Elephant Belt

[mmirob]

Here is one I recently completed. This piece of elephant is particularly spongy and edges did not seem to "melt" together like I had hoped. Not sure what the solution is?? When using exotics, do you guys piece (skiving both sides) the exotic or just find a piece long enough to cover the complete belt without seems?

Rob

[Leatherimages]

Here is one I recently completed. This piece of elephant is particularly spongy and edges did not seem to "melt" together like I had hoped. Not sure what the solution is?? When using exotics, do you guys piece (skiving both sides) the exotic or just find a piece long enough to cover the complete belt without seems?

Rob

Rob,

I understand your self criticism, but this looks pretty nice.

To get a cleaner edge on fleshy leather, I'll use my skive knife and take off a strip about 3/8" wide, thinned to the edge about half thickness.

Spray the back of your leather with a mist of water, to skive a clean strip.

For edge treatment on fleshy edges, you might try to soak the edge a bit with a diluted clear acrylic, and then sand this firmer surface when it's dry.

It wouldn't even have to be clear. I suppose you could get the same results with any color acrylic. Edge coat could work this way too, of course. There's several choices one might use.

A wet/dry sand paper would be great to finish sand it with.

As to splicing, yes one would skive and overlap, just as you would, say with calf. The trick, if you want to get good money for a quality job, is to do it so it doesn't show. If you practiced alot you might be able to hide it in one of those deep straightish valleys in the Elephant. Ostrich can be a trick, but if you avoid a verticle line between quills it will hide pretty good. Alligator works real well doing this. And don't forget, "black covers a multitude of sins".

You might be able to see the splice on the 'gator guitar strap I just finished, which I have attached. But unless it's pointed out, "no one would know".

And then, of course, you could cover splices or intentional gaps with a leather "medallion" or design of some sort, or a concho.

One last suggestion, some of that 'spongyness' could be reduced by spacing your stitching closer to the edge. I say either an 1/8", or a stitch length, depending on the thickness.

Keep wprkin' it. Every one you make is practice for thwe next.