Tried some floral work

[CollinsMS]

Not sure floral work is my thing but decided to try some. Let me know what you think.

[Clay]

Collin,

Nice pattern, But I have to ask if that has it been pressed on with a plate? It is difficult to make out swivel knife cuts and bevel lines. I am just curious as it sure has a different look to it. Would you please show some up close pictures? If it is not a plate can you describe your process? I hope that I am not being insulting because that is not my intention.

Thanks for posting

ClayM.

[CollinsMS]

Good eye. There are no swivel knife cuts. I have been working with some old saddles and trying to duplicate a worn look. After 30 or more years of use a saddle does not have any visible swivel knife cuts. All tooling is pressed in on this item. Some by hand no hammer. It is not a plate.

[ptanks56]

that's some amazing work. it looks like the relief is reversed in a lot of the fine detail.. maybe optical conclusion as paw-paw used to say. if you are willing to share technigue i would love a brief or long tutorial about how you get the effect.

thanks

Tank

Edited September 13, 2008 by ptanks56

[JohnD]

I may be wrong, but sometimes when you use a scanner to post your work it makes the relief look reversed too.

Very nice work, in my opinion. You have succeeded in capturing the worn look of the tooling that you see on the old saddles and holsters and such.

John

[CollinsMS]

Here is another picture. Maybe it shows detail better. I have a great place to work but not so good for pictures. The way I do this is not much different than normal leather tooling. I guess the 2 big differences is no swivel knife and most relief tools/bevels are hit first with a hammer then smoothed out or feathered out by hand. All edge bevels are accomplished by hand only. Hard on the fingers to put that much pressure on a tool, I guess I use a bevel tool like most people use a swivel knife. I do use very wet leather and maintain that during my work. I love the work people do with swivel knife, bobcat did an amazing job with his Floral post. I guess my eye leans more to an old look. Maybe you could call it an artsy look. Not a look most leather people like, just because no swivel knife was used.

[TomSwede]

I like the look of it, definetly unusual without the cuts but anyway very nice. Hope I get to see you do this on a saddle of or other item to get it into more perspective.

Tom

[CollinsMS]

I have an old saddle that is in bad shape. The makers name plate is gone so this could be an antique but I will never be able to find out for sure. The entire saddle is floral but with age the pattern looses its detail. I want to sharpen it up without making it look new. That is how I got stated on this.

[Spider]

I do like this. Clearly not traditional but nice non the less. I have to say that my work is clearly not traditional so I say GO FOR IT!!!

[ArtS]

I like it. When I first looked it reminded me of an old saddle that my father in law has.

Well done.

ArtS

[colttrainer]

I like love that old look, would be interested in more detail, as I think that this is a way I would be more inclined to do my pattern work on saddles. Just starting to be bitten by the leather bug. Retired from training horses. Thought leather my be the next step in life.

AL