Looking for Help

[Sam]

Okay,

I am brand new to this and this may seem like a stupid question but here goes... I have a shooting bag that I am making and was wondering do you stain it before or after you stitch it together? Any help will be much appreciated.

Thanks,

Sam

[superchute]

Okay,

I am brand new to this and this may seem like a stupid question but here goes... I have a shooting bag that I am making and was wondering do you stain it before or after you stitch it together? Any help will be much appreciated.

Thanks,

Sam

Sam this is where it is your choice you can do it both ways. so if your thinking about try it on a little scrap and see what you like and do it that way. Rember have fun and enjoy.

Russell

[Luke Hatley]

Sam if i was going to stain the bag i would stain it before i stiched it together.

[kseidel]

Depends on the stain. I dye and stain parts before assembly, but never oil before everything is assembled and edges are finished. Keith

[TomBanwell]

Normally you stain before you do the stitching. Otherwise you run the risk of not getting the stain into the recesses of the seams.

[RosiePOP]

If you are using a four prong punch or chisel, punch your holes before you stain. Then, sew after you stain it. The reason is that the stain can get on the thread and the thread cannot be sealed, therefore, the stain may rub off from the thread if the item gets wet.

[grumpyguy]

Everyone above is offering good advice but what you have to decide what you want the stiching to look like. I have usually stained and then stiched. (I liked the idea of punching stitch holes and then staining, I have not done that before.) I made a pair of spur straps and wanted brown thread rather than white and it's an hours drive to the nearest craft store. (Now it is futher as that store went out of business.) I tried some stain on the waxed thread and was surprised to find it did take the stain. I simply stiched them up and stained it. Came out great! So really it just means if yer bent on a certain effect you have to plan out best how to get it. General order I use is layout, carve, bevel, camoflage, add detail cuts, staining, finish edges and assembly (meaning stitching riveting and add hardware.) On some pieces I will wait to finish stiched edgeds until they have been stiched, then I go back trim and edge them. This is more than what you asked for but I thought I'd put it out there for anyhelp it might give.

Good luck and keep at it, won't be long and you'll gain the confidence and experience to turn out your own ideas and discover what works best for you.