My First Dabbling. Thoughts?

[5 Spice]

Well, I had a little time over the holidays and thought I'd try making a few leather items. It started out with a belt...I couldn't find a buckle I liked anywhere, so I made one. Brass and Ebony, all hand sculpted, and I fashioned a simple belt to go with.

Then I thought I'd try leather stitching....I always thought one needed a sewing machine, but I was definitely misinformed. That's when I found you all here at Leatherworker. How inspiring. I started with the two card holders to figure out how to stitch and what tools and materials to use and then just jumped in with the briefcase. Quite pleased with my first go.

Comments and critiques are very welcome. I know that they are far from perfect, but please remember that these are my first items.

Thanks for all the inspiration.

Kai

[electrathon]

I like the lamination on the buckle. Also, for just learning, your stitching looks very good.

[papadanny]

Very nice belt buckle and all of your work is very clean and subtlely (if that is a word) functional..

[MonicaJacobson]

Very nice! Especially the belt buckle. How did you make it?

Everything else is really nice too. I especially like briefcase. If everyone started out making it look that easy, leatherworking would be a great deal less expensive.

[cst]

Far from perfect? Maybe, but it makes my first stuff look I made it in the woods with rocks and bones and ten thumbs!

[5 Spice]

Thanks for the kind words everyone!

The buckle is made from a piece of flat bar brass. I made a press form to give it a gentle curve, then sanded the ebony to match the radius. The two pieces are glued together and shaped and sanded by hand starting with files and ending up with 2500 grit sandpaper. So much elbow grease goes into getting it to shine like that. The most difficult part of the process, in my opinion, is the central tine. It's mostly shaped while still in rod form, then heated with a torch to red hot, quenched in water then bent in place on the belt. Sometime it takes several heatings to get it bent tightly around the centre of the belt. I had never worked with the brass beofre this project and a lot of this was trial and error. Luckily it works a lot like wood, so my workshop came in very handy.

[bigorange]

very nice indeed , how does the card case close?

[5 Spice]

Biugorange,

Here are a couple of pics of the reverse of the card holders:

[Colt W Knight]

Nice. Makes me want to build a briefcase.