Members Bluesman Posted March 13, 2012 Members Report Posted March 13, 2012 I want to buy some small peices of alligator to make a guitar strap. I have several questions I would like hear from the folks here before I call the Swamp People. 1.) Should I get it pre dyed or dye it myself? Or, Can I dye it myself? 2.) What is the correct procedure to do an inlay. I want to take a piece of 8/9 oz Veggie Tan and cut out a pattern in the center and then inaly the gator. Do I have to carve up the sides of the gator to fit into a skived section of the hide? Or just lay it on the back glued down, put down a liner and stich? I appreciate any and all guidence. Thanks, Jon Quote If it ain't moving and should......WD40, If it's moving and shouldn't....Duct Tape. There you have it, now fix something
Members Bluesman Posted March 16, 2012 Author Members Report Posted March 16, 2012 Nobody knows..........................................NOBODY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOW, thought you folks were leather workers???? Quote If it ain't moving and should......WD40, If it's moving and shouldn't....Duct Tape. There you have it, now fix something
Members chancey77 Posted March 16, 2012 Members Report Posted March 16, 2012 (edited) Nobody knows..........................................NOBODY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOW, thought you folks were leather workers???? Check it out blues man!!!!!!! Listen to a Florida boy!!!!!!! Order some Belly and use that, If you want some of the back pieces Tandy has Caiman baby backs. They come in White,Black,Tan, if you get the white you can dye it. I suggest for the front where you want to put in a strip of Cow Hide for sure use the Bellies. Use Cowhide the width and length/shape of the strap as your BACKER then cut out the belly where you want the Text to show through GLUE LACE/SEW your belly to the Cow Hide....Or Horse ASS (which it seems you are attempting to use now before I save you)! hahahaha Or you could just use the backs and get some real sharp blades to get through the Back Horns... It is going to be nearly impossible to get a straight edge on the backs so that is why I say for that section you use the Belly! There you go guy! A reasonable answer to a reasonable question! LUV YA! hahahaha Edited March 16, 2012 by chancey77 Quote
Members Bluesman Posted March 16, 2012 Author Members Report Posted March 16, 2012 Thanks Chancey. Looking for a bit of guidence. So nothing really special about gator. I can treat it like any other leather, cut die sew no problem, unless I use backs. Got it hanks, Jon Quote If it ain't moving and should......WD40, If it's moving and shouldn't....Duct Tape. There you have it, now fix something
Members katsass Posted March 16, 2012 Members Report Posted March 16, 2012 (edited) I want to buy some small peices of alligator to make a guitar strap. I have several questions I would like hear from the folks here before I call the Swamp People. 1.) Should I get it pre dyed or dye it myself? Or, Can I dye it myself? 2.) What is the correct procedure to do an inlay. I want to take a piece of 8/9 oz Veggie Tan and cut out a pattern in the center and then inaly the gator. Do I have to carve up the sides of the gator to fit into a skived section of the hide? Or just lay it on the back glued down, put down a liner and stich? I appreciate any and all guidence. Thanks, Jon FWIW from the old grumpy guy; chancy has it about covered --- for a guitar strap. One point though --- draw your cut-out (for the inlay) right on the pattern for the strap! Mark both and cut the strap and inlay cut-out at the same time. If you draw a separate one for the cut-out, you will play hell trying to align it properly. Ask me how I know. Belly leather is great for a guitar strap --- it's flexible. I make holsters primarily, and use shoulder leather which ain't that flexible --- just for that reason. A pic of one of my holsters with an ostrich leg inlay. Mike Edited March 16, 2012 by katsass Quote NOTE TO SELF: Never try to hold a cat and an operating Dust buster at the same time!! At my age I find that I can live without sex..........but not without my glasses. Being old has an advantage.......nobody expects me to do anything in a hurry.
Members Bluesman Posted March 16, 2012 Author Members Report Posted March 16, 2012 FWIW from the old grumpy guy; chancy has it about covered --- for a guitar strap. One point though --- draw your cut-out (for the inlay) right on the pattern for the strap! Mark both and cut the strap and inlay cut-out at the same time. If you draw a separate one for the cut-out, you will play hell trying to align it properly. Ask me how I know. Mike Mike, I'm having a hard time following you. Let me see if I got it. When I layout my strap pattern, draw in the cutout, and cut it out of the pattern. So I should have, for example, a 36" strap 3" wide with a 20" x 2" window in it. Is this right so far? Then I use this pattern to cut the strap. I also use this window to cut the gator belly. Now shouldn't the gator belly be a bit larger than the strap window to allow for glue and sewing? Thanks, Jon Quote If it ain't moving and should......WD40, If it's moving and shouldn't....Duct Tape. There you have it, now fix something
Members katsass Posted March 16, 2012 Members Report Posted March 16, 2012 Mike, I'm having a hard time following you. Let me see if I got it. When I layout my strap pattern, draw in the cutout, and cut it out of the pattern. So I should have, for example, a 36" strap 3" wide with a 20" x 2" window in it. Is this right so far? Then I use this pattern to cut the strap. I also use this window to cut the gator belly. Now shouldn't the gator belly be a bit larger than the strap window to allow for glue and sewing? Thanks, Jon Jon, I'm just saying to cut the window you need to draw your strap pattern, on it, draw the window in the location and in the shape you want to use, mark your leather from your pattern, then cut it all out. Cut your 'gator largeer than the window to allow for glueing and stitching. In other words, don't cut out your strap, then try to allign a separate window pattern on it afterwords. You'll just never get it quite correct. Mike Quote NOTE TO SELF: Never try to hold a cat and an operating Dust buster at the same time!! At my age I find that I can live without sex..........but not without my glasses. Being old has an advantage.......nobody expects me to do anything in a hurry.
Members Bluesman Posted March 16, 2012 Author Members Report Posted March 16, 2012 Got it. Thanks Mike and Chancey. Now off to call the Swamp People and get me some Gator Butt>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Er Belly Quote If it ain't moving and should......WD40, If it's moving and shouldn't....Duct Tape. There you have it, now fix something
Members chancey77 Posted March 16, 2012 Members Report Posted March 16, 2012 A pic of one of my holsters with an ostrich leg inlay. Mike WOW that is a very beautiful Holster! I am not a yellow guy...but hey I don't have to wear it to appreciate that ROCKIN' color Combo! Quote
Members katsass Posted March 16, 2012 Members Report Posted March 16, 2012 WOW that is a very beautiful Holster! I am not a yellow guy...but hey I don't have to wear it to appreciate that ROCKIN' color Combo! Thanks Chancy, here's another type of inlay that I do once in a while. This is Karung snake on a holster for a Ruger number I auto. Mike Quote NOTE TO SELF: Never try to hold a cat and an operating Dust buster at the same time!! At my age I find that I can live without sex..........but not without my glasses. Being old has an advantage.......nobody expects me to do anything in a hurry.
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