A Few Rifle Slings

[MADMAX22]

Finished a few of these guys. Well mostly have to redo the strap on one hence why it doesnt have one on it right now.

Anyways 8oz WandC, the standard basket weave is brown and cordovan, the others one is saddle tan and the other light brown. My antiqueing did not come out all that great on the tooling portions. I am really struggling with that part. I was really excited because I finally got some Barry King tools (a few bevelers and a couple of basket stamps) and the bevelers are so very nice when getting that deep looking tooling. They really have the right angle to them. Just couldnt get the antique right to really bring it out.

Ahh well. Other then that I was pretty happy with them for the most part. Any thoughts for improvement are more then welcome.

[Guy W]

nice, those look amazing.

[Eaglestroker]

I'll suck up a little more on this one Max, your slings from earlier posts had inspired me to try my first a while back.

I really like the half basketweave style, keep up the nice work.

[MADMAX22]

Thanks guys,

Eaglestroker I think Dave (DCKNIVES) should get alot of credit, he helped me a bunch when I first started trying to make one. Him and a few others.

[Phatdaddy]

Max could you post a pic of the other side, more specifically the stitched area?

Those are both Very Very nice.

Kevin

[MADMAX22]

Does this help

[Phatdaddy]

Does this help

ya that's exactly what i was looking for thank you.

Kevin

[Casey Jordan]

Very nice! I like all of them!

[wvcraftsman]

Wow. That is some amazing basket weave. Great job. Are the slings from a kit or your own sling design?

[MADMAX22]

Thanks a bunch guys. The slings are something I put together following the input from Dave as mentioned and taking parts and pieces from others designs and this is what I came up with. I refined it a little from the first couple and this is the final version. Granted there are only so many ways to make a rifle sling (or strap since a sling is for the die hards who know really what a rifle sling is as far as a shooting utility and a carrying assistant).

[steelhawk]

Those are great. It makes me want to try and make one.

[woodandsteel]

Wow! I really love the tooling you did, especially the scroll work. What kind of dye did you use, and how did you dye the cordovan and brown and keep the colors separate?

What did you use for the padding between layers? What do you finish it with, to prevent color bleed?

[MADMAX22]

The basketweave on the one that is entirely done is a tandy stamp, its ok but not as nice as the other two which is a barry king stamp. Those things are nice.

Once it is done carved I let it sit overnight to completely dry.

If dying two colors I dye the entire thing the lighter color usually. Then I take those foam paint brushes, the ones that are about 1" wide and carefully go along the area I want the darker color. Its relatively easy when you are just doing the outline like that. Just be careful and dont load the brush up too much. It takes a few times to get the color nice and even.

Once the dye is thoroughly dry I oil once with neatsfoot.

I will finish in two ways. One is my natural finish which I do 90% of my stuff in, I have a wax/neatsfoot mix that is the consistency of soft butter that I rub in all over. Let it dry then do another coat. It helps to have it somewhere warm for this. That should do it but you gotta reapply something like snow seal or whatnot every once in a while. It works pretty good.

The other way that I do lighter leathers alot of times is do the above process but only one light coat of the wax stuff, then after its dry and buffed out I apply two very thin coats of neatlac (clearlac nowadays). Gotta rub it in and keep it light so it doesnt get that plastically fee to it.

Oh and the padding is 1/8" neoprene (got it at the foam factory), bevel the edges then glue it on with super 77, then cover that with suede.

Edited October 1, 2011 by MADMAX22

[lacyrp]

Finished a few of these guys. Well mostly have to redo the strap on one hence why it doesnt have one on it right now.

Anyways 8oz WandC, the standard basket weave is brown and cordovan, the others one is saddle tan and the other light brown. My antiqueing did not come out all that great on the tooling portions. I am really struggling with that part. I was really excited because I finally got some Barry King tools (a few bevelers and a couple of basket stamps) and the bevelers are so very nice when getting that deep looking tooling. They really have the right angle to them. Just couldnt get the antique right to really bring it out.

Ahh well. Other then that I was pretty happy with them for the most part. Any thoughts for improvement are more then welcome.

Would you mind sharing your pattern with me? I haven't made a rifle sling before, and I don't know where to start without one. Thanks!

[MADMAX22]

Would you mind sharing your pattern with me? I haven't made a rifle sling before, and I don't know where to start without one. Thanks!

Here is a rough pattern that I used a while back. Ofcourse adjustments as you work with it will probably be necessary. It should get you going though.

http://leatherworker...l=+rifle +sling Its on post #13

Edited November 14, 2012 by MADMAX22

[Matt Alsaker]

You did a really nice job on those slings. I'm getting ready to make my first attempt at a sling. Thanks for all the information you put up here, it'll make it easier for me to get started.

What length should I be looking at for the rifle sling? I know they are adjustable. I have the kit Tandy sells and was going to base my length off of that, but it looks really short.

I've never been hunting and the only sling I have is a nylon tactical sling on the rifle I carry at my LEO job. That sling is attached on a swivel on the right side of the collapsible butt stock and then just in front of the bolt about a third of the way down on the left side of the hand guard on another swivel. I believe most hunting rifles attach to the sling further down the barrel.

Edited November 14, 2012 by Matt Alsaker

[lacyrp]

Here is a rough pattern that I used a while back. Ofcourse adjustments as you work with it will probably be necessary. It should get you going though.

http://leatherworker...l=+rifle +sling Its on post #13

Thanks so much!

[MADMAX22]

Matt I would take a look at your sporting goods store and see what measurements the standard lengths that are sold are. If I remember correctly I pretty much made mine based on lengths of other makers and what I saw in the stores. Just tried to average it out. Sorry I would have to take a look at an older one which I dont have around right now.

Glad you guys found this useful but any more help will involve some leg work, not much but a little.

Another thing to look at is that alot of hunters nowadays are liking the thumb hole in the sling instead of the hand loop, I am not a fan but talking to a couple of guys that bought mine suggested I should offer that because it seemed to be popular. Just a thought.

[ramrod]

i've never seen one with a thumb hole in it.....can you show an example of it? would the hole be in the padded area?

[Samalan]

Very nice job!