Making A Leather Stopper

[JakeDiebolt]

Anyone have any idea how to make a stopper out of rolled leather? I could swear I've seen some on some leather bottles. But how is it held together? Just simple glue?

I've been looking all over a for a how to on this. It seems pretty simple, but when I've attempted it on some scraps it hasn't worked out. I can never get it to wrap tightly enough.

[Tree Reaper]

Wetting it would cause it to stretch which in turn would make the wraps tighter.

Another option would be to glue multiple layers together flat and then finish it using a rasp and sandpaper while turning it in a drill press or lathe.

Cut it rough on a band saw first and then rasp it.

Edited April 1, 2014 by Tree Reaper

[Tree Reaper]

...or use a hole punch, glue the discs together and then compress them in a block of wood with the same size hole using a release agent on the wood.

Use a tapered reamer on a block of wood, add particles of leather and glue, use a release agent and compress that together.

[JakeDiebolt]

Thanks for the tips! I've tried the wet and wrap method and it seems to work OK. There is a tiny gap near the middle that you can just barely see through if you hold it up to the light.. I plan on dipping the entire thing in hot wax to seal it, so perhaps that small gap won't matter in the end.

[Tree Reaper]

Jake;

You would probably need to start with a solid core of leather and wrap that.

[JakeDiebolt]

Yeah, I think the way to go is to take a small sliver of leather, kind of a like a piece of thick leather lace, wet a strip of leather, and wrap it tightly around that "core". Adding a little food-safe glue to the core and at the end of the wrapped strip would probably be all that would be needed. Probably best to skive the end of the wrap down too.

I will try this out and see how it goes. Worst case scenario is that I've screwed up some scrap leather.

[Tree Reaper]

You'll nail it sooner or later.

Are you keeping the deer fed over there?

[JakeDiebolt]

Are we talking the town deer or the country deer?

The ones that live around Gore Bay (where I live) seem to be doing fine raiding bird feeders and the like. The country deer are doing poorly. Probably a poor generation of fawns this spring.

There's been some feeding and trail breaking to open up food supplies but no big feeding program that I'm aware of. We'll have to wait and see what all comes out, but overall its not looking good.