How To Do Inlays?

[workingmanleather]

Hi everyone,

I've been amazed by the workmanship on this sight for holsters and especially inlays. My question is can someone give some detail on how to do it I recently acquired some snake skin from a coworker and I'm wanting to do a knife sheath for my dad for fathers day for my grandpas old hunting knife any help would be greatly appreciated

Thanks

Gregg Azbill

WorkingManLeather

[electrathon]

Basically... You start with a thin piece of leather, glue your skin to it, cut a window hole in a thin piece and glue it down. This layered piece is now the cover to your sheath. Does that make since?

[DoubleC]

Gregg it's not hard once you've done one, but of course I guess that's true of anything. Cut your design out of your veg tanned leather. Geometric shapes are the easiest but you could actually cut out a small snake. Burnish and skive the hole all around the design. That way the leather snake won't look so sunken in. glue the front of the snake over the back of the hole. I make my inlay long or wide enough that I pick it up with my regular stitching or lacing. Then I cut a lining leather out to go over the inlay, glue the back to the back of the snake. Again I make it long enough or wide enough to be sewn or laced with the rest of the project. Fo a really nice finished project glue some lining leather to match on the other side. Sew or lace.

A checkbook cover I just finished.....

[workingmanleather]

Thanks for the posts I kinda had the idea but really didn't want to mess up some nice snake skin but I'm sure I can do it now hopefully post pics within a couple days thanks again

Oh and neat checkbook cover and nice sheaths!!!

[workingmanleather]

Well as promised snake skin inlay for my granpaws old hunting knife thanks for all the tips!!!

[Cyberthrasher]

Well as promised snake skin inlay for my granpaws old hunting knife thanks for all the tips!!!

Cool!! I recently made one for that same knife!!

Do you happen to know how old it is? I made mine for a coworker's son and he was curious about the age.

[DoubleC]

Great job, Cheryl

[workingmanleather]

I gave dad a call he said if he remembers right sometime in the 70s he said maybe 76ish thanks glad you liked it

[electrathon]

This is so funny. About two years ago I made a sheath for a coworker, for the same knife. Aaron

[FHL FERG]

For cutting away the areas you want to remove I like to use a jewelers saw. It's fast, accurate and leaves very clean lines.

[SooperJake]

Pick up a copy of "Custom Knife Sheaths with Chuck Burrows" Along with lots of general leatherwork information, he covers inlays at the end of the video.