First Seat Finally Done!

[BanjoMan]

This is my first attempt at a motorcycle seat and any feedback would be helpful and appreciated! So far my main focus has been on making holsters and related accessories, so this was definitely a bigger job than what I'm used to. The seat belongs to a friend of mine and fits a Harley-Davidson Street Bob. I used 3-4 oz. veg-tan leather that I got from SLC for the top and the skirting and I used calf lace to hold it together. After tooling and lacing, I wet the skirting and hand stretched the cover to form to the seat. I used Fiebing's walnut pro-oil dye, applying the first coat with a dauber and blocking the second coat in order to get more of an antiqued look. After dye, I applied a coat of neatsfoot oil, then resolene, then bag-kote, and finally a coat of Kiwi neutral shoe polish, allowing around 24 hours between application of each product. The only real issue I had during the entire process was during the stretching. I had excess in the skirt that I could not pull out, which resulted in having to overlap the skirt at the back corners of the seat. Looking back, I should have cut out the excess and laced up the cuts, leaving a vertical seam at each back corner. Overall, I am pleased with the seat since this is my first one and I definitely learned a lot that I can apply to my next one. Not to mention, the seat looks GREAT on the bike! Please let me know what you think!

Edited April 28, 2011 by BanjoMan

[BanjoMan]

Here are a few more pics...

[outcast]

Here are a few more pics...

Banjoman, overall the seat looks good, The lacing is excellent, however those puckers are unacceptable, & that seat would never leave my shop like that. Sometimes you have to wet mold, but that could have been done right the first time. Also, 3 oz leather that has been carved on is also not acceptable. Your tooling isn't deep enough. You need at least 5-6 oz on top if carving & tooling are involved. 3-4 on the sides are cool unless yer gonna do the sandwich thing like in Dave's seat tutorial...then use 5-6 on the bottom also, & use a basketweave lacing pattern. It's ok to trash it, & start over. I do it all the time while trying to step up to another level, or trying something out of my comfort zone. I just won't SETTLE less than I know I can do....cuz my customers pay for my best work not my practice stuff.

[Eaglestroker]

The lacing looks great, and I really like the color!

[Scary Leatherworks]

The lacing looks nice, color is nice also, I'll have to try some of the pro oil dye I like some of the colors. As Outcast said the 3oz may be too thin for the top, although I use it for the sides (skirt) when wet molding a seat. Unfortunately you sealed and weather-proofed the seat already because those 2 wrinkles could have been worked out. I find that really wetting it a lot helps then I stretch it/mold it as much as I can, which usually ends up with some wrinkles and folds similar to yours. I let is sit over night to dry then remove my temporary holding screws a few inches around the wrinkles re-wet the wrinkle and re-stretch. Usually a few times of this and all the wrinkles and creases are gone. I use short hex head screws #8 it think (takes a 1/4" socket) to temporarily attach my leather when wet forming. That makes it easier to work it all out. then when it's all dry I remove them one at a time a replace them with rivets.