rifle sling question.

[chuck123wapati]

Hey all, I have a question, I made a rifle sling the other day but screwed up the dyeing so had to start over. I am thinking about covering my mistake sling with snake skin ,so the leather isn't wasted, and am wondering if the tooling would show through or how I would keep it from showing through. Any help would be greatly appreciated. 

Edited April 15, 2019 by chuck123wapati

[RockyAussie]

If you have a decent sanding machine you could contact glue some thin weight leather over the lot and sand it down or if its not too deep toolin just sand it back some. That should give a good contact surface as well for the snake skin.

[Halitech]

Another option, depending on the tooling area, is to cut out the tooling, put the snakeskin behind it, then put a backing on it. I did a boo boo on a guitar strap and did the same thing. I also took the piece I cut out and trimmed it by ~3/16" and used it to make the snakeskin stand back up

[Handstitched]

May we have a look ? What you call a ' mistake' may be rectified without covering it in snake skin (as nice as that sounds) .

I've made some  monumental stuff ups.  It gets thrown across the workshop, then  into the bin....and once I've calmed down, it gets fished out again ...into the reject box ....and  then back onto the bench for me to figure out how to fix it      If all else fails, dye it black ,  black dye hides everything , and maybe dress it up a bit with some conchos or spots  etc. 

HS 

[chuck123wapati]

Thanks for the help! What I did to finish the poor thing off was mistakenly use saddle soap on it before I dyed it. The red and green dyes both took but the black just took in spots. Yea I was reading a book on finishing and it said to clean it with oxalic acid, but my mind read saddle soap? Any way I didn't like the composition very well either, its for a roller derby lady named reckless raven. I am almost done with the replacement but don't want to waste this chunk of hide. It 9/ 10 oz leather and tooled pretty deep. I like both suggestions I was thinking of some type of backing in between the tooling and snake skin but it would have to be thin. Halitech that's some nice work indeed!

[Rockoboy]

I think @Halitech has a great idea with the cut-out and use as a backing to raise the snake skin. I would sand the cut-out piece a little, so the design does not transmit thru the snakeskin, and also to ensure the snakeskin finishes level with the frame of the cut-out.

I have done some small jobs like this after a stuff-up, just to see how it comes out. It's all a learning experience.

[Halitech]

3 hours ago, Rockoboy said:

I think @Halitech has a great idea with the cut-out and use as a backing to raise the snake skin. I would sand the cut-out piece a little, so the design does not transmit thru the snakeskin, and also to ensure the snakeskin finishes level with the frame of the cut-out.

I have done some small jobs like this after a stuff-up, just to see how it comes out. It's all a learning experience.

If he can get the size and angles right, he could almost flip it so it's flesh side out. Would have to be really steady when cutting it out but it is doable

[chuck123wapati]

6 minutes ago, Halitech said:

If he can get the size and angles right, he could almost flip it so it's flesh side out. Would have to be really steady when cutting it out but it is doable

So would you glue it back in also, then add a backing piece and top piece?

 

[Halitech]

1 minute ago, chuck123wapati said:

So would you glue it back in also, then add a backing piece and top piece?

 

Yes, add a thin liner to the back (2/3oz), mark where the cut out will go and glue it in place. Put your snakeskin over top of that, making sure you have enough to go under the top piece, and glue that down. Put your top piece back on and glue and stitch everything together.

[chuck123wapati]

9 minutes ago, Halitech said:

Yes, add a thin liner to the back (2/3oz), mark where the cut out will go and glue it in place. Put your snakeskin over top of that, making sure you have enough to go under the top piece, and glue that down. Put your top piece back on and glue and stitch everything together.

Great idea  Thank you !!! I think I'll go with a little padding in back too.

[Halitech]

2 minutes ago, chuck123wapati said:

Great idea  Thank you !!! I think I'll go with a little padding in back too.

Never thought to try a padding, might need a second liner but be interesting to see what you come up with

[Samalan]

you could also give it a good soak then press the tooling out to some degree then after it drys for a few days sand it a little the add some thin leather or snake .

[RockyAussie]

3 hours ago, chuck123wapati said:

Great idea  Thank you !!! I think I'll go with a little padding in back too.

The mention of the padding in back made me recall a sling I made awhile back and posted here

This type of skin cover will cover any bumps ...believe me.

[chuck123wapati]

32 minutes ago, RockyAussie said:

The mention of the padding in back made me recall a sling I made awhile back and posted here

This type of skin cover will cover any bumps ...believe me.

Wow that Is a beauty!! To bad there aren't any crocs here in Wyoming or that would fit the bill alright, all I have is a rattler that crossed my path a few years back lol. 

[Handstitched]

Now that I've seen it, ( thanks for the pic) , we all now  have our own set of ideas on this ...heres mine. 

If it was me, I'd  dye it black, then using   leather paints, paint the roses & leaves . The black will make those  red roses &  green leaves  stand right out . Roses are one of my fave patterns . Highlight the lettering with a silver or white  paint perhaps ? But thats just me . 

HS 

[chuck123wapati]

2 hours ago, Handstitched said:

Now that I've seen it, ( thanks for the pic) , we all now  have our own set of ideas on this ...heres mine. 

If it was me, I'd  dye it black, then using   leather paints, paint the roses & leaves . The black will make those  red roses &  green leaves  stand right out . Roses are one of my fave patterns . Highlight the lettering with a silver or white  paint perhaps ? But thats just me . 

HS 

That would be a good solution however my problem was that the black dye wont take, I mistakenly washed it with saddle soap, I have already made another so just want to save the leather by covering it with snake skin or something. I like roses to but man there has been a learning curve for me lol.