How To Make a Key FOB

[TexasLady]

6/26/11

Hi Crystal,

Like everybody else, I enjoyed reading the key fob tutorial. But like most people on this Thread, I don't see a link to any pattern or photos. Since the only leather key fobs I've seen are those 'one-sided' ones at Tandy, I can only see the key fob of the tutorial in my imagination. Perhaps the links got lost when this tutorial got pinned? Please help. I'm writing you because I can see the long string of requests for the pattern or photos, and yet, no answer. - TexasLady

Thanks for writing up the tutorial and for providing a pattern, Storm! I've pinned this so folks will be able to find it.

Crystal

[Crystal]

6/26/11

Hi Crystal,

Like everybody else, I enjoyed reading the key fob tutorial. But like most people on this Thread, I don't see a link to any pattern or photos. Since the only leather key fobs I've seen are those 'one-sided' ones at Tandy, I can only see the key fob of the tutorial in my imagination. Perhaps the links got lost when this tutorial got pinned? Please help. I'm writing you because I can see the long string of requests for the pattern or photos, and yet, no answer. - TexasLady

Thanks for the heads up, Texas Lady. The member that started this thread removed the pictures, so there is no way to recover them. I am going to "un-pin" this since there are no pictures available.

Crystal

[TexasLady]

6/28/11

Thanks for the response, Crystal. Even the tutorial alone is worth reading,... just the frustration, you know, of not being able to see what he's talking about. Any chance that Storm would re-share the pattern and photos? - TexasLady

Thanks for the heads up, Texas Lady. The member that started this thread removed the pictures, so there is no way to recover them. I am going to "un-pin" this since there are no pictures available.

Crystal

[gtwister09]

As I have said many times before...this is the reason for your photos to be loaded onto Leatherworker so that shared photos and a good tutorial are not ruined when the pictures are removed.... A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS.

ALL. Please consider loading pictures onto this forum rather than linking them to a photo site so that this doesn't happen.

Regards,

Ben

Edited June 29, 2011 by gtwister09

[faithskins]

I couldn't see either the pattern or the picture of the finished product. I don't understand why, but I sure would like to see them.

Instructions On How To Go About Making It. Some people have asked and so here are some instructions to help anyone needing same.

First cut out the fob carefully after tracing it to the leather.

Punch your hole for the concho

I will then die using and all in one from ecoflo. Front first and then the back in the center where there will be no glue.

I put the key ring on and attach the concho.

Then I fold over the two halves without gluing the and while holding them in place I mark both pieces, top and bottom on both s with a pencil. You are locating the upper most part of the gluing area.

Now open it up and on both sides draw a curved pencil line to each of the two points on both side. This curved line is the upper limit of you gluing.

I then burnish the inside between the two circles of the fob where the keyring goes.

Take the contact cement and carefully apply to both sides. Let it dry until tacky.

Once tacky carefully fold over the two sides and join them together slowly and as closely as possible.

Use a shoemakers hammer to tamp on the surrounding edges.

Of course it is very likely there will be variations and a little unevenness. This might happen even if you did have them die cut.

This is when I bring out my Dremel tools and use a drum sander attachment. Then by hand I get rid of the imperfection. The subtle sanding also has a way of prepping the edge for finishing.

I use a groover and then hand sew the two sides together.

The I use a bone folder on the water moistened edge and smooth it down.

I come back and use the all in one on the edge and let it dry.

The finally I finished the edge to a glossy finish.

[LNLeather]

You can find info and a pattern here http://www.kingsmere...com/page74.html

[WyomingSlick]

Here's a useful innovation for a sewn key fob. Cut an oval slot near the key ring end on one side, and only glue and sew the outside edge of the fob, thereby creating a useful little pocket. That little pocket is a dandy place to keep and always have with you one of those SD memory chips used in cameras, computers, etc to store data. It could also be used to carry a few quarters, or perhaps some folded currency.