Wet Forming And Tooling

[theropingpen]

I'm very new to this but i have been wet forming knife sheaths and a few holsters. My question...Tool before or after wet forming. The trouble i'm having is once i have laid out pattern, tooled and stamped it when i wet form it the tooling and stamp fades. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[Treed]

I do a lot of holsters and knife sheaths that are tooled and formed, the tooling is done before construction. The biggest thing to remember is that you will not get the same degree of forming that you can on a non tooled piece. A tooled project can not receive as much water when you do the forming process on a tooled item. I only use as little as possible, wetting only the inside as much as possible. I let the item dry considerably ( something you have to experiment with) before forming. When forming the item I only try to form a few key areas around the cylinder on revolver and the trigger, auto the trigger and the ejection port if you are forming by hand. I use no tools on a tooled project only my thumbs. This is where a vacuum bag comes in handy if you are doing any number of tooled pieces. Bobby

[silverwingit]

I've thought much about this very problem. You're quite correct that tooling and then wet forming is vary hard to fatal on the tooled design. In the instance of a project that will largely lay flat once finished, you might try creating a tooled panel that could be applied to the flat area after wet-forming. In the case of, say, an Avenger-style holster, I'd tool only the reinforcement piece, and Bobby has it right. If it's to be a fully-tooled holster, I'd minimize any wetness to hit that tooled surface wherever possible.

Good Luck and let us know how you do.

Michelle

[LTC]

I wonder if you could tool the item, then use a vacuum w/plastic to form it around the object. maybe this would not fade the tooling as much?

[Dwight]

I wonder if you could tool the item, then use a vacuum w/plastic to form it around the object. maybe this would not fade the tooling as much?

That only works to a certain degree, . . . as the bag will mush up against the tooling and scramble it.

I have come to the conclusion that I can have a formed holster / knife sheath, . . . OR, . . . I can have a tooled holster / knife sheath.

Asking for both is asking for kids and peace and quiet, . . . it's either/or, . . .

May God bless,

Dwight

Edited March 22, 2014 by Dwight

[Toolingaround]

Hi There

He has an interesting approach to the conundrum.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SIOGDykXJFQ

Cheers, Toolingaround