Rifle sling made with Hornback crocodile

[RockyAussie]

Recently I was asked to make up a Cobra style rifle sling out of some hornback crocodile skin.

Not having much of an idea on how these slings work and the measurements and so on, I dug into the forums on LW and could not find enough in any one place to give me what I needed to make one so I have decided to post on here how I went about making this one.

 I must thank .ABR from Utah...... for his help given in providing some of the measurements.

This is a link that shows his post and some of his excellent work is there to be seen. http://leatherworker.net/forum/topic/80132-photos-of-leather-work/?tab=comments#comment-536112Due to the hornback croc shape and some other size checking I was unable to follow these sizes ABR kindly provided but I believe what I have come up with will work pretty well.

 

 PLEASE feel free to add or criticise any part of this you feel could be improved.

This first few pictures show the sling that is made here

This next picture shows most of the measurements I have used through the making

For this post I think the file size may be close to full so .......More a bit later.

 

 

[bikermutt07]

You sure know how to make a croc sing. That is gorgeous.

[noobleather]

A really nice rifle sling there, croc skin really stands out

[RockyAussie]

15 hours ago, bikermutt07 said:

You sure know how to make a croc sing. That is gorgeous.

Thanks @bikermutt07 I hope the new owner thinks so as well.

 

45 minutes ago, noobleather said:

A really nice rifle sling there, croc skin really stands out

Thanks @noobleather

Here is the next lot of pics for now

 

[RockyAussie]

Just a few more pics

More later

 

[RockyAussie]

Missed the keeper being stitched up sorry

That's it all now. I hope this can be of some help and please if there is something better to add or comment on feel free to do so.

Brain

[Rockoboy]

Excellent tutorial, excellent job.

[wayner]

Beautiful work. This may be a stupid question but what is the reason for the thumb strap? 

[YinTx]

8 hours ago, wayner said:

Beautiful work. This may be a stupid question but what is the reason for the thumb strap? 

And how do you know where to attach it?

YinTx

[RockyAussie]

10 hours ago, Rockoboy said:

Excellent tutorial, excellent job.

Thanks Rockoboy

 

10 hours ago, wayner said:

Beautiful work. This may be a stupid question but what is the reason for the thumb strap? 

The thumb strap helps to stop the rifle strap from sliding back when you are walking with it. See the picture below here I have my thumb in the strap there. I did not think much of it until I used it then I completely understood and think it is essential.  Many now put a hole right through but I thought that, that may weaken this strap too much.

1 hour ago, YinTx said:

And how do you know where to attach it?

YinTx

Hi @YinTx I should have made that measurement clearer in my measurement picture. From the wide end, end the first crew punch is 19" down. On the average that should work fine. 

[Joon1911]

Man, RockyAussie!  That’s one beautiful croc sling.  So cool.  I haven’t had a chance to mess with croc or caiman yet.  It’s so expensive here in the United States, I haven’t had a project come up that I could justify the expense for.  That sling shape is just about perfect for the croc hornbacks.  Is it hard to cut through those plates?

Beautiful  work.  

[RockyAussie]

19 minutes ago, Joon1911 said:

Man, RockyAussie!  That’s one beautiful croc sling.  So cool.  I haven’t had a chance to mess with croc or caiman yet.  It’s so expensive here in the United States, I haven’t had a project come up that I could justify the expense for.  That sling shape is just about perfect for the croc hornbacks.  Is it hard to cut through those plates?

Beautiful  work.  

Thanks Joon1911, yes if you cut through the bone sections it can break your knife. That is the reason to work around cutting through the leather in between them. I only work with Porosus crocodile that has less bones problems than the rest to deal with. Unfortunately it is the dearest as well. Lucky for me I have thousands of them here and make them up into belts most days.

[noobleather]

Thanks for the extra pics,really detailed.

Really like the edging work,is that just a regular soldering iron or have you modified the tip.

Have you ever made holsters out of croc skin??

[RockyAussie]

3 minutes ago, noobleather said:

Thanks for the extra pics,really detailed.

Really like the edging work,is that just a regular soldering iron or have you modified the tip.

Have you ever made holsters out of croc skin??

Yep, that's a 80 watt soldering iron with a tip I've reshaped to go over the rounded shape I want. It is temperature controlled via a light dimmer switch. Should say I been doing it that way for about 25+ years and way before I ever heard about these filituse things or however you say it. Haven't made any croc skin holsters as I don't tend to get much in that style of stuff. Only ever made a couple of leather holsters come to think of it. No laughin here's some pics of one.

[RockyAussie]

Just found another one

[kiwican]

Mick Dundee would have loved that!

[YinTx]

5 hours ago, RockyAussie said:

Hi @YinTx I should have made that measurement clearer in my measurement picture. From the wide end, end the first crew punch is 19" down. On the average that should work fine. 

Pretty clear in the photo, I just missed it.  Thanks!  I don't think I've ever seen one with a thumb loop.  Will have to try it some time!  Fantastic sling, thanks for sharing the build with us.  Also, nice holster work!  I've only done one so far, and not much to shout about.  All in due time...

YinTx

[noobleather]

+1 for that info on the soldering iron RockyAussie. That holster looks very nice,clean and functional

[KingsCountyLeather]

Great job on the sling!

I made a couple out of veg tanned leather for my brother and the first was shaped like yours but he asked me to make it narrower as it kept slipping off his shoulder. I think my mistake was not lining it with nonslip type leather (nubuck). I notice you didn’t stitch the lining on? Will the glue be strong enough over time?

[Dwight]

Thanks, RockyAussie, . . . really enjoyed the tutorial.

I have a piece of veg tan that is simulated alligator, . . . never had a real use for it, . . . and THAT may be a way to use us some of it and get something really useful out of it at the same time.

May God bless,

Dwight

[RedDun]

That looks great! Thank you for sharing your process, I like the thumb loop- I usually put a hole in mine and have had no issues with it but I think that the loop is a great alternative.

[Furthark]

Thanks so much for detailing your process. As a newbie, I find it super helpful to see what other folks are doing.

[RockyAussie]

On 09/04/2018 at 1:24 PM, kiwican said:

Mick Dundee would have loved that!

Now that"s a thought I could pop a few bullet holders in instead of croc teeth.Ha Ha. Next one maybe

13 hours ago, Furthark said:

Thanks so much for detailing your process. As a newbie, I find it super helpful to see what other folks are doing.

Your most welcome ,and I hope we get to see some from you as well.

 

19 hours ago, RedDun said:

That looks great! Thank you for sharing your process, I like the thumb loop- I usually put a hole in mine and have had no issues with it but I think that the loop is a great alternative.

Thanks Tessa I checked out yours and they look great to me. Please feel free to put any helpful details on here that might help others like the thumb hole location and size etc if you would like.

 

20 hours ago, Dwight said:

Thanks, RockyAussie, . . . really enjoyed the tutorial.

I have a piece of veg tan that is simulated alligator, . . . never had a real use for it, . . . and THAT may be a way to use us some of it and get something really useful out of it at the same time.

May God bless,

Dwight

I would love to see that Dwight, and thanks for the blessing and I in return ask the same for you. Brian

 

On 09/04/2018 at 5:20 PM, KingsCountyLeather said:

Great job on the sling!

I made a couple out of veg tanned leather for my brother and the first was shaped like yours but he asked me to make it narrower as it kept slipping off his shoulder. I think my mistake was not lining it with nonslip type leather (nubuck). I notice you didn’t stitch the lining on? Will the glue be strong enough over time?

Will have to see how it performs over time but at present the grip with the nu buck and foam inlay is excellent. It would only be possible to stitch the strap area on this as there are some nasty bones that no needle agrees with that I have ever found. I not very concerned about it as the glue I use is the same glue I repaired shoes with for many years and I,ve been making hornback belts for years with it with very little problems. If it were not for the bone problem though I would definitely be stitching the strap.