wrapped in a cloth instead of block). Red was applied last with a brush.

Credits for colouring goes to Kate and Marlon!!

Hey..that buckle from Tandy will ruin the leather in no time. I used the belt yesterday and it looks like crap at the closing point from that ridicilous chainborder they used. Silly suckers. A fine silvery round edge would have looked so nice for this buckle and saved the leather alot more..other than that...I think the chain border looks silly. Flames is enough.

Tom

Another pic

[Schno]

Great coloring and I love the tribal cuts! Well done as always, Tom.

[MADMAX22]

Great dye job Tom, great idea on the skull also.

What did you use to apply the black dye with? Looks like whatever it was worked very welll.

[leatheroo]

who's been practicing with the swivel knife???? lol great work tom...

[TomSwede]

Great coloring and I love the tribal cuts! Well done as always, Tom.

Thanks Schno!!

Long time no see so good to see you around!!!

Great dye job Tom, great idea on the skull also.

What did you use to apply the black dye with? Looks like whatever it was worked very welll.

Thanks MAdmax!! Oh forgot to say that the skull is drawn by tattoflash artist Bob Paulin and is layed out as a leatherbracelet so that was not my idea to put it down this way. Inverting the colouring was my idea.

I used cotton balls in a tightly wrapped linen cloth, before applying I wiped excess off on a blank paper so it wouldnt be saturated and get into the cuts.

I have done no touching up on the black colouring, just applied it with the cotton ball and thought to myself..it is what it is.

who's been practicing with the swivel knife???? lol great work tom...

Thanks Roo!!

I can promise you that there is cleaning up on every cut with the modelling spoon to make the black colouring come out allright. Only get one shot at it.

Tom

Edited June 15, 2009 by TomSwede

[Big Papa Leather]

That looks awesome. You have a knack for striking colorings.

[TomSwede]

That looks awesome. You have a knack for striking colorings.

HA ha thanks Scissormedic, feels more like it's th few colours I have left...moneydrained..lol...but a belt for me gotta be red/black, off course.

Love it!

Damon

[MADMAX22]

Cool beans man, Ill have to give that a try and see how it works out. Ive been thinking of trying that layered color thing just havnt had the project for it yet.

[TomSwede]

Cool beans man, Ill have to give that a try and see how it works out. Ive been thinking of trying that layered color thing just havnt had the project for it yet.

Yeah it's a fun but nervewrecking technique to work with. All the swivelcuts must be very even and polished down so that they don't protrude from the surface.

Here is the tut that Kate made that gave me the basic knowledge about this method:http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=2712&hl=block

Tom

[MADMAX22]

Thanks, I bumbed the thread back to the top but it got me thinking of all the places that we could really use stickied tutorials is in the dye and finish section.

[manfrommuc]

Nice work Tom,

looks very good with a Levis I think!!

but the beltedges are a little bit rough.........

greetings

Johann

[TomSwede]

Nice work Tom,

looks very good with a Levis I think!!

but the beltedges are a little bit rough.........

greetings

Johann

Thanks Johann!!

Yeah black 506 and it matches perfect. With a blue pair I'd be forced to instantly get to those edges;-)

I'll get around to it when I have time.

Tom

[Kustomizer]

Nice belt! I like it!!

[indypbear]

Hey Tommy,

Good lookin' belt. Can't read what's above the skull if it's lettering. What kind of finish did you use on it? Hope you're doing well and what's with the weight loss? Doing something to make that happen like starving artist stuff? I'm a fan of slicked edges but that looks good natural. I agree with the comment on swivel cuts-looks like someone has been practicing his name and other great images. Hope to see some items this year again at the IFOLG in Indianapolis. Let me know if I can help you at all with that again.

Best regards,

John aka "Indy"

[TomSwede]

Nice belt! I like it!!

Thanks Kustomizer!

Hey Tommy,

Good lookin' belt. Can't read what's above the skull if it's lettering. What kind of finish did you use on it? Hope you're doing well and what's with the weight loss? Doing something to make that happen like starving artist stuff? I'm a fan of slicked edges but that looks good natural. I agree with the comment on swivel cuts-looks like someone has been practicing his name and other great images. Hope to see some items this year again at the IFOLG in Indianapolis. Let me know if I can help you at all with that again.

Best regards,

John aka "Indy"

Hi John!!!

Thanks alot!!

There is no lettering above the skull, just the cracks that has been cut out. I have my name at the belt tip and the tooled numbers 13,5 and -20 on the sides. Metric scales, -20 is the more than 20 kilograms (44 lbs) of weight I've lost and 13,5 (5,3") is how many centimeters I have lost around the waist. Starving artist could also be a fitting term but loosin weight is a planned thing. I just changed a few things in my daily intake of nutritions + one month of lost appetite when I separated.

The belt is under slicking process now and should be done today. I've put one coat of Aussie leather conditioner to it and buffed really well. Think I'll go with some leather balm and buffing tonite as a top finish. Finishing up a matching bracer for it today.

Plan is to enter IFoLG this year aswell but it'll come down to an economical issue once I get near the deadline for sending. Also have a really massive fishing rod tube to make asap.

Thanks John!!

Tom

[TomSwede]

Okay all who asked, edges was done today so here are two shots of them. Had to do inside, it's raining.....again.

I sanded off the rough stuff first then I used water, spit, tandys bonefolder and some good 'ol elbow grease. Last but not least a layer of black edgewax polished with a cloth.

Also put on a top coat of leatherbalm...darn, I knew I was going to get probs with lift getting into the decorative cuts. If anyone wondered why the red is slightly pinkish, now you know, I expected lift from the topcoat.

Why did I not apply the balm with the same type cottonball rag as I blockdyed with...

Tom

Edited June 18, 2009 by TomSwede

[indypbear]

Okay all who asked, edges was done today so here are two shots of them. Had to do inside, it's raining.....again.

I sanded off the rough stuff first then I used water, spit, tandys bonefolder and some good 'ol elbow grease. Last but not least a layer of black edgewax polished with a cloth.

Also put on a top coat of leatherbalm...darn, I knew I was going to get probs with lift getting into the decorative cuts. If anyone wondered why the red is slightly pinkish, now you know, I expected lift from the topcoat.

Why did I not apply the balm with the same type cottonball rag as I blockdyed with...

Tom

Looks good bud! "That's the way I like, I like, I like it-uh huh..........." so the song goes.

JKK

[DreadPirateRedbeard]

That's some awesome work Tom. I have to get around to doing a belt for myself someday. I've also got one of the pirate captain bracers finished. I'll get those posted maybe tonight.

[TomSwede]

Looks good bud! "That's the way I like, I like, I like it-uh huh..........." so the song goes.

JKK

Thanks again John!!!

I know that song...

That's some awesome work Tom. I have to get around to doing a belt for myself someday. I've also got one of the pirate captain bracers finished. I'll get those posted maybe tonight.

Thank you Pirate!!!

Looking forward to see your bracers, I really like that motif!

Tom