Flask Cover Questions

[MADMAX22]

Hey guys after my short hiatus of no leather working Ive gotten a few upcoming jobs that involve covering some flasks (now that I have the spare time to do it).

What are the basic steps to covering the average flask?

I assume its wet formed around the flask, then stitched in the back or laced per preference. Am I correct in this order?

Also do you guys glue the leather to the flask or does the wetforming and stitching/lacing hold the leather onto the flask well enough to keep it from slipping off after a while?

Thanks for your input.

[Crystal]

Hi Max-

I wet form. Leave your back side a little longer than you think you will need, it will shrink a tad after drying. I usually wrap the piece with another piece of leather and rubber band it to the flask. Set the front side down on a shooters bag (don't tell hubby) then place a plastic coffee can filled with marbles on the concave part of the back and let dry. This will get you your shape. Trim the back edges to fit after drying. I haven't glued any to the flask itself, but I do use a piece of double stick tape on the seam (after lacing or sewing) to help it hold it's shape to the flask.

I have also made a leather boot for the bottom and riveted to the main body that had straps on the top to make it completely removable. I do this with the 64 oz flasks.

Flasks are fun- you can also play "hide the seam".

Crystal

[The Major]

I never wet form any of my flasks. I will tool them and finish them before I assemble. I will glue the leather piece to the flask and then stitch closed using a simple baseball stitch. Then a couple dabs of glue to hold the back down. I use another flask with a clamp to keep the back pressed down till the glue dries. For the glue, I use a product called Black Max from loctite. It is a rubberized superglue. Hope this helps.

[MADMAX22]

Thanks for the input guys and gals, now I got something to work with when I start my projects.

[bex DK]

I've only made one (the one in my avatar) and did not wet form it. But I also used upholstery leather for the main covering with the decorated piece of tooling leather sewn onto that. I like the color contrast. The heavy leather cut-to-shape pieces on top and bottom made sure the covering was in the right shape too.

I did it all with lacing. I generally prefer lacing to stitching, so haven't gotten into stitching yet.

It was also one of my earliest projects. One of these days, I will probably pick up some more flasks and make some to sell. On the rare occasions that my husband carries his flask, he gets a lot of admiring comments.

[MADMAX22]

Thanks bex DK, I had a look threw your thread and that style looks pretty interesting.