Wet formed bag tutorial

[Jacko P]

Thank you for posting this tutorial MagiKelly. I too am self taught and was rapt to see that I had worked out some of your techniques for myself. I mold my pouches over this form I came up with The major difference in our techniques being I use multiple rubber bands to hold the leather to the form and them clamp the female piece of the form over the base until dry. Occasionally a stubborn bit of leather requires staples around it's edges outside of where I'll be trimming it to hold curled edges down before I clamp it.<br /><br />Something as obvious as varnishing the timber had not occurred to me. I originally waxed it but have got lazy with this. I'll give my form a sand and lacquer it. I will also give your tacking idea a go as on occasion I have problems with the leather not molding perfectly, particularly around the bottom corners. I intend to make myself up a template to place over the top of my pouches so I can reliably trim them to the same profile. I will also be making a new form as the mood moves me using  thick plastic from a cutting board as the base and female part of the form. I may laminate several thickness's together to make the pouches body mold.<br /><br />The longer I spend on this forum, the more I'm liking it - thanks again<br /><br />regards Jacko

[SelfTaught123]

Thank you for your wonderful step by step on this pouch and process, I have been starting teaching self the wet shaped leather work field, planning on doing masks for my friends and my self, however, this pouch has given me an idea for a Double Cased Item, a spherical purse, about five inches diameter. Do you have any sugestions on doing a double shaped item, rather than an item that is shaped on one side, and flat form on the other?

[MagiKelly]

I have never done a double shaped item so have no experience to pass on. If I were to try it I guess I would mould both sides on the same form to make sure they matched up exactly.

I'll be looking forward to your tutorial when you try it

[Dolphini]

Wow! Great tutorial, beautifully displayed and explained. Thank you.

[almac]

this is probably one of the best wet forming tutorials that i have seen! thank you so much for your time on this.

one question tho.

if you were going to basketweave stamp the pouch, would you stamp it on a flat surface and then mold it or mold it and use the face of the mold to stamp the leather before it dried?

thanks again.

al

[MagiKelly]

I've thought about doing a basket weave pattern on one but I can't figure out how to get it to work. If you stamp the leather first the pattern will all get twisted etc during the moulding and trying to stamp it afterward will be difficult. Of the two options stamping it once on the mould seems the most likely to work to me but I am just guessing.

[bead]

I've got it .Thanks a lot.!

[intentio]

I was just browsing this site and came across this tutorial. Amazing...Thanks a lot for the effort behind it!

[salvi]

Simply spectacular. Thanks for sharing a part of your knowledge.

[Alan83]

Dear MagiKelly,

First of all, I wish to thank you for sharing with us your success!

I'm totally new to leather crafting and I'm actually planning a project of my own.

However, I have some questions which I hope you can advice me.

Are we able to process the same with other leather types? I meant as in molding and skiving.

I'm having a upholstery leather which I'm quite interested in using as the main material.

Thanks!

Alan

[MagiKelly]

Hi Alan

My understanding is that upholstery leather is chromium tanned and as such it will not wet mould. Of course you can always try moulding an offcut round something small to see if it takes the shape.

[Tverd]

Great tutorial! It's very useful, I'm working on wet formed cell phone pouch now.

Btw, chromium tanned leather takes shape, not so good, like veg tanned, but still.

[Leather Monkey]

Just wanted to also thank you (a little late) for this tutorial! I am very new to this and actually appreciate the leather dyeing part as well (If not more). I eventually want to try to make a molded holster for my gun. One step at a time though!

[TexasLady]

6/1/11

What a wonderful tutorial. I loved your bag. It was beautiful and so well made. Thanks for showing us how to do that. - Texas Lady

[craig h]

Very nice bag and thank you for the great tutorial...may I ask how thick was your mold ?

Thank you

[MagiKelly]

...may I ask how thick was your mold ?

The wooden mould is about 2 inches or 50mm thick. The volume of the bag is about 6 x 7 x 2 inches all in.

Hope this helps.

[hylander]

Great tutorial! I'm planning on trying this molding technique for a sporran. I was thinking, instead of glueing your mold to the backing board could you screw it to the backing board from the backside of the backing board, that way you could move it to another spot on the board or to a new backing board altogther?

Thanks again!

[MagiKelly]

Screwing it on from the back fine. It is what I would have done if I had been really thinking ahead.

[mellie]

wow thankyou for sharing this. wonderful work

[Aramais]

Really great tutorial... I think I may have to use some of your steps on my next bag.

[dodo]

thank u for your explaintion and your work is wonderful

[DoubleC]

Thanks for the comments. Having picked up lots of tips from here it is good to be able to try and give a little back.

You did this tutorial so well, even I could understand it :-) And I truly laughed out loud over your patented tool you use for cutting the round part. I also appreciate you giving alternatives to different tools for those of us trying to get things a little at a time before we end up in the poor house with all the leather workers that have passed before us

Cheryl

[Watering Hole Leatherworks]

Nice job with your tutorial. I know the feeling of self learning everything!! Makes it very rewarding when your projects turn out well such as this one.

thanks for the tips,

Jay

[Jonrobinson01]

wow that is awesome! great work, Im just now wanting to get into leather working.... got a long road ahead haha

[virtue]

Thanks for your wonderful tutorial!

You include exquisite details that most people leave out

(like the steps on finishing).

I can't wait to try it - I am a complete beginner -

still waiting for my first piece of leather to arrive in the post!