Bottle sheath - new to leather

[BobE]

I've never worked with leather before, but I got the idea to cover a half pint sized glass whiskey bottle with it. I'd like to be able to easily remove the empty bottle and replace it with a fresh one using a flap or maybe an open bottom.

I'd like a nice snug fit, it needs to fit in a pocket. I've seen knife sheaths that are kinda shrink wrapped. What is that called, and how is it done?

Also I'm not sure how to join the leather. I was thinking of beveled edges and adhesive, or maybe laces. Is there a better way?

If you have any thoughts, ideas, comments or advice I'd like to read it.

Edited May 19, 2008 by BobE

[TwinOaks]

Bob, Welcome to Leatherworker.net. This forum is a wonderful place, as you'll find, and we're very happy you found us.

Now...as to the bottle sheath. Shrink wrapping as you call it is usually called 'molding'. There's a few ways to do it, but I think that wet molding is perhaps the easiest. I make a few holsters here and there, and that's where my experience comes from.

Trace the outline of the bottle onto a piece of paper. This is your pattern. You didn't indicate whether this will be one piece of leather, joined on one side and folded on the other, or two pieces, with the bottle sandwiched between. I'll presume the latter, but if it's a folded piece, simply trace the leather, then flip the bottle on the paper so you have both faces and the width of the bottle accounted for.

Now, add 3/8"-1/2" for stitching/lacing/riveting, but only to the edge(s) you'll be joining. If you're sandwiching the bottle between two pieces, remember to allow for the neck of the bottle. If it's an irregluar shape (not symmetrical) remember to flip your pattern on the leather.

Cut out the leather, using scissors, razor blades, etc. On any cuts, remember to position the leather so that a slip of the knife won't glide across the pattern, or you. It's better to clean up a rough edge than scrap the whole piece because there's a slice running through it.

Use a contact cement on the edges to hold them together, then punch holes for lacing or stitching. The pattern should be slightly larger than the bottle's width.

Wet the leather. This is most easily done by soaking it, or by running it under a faucet. You'll want to wet both sides. When you see little bubbles coming out of the leather, it means that the water is penetrating deep into the core of the leather. When the leather is saturated, lay it out to dry a bit (seems contrary, I know). This to allow the leather to fully absorb the water. From whatever opening you choose, insert the bottle and stretch the leather around it. You can let it dry this way, and it will be a semi snug fit, or, let it dry partially, then remove the bottle, letting the leather shrink a bit as it dries. This will result in a tighter fit.

I'm sure I left out a few things, but don't worry, others will chime in and add them.

Good luck on your project, and don't forget to post pics of it.

Mike

[Regis]

Bob,

Welcome to leatherworker forum. Glad to see you start working leather. That is a nice project to get you started. Mike gave you an excellent start. After your 1st one you'll want to read more on dye and edging here on LW.net.

Best of luck

[PeterD]

I do a bunch of them and they are pretty simple. Although I do it a bit different from above since I use two halves of leather to cover a bottle. It is usually 6-8 ounce for maximum protection of the bottle.

First measure around the bottle. divide by two and add 1.5 inch to the measurement. Then cut two pieces of leather that wide by an inch taller than the bottle. skive the inside bottom edge to a 45 for a later bottom.

Glue only the very edges together. After the glue sets wet the leather and put it in a plastic bag in the refrigerator over night (to ensure the leather is completely saturated.)

Then set up two sets of sewing needles, insert the bottle, pull tight and start sewing up from the bottom. go up an inch or so then change sides (make sure you keep the skived edge just below the bottom of the bottle.) When you get to the skinny part of the bottle start forming it around the neck and sewing it up. When you get the leather sewn up as far as you want, then finish off the sewing and cut the leather off flush with the last stitch.

At this point I normally leave the leather to dry (dont worry that it doesn't look good, when it dries it will pull right up tight and be beautiful). After it is dry first put it on a piece of scrap for the bottom cut the circle and do a opposite to the 45 bevel on the bottom and attach with a 45 sew through. both the bottom and the sides. You can then either trim the excess leather off or sew a couple of handles on, trim out the excess or punch a hole for a thong. Then dye the bottle and burnish the edges. and you are done.

P.S. My wife onced slammed a bottle of $80 scotch on the cement and it didn't break. So the medieval purpose of protecting the glass would seem to be a valid premise. If you want to put a nice stamped or carved desing(basket weave is particularly nice) do it before you do your gluing and overnight casing.

[PeterD]

Yikes! Misspellings, bad english, and poor grammer, it must be the end of the work day. Hopefully my leatherwork is better than my English.

[TomSwede]

I do a bunch of them and they are pretty simple. Although I do it a bit different from above since I use two halves of leather to cover a bottle. It is usually 6-8 ounce for maximum protection of the bottle.

First measure around the bottle. divide by two and add 1.5 inch to the measurement. Then cut two pieces of leather that wide by an inch taller than the bottle. skive the inside bottom edge to a 45 for a later bottom.

Glue only the very edges together. After the glue sets wet the leather and put it in a plastic bag in the refrigerator over night (to ensure the leather is completely saturated.)

Then set up two sets of sewing needles, insert the bottle, pull tight and start sewing up from the bottom. go up an inch or so then change sides (make sure you keep the skived edge just below the bottom of the bottle.) When you get to the skinny part of the bottle start forming it around the neck and sewing it up. When you get the leather sewn up as far as you want, then finish off the sewing and cut the leather off flush with the last stitch.

At this point I normally leave the leather to dry (dont worry that it doesn't look good, when it dries it will pull right up tight and be beautiful). After it is dry first put it on a piece of scrap for the bottom cut the circle and do a opposite to the 45 bevel on the bottom and attach with a 45 sew through. both the bottom and the sides. You can then either trim the excess leather off or sew a couple of handles on, trim out the excess or punch a hole for a thong. Then dye the bottle and burnish the edges. and you are done.

P.S. My wife onced slammed a bottle of $80 scotch on the cement and it didn't break. So the medieval purpose of protecting the glass would seem to be a valid premise. If you want to put a nice stamped or carved desing(basket weave is particularly nice) do it before you do your gluing and overnight casing.

Are you into scotch whisky PeterD??

To the original post I'd like to say I come back on this subject. Very tired since I just returned from a trip to Scotland and have just unloaded my stuff and are chilling down with softbrowsing.

Tom

[PeterD]

Are you into scotch whisky PeterD??

To the original post I'd like to say I come back on this subject. Very tired since I just returned from a trip to Scotland and have just unloaded my stuff and are chilling down with softbrowsing.

Tom

Funny you should ask that. My first leather covered bottle was being carried by my wife from the car with about $80 of Glen Morangie in it. I had just finished telling a friend that the leather was more for protection than decoration and he asked me how it worked. My wife interupted by falling down and slamming the bottle on the concrete. Wonder of wonders, it didn't break. Now probably ten years later you can still enjoy a wee dram of the water of life from that same bottle.

[ArtS]

Here are some pictures at my try at this a couple of years ago. I made this for a friend. I also bought a plastic shot glass and incorporated it into the design.

ArtS

I've never worked with leather before, but I got the idea to cover a half pint sized glass whiskey bottle with it. I'd like to be able to easily remove the empty bottle and replace it with a fresh one using a flap or maybe an open bottom.

I'd like a nice snug fit, it needs to fit in a pocket. I've seen knife sheaths that are kinda shrink wrapped. What is that called, and how is it done?

Also I'm not sure how to join the leather. I was thinking of beveled edges and adhesive, or maybe laces. Is there a better way?

If you have any thoughts, ideas, comments or advice I'd like to read it.

[TomSwede]

Funny you should ask that. My first leather covered bottle was being carried by my wife from the car with about $80 of Glen Morangie in it. I had just finished telling a friend that the leather was more for protection than decoration and he asked me how it worked. My wife interupted by falling down and slamming the bottle on the concrete. Wonder of wonders, it didn't break. Now probably ten years later you can still enjoy a wee dram of the water of life from that same bottle.

Oh Glenmorangie is one of my favourites since they are very pricey and they ARE really nice tasting, no compromise there. The new lineup they have looks to be great. Check out their new site aswell. Man you're gonna get dizzy!!!

I brought home a bottle of Briuchladdich's Redder still wich was about 270$ but that will be an investment once they are sold out.

Tom

Edited May 28, 2008 by TomSwede

[TomSwede]

Hey Bob!

Here's a flask sheath I made. Maybe not what your'e looking but maybe it can spawn some ideas.

Link to original post: http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?s...pic=122&hl=

Tom

Edited May 28, 2008 by TomSwede