Billfold And Question

[Avion]

I am really embaressed to post this after seeing the quality of work here but I have a question. This is my first leather project, but a friend at work saw it and he wants one. The only difference, this guy is a farmer/rancher and would like me to tool his brand on it. I free handed what he wants with a simple drawing app, this is it

My idea so far is to freehand this (giving the characters some width) and then use a background around the brand, but I am not experienced enough to know how that would look. All tips and pointers are greatly appreciated!

[TwinOaks]

First you need to be absolutely sure of the type of leather you're using. Only veg-tan leather will tool correctly with hand tools. Your plan on making the pattern/design is spot on and should look just fine. I suggest practicing the design WITH backgrounding a few times so you can see what the options are.

[Wild Bill46]

My idea leans toward using this same brand/logo but making it wide , meaning, like a double edge,

Then practice your tooling,

Then use your back grounding near the outer outline, So the brand/logo will stand out.

You got the hardest part nailed.

Just my idea, hope it helps --- Wild Bill46

[Troy Burch]

I would cut the brand with a beader blade. The backgrounding would just be personal preference, and my preference would be no backgrounding.

[electrathon]

I would hand the guy a piece of veg tan and tell him to brand it. Then I would build the wallet around it.

[Redochre]

I was thinking similar to Electrathon. Except I'd make a minbi brand from wire and brand the wallet that way.

[Tugadude]

If you have a soldering iron you can achieve the same branding effect with it. Or a woodburning tool, very similar.

Don't be too hard on yourself. It is a first project, right? You are off to a great start.

[Avion]

Thank you tugadude for the kind words...I really thought I would do a better job, but all the you tube tutorials and such just never equal learning by screwing stuff up for a good long bit. This one is my 2nd attempt, still far away from where I want to go but I did notice improvement and learned from some of my mistakes. I got the brand from 12 gauge copper electrical wire....a soldering iron would have been better I think.

[Tugadude]

What tool are you using for the creases on the pocket? Some look straighter than others, you might try using a straightedge to get more consistency.

The brand looks super to me. How are you achieving your stitching holes?

[Avion]

Thanks Tuga, the straightedge for the crease....I should have thought of that myself, but didn't even cross my mind. I was using Tandys' adjustable edge Grover, hince the slip and screwy crease. The stitch holes.....I am using a Tandy diamond chisel....the leather is 5 to 6 oz. leather, and when I stack 3 pieces I diffidently have problems. I tried just marking the holes first marking with the chisel, then going through all the leather with a sharp scratch awl, and finally with a stitching awl...but that looked even worse.

I really appreciate your time in critiquing and offering your thoughts and advice!

[Tugadude]

You can use the chisel in the individual layers and then stack them and stitch. Obviously you have to take care, but it is possible. You can also use the chisel through one layer and then finish with an awl. Makes it easier to keep the awl square that way.

Finally, several folks here have had good results putting an awl blade into a drill press and using that to finish off the holes. You don't turn it on, just move it up and down. Keeps the awl perfectly square.

[terrypen]

What I did with the Finesse chisel from SLC was to do a layer at a time but don't take the first layer off before adding the second layer. Then do the third layer either with both 1st and 2nd still on the chisel or take off the second layer. Does that make sense? I was just "playing around" and did that with three layers.