Couple tooled belts

[Rolandranch]

Hey all!

Here's a couple tooled belts I did. I used Thoroughbred's golden skirting and split it. Filled in the background with a paintbrush using fiebings usmc black dye. Lined them with 3-4 oz veg tan. 

The one with the brand I made for a friend in exchange for a roping steer so I thought that was a pretty good trade! 

I'm still new to tooling belts so if have any advice on the floral design I'd love to hear it.

Comments/critique more than welcome. 

[Rolandranch]

Here's me practicing my roping with that steer. 

[JLSleather]

It's a bit background-heavy for me, Kid.  I'm not one to think that "traditional" means they all have to look the same (they shouldn't), but this is too much "open space" for my taste.  To be clear - the background you did is quite consistent and well done, just a bit much for the design.

And .. uhhh... did you stop the lining layer short of the back fold?  Kaint say I'm  big on that look.  I infrequently run the liner all the way to the end - including the fold -- but most often stop the inside layer AT the fold line.

The steers I can't help you with.  My knowledge extends only to the difference between a steak and a loin

 

[Rolandranch]

1 hour ago, JLSleather said:

It's a bit background-heavy for me, Kid.  I'm not one to think that "traditional" means they all have to look the same (they shouldn't), but this is too much "open space" for my taste.  To be clear - the background you did is quite consistent and well done, just a bit much for the design.

And .. uhhh... did you stop the lining layer short of the back fold?  Kaint say I'm  big on that look.  I infrequently run the liner all the way to the end - including the fold -- but most often stop the inside layer AT the fold line.

The steers I can't help you with.  My knowledge extends only to the difference between a steak and a loin

 

I agree it is background heavy. It's weird, when I draw the pattern on the leather it looks like it's fine, but when I carve it I notice there's more background than I wanted. The heavy background stood out even more when I dyed it. 

Yeah, I wasn't quite sure on how or where to end the liner. I guess I didn't want the fold to be too bulky even though I split the fold area a couple oz thinner than the rest of the belt.

Thanks!

1 hour ago, JLSleather said:

The steers I can't help you with.  My knowledge extends only to the difference between a steak and a loin

Don't forget you also know how to use his hide. 

[Cattledude]

Nice work!  Kick up to the hip and hold your horse in 'till you dally... Good trade by the way!!!

[chuck123wapati]

10 hours ago, Rolandranch said:

Here's me practicing my roping with that steer. 

you throw a nice loop there.

[Sofaspud]

Back ground heavy, maybe.  But I would be proud to have made or to wear one if those belts.  They look darn good to me.

[Treed]

You don't want the fold to be a double thickness. The trick is to skive the leather down on the tooled piece just past the fold  before you glue the liner down. This way you can run the liner the full length and reduce it at the fold. Depending on the weight of the liner some skive it also so that when done the leather is a uniform thickness all the way down the belt.

[Rolandranch]

2 hours ago, Cattledude said:

Nice work!  Kick up to the hip and hold your horse in 'till you dally... Good trade by the way!!!

Thanks! I think so too. I'm just starting out roping so not real good at it yet but I'm having too much fun with it!

2 hours ago, chuck123wapati said:

you throw a nice loop there.

Thank ya! I get my practice from roping little siblings 

1 hour ago, Sofaspud said:

Back ground heavy, maybe.  But I would be proud to have made or to wear one if those belts.  They look darn good to me.

Thanks Sofaspud! Appreciate it!

1 hour ago, Treed said:

You don't want the fold to be a double thickness. The trick is to skive the leather down on the tooled piece just past the fold  before you glue the liner down. This way you can run the liner the full length and reduce it at the fold. Depending on the weight of the liner some skive it also so that when done the leather is a uniform thickness all the way down the belt.

I see what your saying. Thanks for the tip. I'll do that on my next belt.

[BigSiouxSaddlery]

10 hours ago, Rolandranch said:

I agree it is background heavy. It's weird, when I draw the pattern on the leather it looks like it's fine, but when I carve it I notice there's more background than I wanted. 

The pattern shrinks as you tool it, and the negative space gets bigger.  You just have to keep it in mind when drawing your pattern.  I struggle with it myself.

 

[AlexOstacchini]

 

On 11/15/2019 at 2:36 PM, Rolandranch said:

I agree it is background heavy. It's weird, when I draw the pattern on the leather it looks like it's fine, but when I carve it I notice there's more background than I wanted. The heavy background stood out even more when I dyed it. 

I can relate very much to this! I design my stuff on paper first and now always take the time to heavily shade in the background to give a better overall impression on how things will look- Only a simple thing and you may do this already but it really helps for me, I think the eye just kind of blends them together otherwise and it's difficult to tell how much background you really have.

That said, the belts you have made really look excellent. I wish I was making things half as nice as that when I was 18. I would echo the comments about perhaps extending the liner but overall superb work, very beautifully and professionally done.