5teve2 Report post Posted February 15, 2012 Hi all, I am pretty new to leatherworking and I made a very rookie mistake lacing up a gun case that's a gift. Aside from some minor placement/ hair errors on the carvings it urns out I forgot to count lacing holes to make them match on both sides. Since I found this out too late I was forced to skip over a couple extra holes to make the zipper line up correctly. Does anyone have any ideas how to get the folds this caused out of the leather? I thought that next I would try to use my mallet to even out the double loop lacing and perhaps stretch and smooth the creased areas out of the leather. I am concerned this will permanently crease the area that is folded if it fails. I have considered trying to re-lace and double stitch through some of the holes on the other side instead but I'm worried it will not stretch the other side out and won't work. Any help you can offer would be incredible. What (else) can I do to prevent this problem in the future and does anyone have any other suggestions to fix the issue? Thanks guys! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
electrathon Report post Posted February 15, 2012 Bottom line is you are lacing it crocked and wanting it to be straight. The holes needed to be punched at the same time for things to line up. About the only idea I can give you (other than leave it and do not do it that way again) is to cut out the lacing, trim off 1/8" , punch the new holes straight and consider it a learning experience. The other option is to start over. Aaron Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Suicide Report post Posted February 15, 2012 I am pretty new to leatherworking and I made a very rookie mistake lacing up a gun case that's a gift. Aside from some minor placement/ hair errors on the carvings it urns out I forgot to count lacing holes to make them match on both sides. Since I found this out too late I was forced to skip over a couple extra holes to make the zipper line up correctly. Does anyone have any ideas how to get the folds this caused out of the leather? I thought that next I would try to use my mallet to even out the double loop lacing and perhaps stretch and smooth the creased areas out of the leather. I am concerned this will permanently crease the area that is folded if it fails. I have considered trying to re-lace and double stitch through some of the holes on the other side instead but I'm worried it will not stretch the other side out and won't work. Any help you can offer would be incredible. What (else) can I do to prevent this problem in the future and does anyone have any other suggestions to fix the issue? Thanks guys! I'd rather start over a part of lacing. I would unlace about 40-50 cm from the zip lock point, cut off the lace as Aaron suggested, then glue this unlaced pieces together keeping them flat, next punch new slits all way through using existed as much as you can and finally lace everything back. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chancey77 Report post Posted February 15, 2012 (edited) A learning experience for sure! The only thing I could tell you how to fix this is, Take out that section of lace and recut the leather in a U or V shape from the zipper to the end of where you messed up. (it may look a little off, but you do have the room in the bag to do so) Punch the wholes together(top and bottom at the same time) and splice in a piece of lace starting about 3" back from where the problem was. I use 1/8 wide zip ties.Same size as my lace. On every project that is laced together. I do this with motorcycle seats all the time...not what you did...but this is how I do it:) But here is how to do it from now on. 1.Always Punch the holes on your top piece first. 2.Place(or fold) it on top of your bottom piece (the way it will be assembled). Major Tip!-Use a scrap piece of leather on the bottom side of the whole punch so you don't leave those round marks on the bottom side of your good leather. 3.Use the whole puncher and start at the ends and zip tie them. Then start counting every 10 holes ; punch and zip tie them together. Counting holes as you go also helps. And there is no way to somehow have a fold or overlap because you have counted them as you went. Do this to as many as you can; maybe like 20-30 zip ties for a gun case like that. This way there is NO WAY to criss cross the lace or holes and it will remain tight. 4.Then remove the first zip tie and start lacing and remove zip ties as you come to them. If you do it this way there is no need for glue. The lace will keep it together. Doing it this way, you will not ever mess it up like this again! On motorcycle seats I place the 2 skins together and make about 8 marks on the outsides of the two skins. Then pre punch 4 holes, top and bottom centers and left and right centers. So when I put it on the shaped seat pan I know where the hole are supposed to line up together. Zip tie the 4 holes all together and punch in the middles in between the already zip tied holes. Then I start lacing from hole next to the top Center hole. I HOPE THIS HELPS! I FEEL YOUR FRUSTRATION! I HAD TO LEARN FROM DOING IT AND MESSING UP MYSELF. Hopefully this advise reaches others as well!!!!!!! Edited February 15, 2012 by chancey77 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Suicide Report post Posted February 15, 2012 (edited) If you do it this way there is no need for glue. The lace will keep it together. actually... I meant glue here might be usefull not for only temporarily fixing 2 pieces befor elacing but also for helping to reduce a stress on lacing slits.... and in some particular cases it also assure seams are waterproof.... I guess you know Edited February 15, 2012 by Suicide Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chancey77 Report post Posted February 15, 2012 (edited) actually... I meant glue here might be usefull not for only temporarily fixing 2 pieces befor elacing but also for helping to reduce a stress on lacing slits.... and in some particular cases it also assure seams are waterproof.... I guess you know When you use glue for laced items it gums up your hole puncher, and sometimes puts a residue on the lace when you put it together. It has it's uses but in all my years I have only used glue a couple times. Never has anyone come back to me complaining about stressed out holes...or broken ones. I make seats for bikes that get the living dog mess rode out of them , and not even 1 single person has ever comeback to or even told me about broken hole. With 7-12 oz leather as long as you make the holes 5mm away from the edge it will not ever tear. As far as you waterproofing comment.... I tend to never put my guns in water:) And they always get a cleaning and oil after use..... Maybe that would be for those underwater guns that James Bond uses:) hahahahahahaha.... But I guess you knew that would be my smart a** answer for that comment:) LOLOLOLOL Actually I read your comment like this... WOW Chancey you are the MAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is an AWESOME TIP!!!!!!!!!!!!! YOUR MY HERO! LOLOLOL AND THEN I SAY "DUDE YOUR WELCOME, I LOVE YOU AND DON'T WANT TO SEE YOU PULLING OUT YOUR HAIR ANY MORE OVER PUNCHING HOLES THE WRONG WAY" Edited February 15, 2012 by chancey77 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
5teve2 Report post Posted February 15, 2012 Thanks everybody! The advice is much appreciated. I was lacing the liner in as well, so didn't want to use my lacing punch through 4 layers... which is how we ended up with this mess. I'll give the unlacing and re-doing the holes a shot and hopefully it won't look too goofy on the edge with one side higher than the other. Nice seat by the way Chancey! Was planning on getting around to doing my own eventually. Might want some practice on another couple projects first. Thanks! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chancey77 Report post Posted February 15, 2012 (edited) Thanks everybody! The advice is much appreciated. I was lacing the liner in as well, so didn't want to use my lacing punch through 4 layers... which is how we ended up with this mess. I'll give the unlacing and re-doing the holes a shot and hopefully it won't look too goofy on the edge with one side higher than the other. Nice seat by the way Chancey! Was planning on getting around to doing my own eventually. Might want some practice on another couple projects first. Thanks! This has nothing to do with what you have done now...You have created a real cool old looking gun case that is very cool! But as a blanket statement... Since you are starting out you can take this advise or leave it , but Color choice for lace can really make a project stand out. I do it kind of like this Tans and Browns/Red Browns get either Black or Natural lace or the Same exact color of the main piece. Black is good with any color of the rainbow, just I tend to stay to more natural colors..not anything like purple, unless that is what a client wants. Natural color base, -Black lace or same color I personally do not like that chocolate lace, I always thought it looked a bit corny unless the same color is being used for the project. Think Contrasting colors, maybe a color that is used inside a 2 color piece but the out sides are black and insides are natural, use natural lace... It is only my opinion, but I think the lace is a great ornamental way to border the tooled piece, like a picture frame. And lace is all I ever use...I have 2 old singers from the 20's that where owned by a shoe maker, but they have 3" of dust on them.... Again, just my personal taste and opinion...Take it or leave it. Edited February 15, 2012 by chancey77 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Suicide Report post Posted February 15, 2012 As far as you waterproofing comment.... I tend to never put my guns in water:) Actually I read your comment like this... WOW Chancey you are the MAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is an AWESOME TIP!!!!!!!!!!!!! YOUR MY HERO! LOLOLOL Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Northmount Report post Posted February 15, 2012 You may be able to remove the lacing, re-align the edges starting in the middle, counting holes like others have mentioned. Then see how you can finish off the spare holes at the end. You may be able to punch a couple additional holes in the side where you need them. CTG Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
