Crack in Leather

[mkspence]

Thanks all!  I think I have a piece of pipe to carve over.  I will also wet and then oil the base as you all suggested.  Even wi the crack, there is still some strain on the bend and it could get larger.  Thanks for everyone’s advice.  This is a great forum.  You all are very generous.  

[Northmount]

9 hours ago, YinTx said:

I think it depends on how wet you make it and how much of a bend it needs to go through.

Agreed, a gentle bend should not be a big problem.

I found the couple photos I was looking for that demonstrate what happens with more aggressive wet molding.

This one is obviously tooled before wet molding.

The example below was tooled (or touched up) after wet molding.

Both these saddles were commercially made and being sold in a tack shop.

This is of course much more extreme than a gentle curve as the leather had to be stretched and pulled in order to fit the swells on the tree.

Tom

 

[billybopp]

2 hours ago, mkspence said:

Thanks all!  I think I have a piece of pipe to carve over.  I will also wet and then oil the base as you all suggested.  Even wi the crack, there is still some strain on the bend and it could get larger.  Thanks for everyone’s advice.  This is a great forum.  You all are very generous.  

Just be sure, if that is a metal pipe, cover it with plastic wrap or something.  Leather can interact with metal, particularly iron, and stain.  

- Bill