Whose work is this??

[Northmount]

For the question about the order of processes, here is a post about wet molding and tooling - wet molding first, or tooling first?  See this example.  You should take a look at the rest of the thread this example comes from.  It really depends on how much wet forming you are doing as to its effect on the tooling.

Tom

 

[OldLeatherGuy]

Thanks guys, as I mentioned in my last post, I have a penchant for wanting to get ahead of myself when trying something new. My first try at basket weave was 10 times better than my last try along with incorporating wet molding along with the stamping. I found that the heavier leather thicknesses, 6 oz. and up, all became easier to get a nice deep impression than stamping on lighter oz. leather. Casing is paramount to getting the full effect of the stamping detail and I consistently case my projects with a good spritz or a full dunk in warm water and then placing them in a ziplock bag for an hour or more. But I underestimated the amount of room the 1911 Commander I was working with on this project required to get a tight fit while still being able to wet form the lines of the gun on both sides of the holster. this particular holster was also an "Avenger" style holster and I probably should have handled the stitching later on in the process instead of sewing it on just after the tooling and before the final assembly and stitching of the one piece fold over holster shell. The resulting amount of wet forming I had to do flattened some of the detail of the stamping, much to my dismay. But a holster built a tad smaller than the frame and slide of the pistol won't be worth much if you cannot keep the weapon seated in its place at all times when it is holstered. So, I opted for finishing the holster and keeping it for my own use and to remind me of the dorky way I messed up an hour of good basket weave stamping when I had the chance to do it correctly. 

I plan to do a search on Paul Burnett to get more ideas on making my own lifting tools from all these old beat up screw drivers I have been toting around for the past number of years. I knew that it was worth all of that embarrassment when my "tool" friends would point and laugh at my one beat up old tool box hidden in the corner with all of the stripped sockets and rounded off screw drivers and other junk tools I have "collected" in my travels just waiting for a use to come along for them. 

Thanks again for the advice and all of the answers in this thread, I hope it helped others as much as it helped me rethink what I need to do with my own work.  

[Pirate305]

On 6/14/2020 at 11:49 AM, YinTx said:

@OldLeatherGuy, a lot in your post.  Let me start by saying thank you for your service, and your dedication to your family.  I think there are a lot of individuals on this site that can relate to your story in one way or another.

I have relegated myself to the realization that I will be unable to absorb all there is to know about leather in a single lifetime.  I find myself delving down rabbit holes often and coming back out fired up, then realizing I have way too many things going on to have even contemplated what I thought I was going to do!

That being said, I am certainly not the first one to do leaves in this manner.  The cover is a bible cover that I donated for a fund raiser.  

The effect is created somewhat by using a smooth pear shader to contour the leather in the dips and valleys of the leaf, then literally slicing the leather with the lifter as far in as you are comfortable going.  If the leather is wet enough, you will be able to stretch it quite a bit and actually lift it with the lifter.  Yes, sometimes you will tear the leather.  The limit is just something you learn with practice.  Even if you tear it, you can make it look intentional, like a real torn leaf.  The quality of leather will have a lot to do with how extreme you can get.  If I recall, that was 5-6 Oz Hermann Oak.

If you want to see an expert's work, take a look at Ed LaBarre's work.  Infinitely better than mine.

That set of lifters is the first and only set I have made, they have served me well, but I would probably do them differently in the future. I just used a file to form the end to the shape I desired, and sharpened them on a stone, and stropped/polished them well.  They should be as sharp as a razor or better when you are done.  As such, when you are practicing using them, you will discover you slice right through the bottom or the top of the leather as you are learning.  Getting angles just right is important to get the effects you want.  In the future, if I made another set I think I'd just cut off the end of the screwdriver at an angle, then start filing to get the final profile.  It would be faster and have a more useable profile in the end.  Also, there is no bend in this set, but if you so desired I suppose you could implement one.

When you get the oak leaf just right, the effect in person is a bit astonishing.  I've been asked how I glued the leaf to the leather!

Here are some more images.

YinTx

 

 

Hi there Yin, first I have to say, Beautiful work. I am not even going to ask about the leaf because it's ten years of experience beyond me. But I need to know what I am doing wrong with basketweave.

I am putting in a picture that frankly I am embarrassed to put in public. First, it's on 2/3 oz leather, I know it's very thin but it's a handle wrap for a hiking stick and I just can't leave it plain. How do I keep the lines so straight? You literally don't have a crooked line in this entire cover! HOW?

Thanks

Mark

[YinTx]

1 hour ago, Pirate305 said:

How do I keep the lines so straight?

First off, thanks for the compliment.  And to answer your question, practice.  Lots of practice.  Here's one pile of errors.

And yes, your leather is a bit thin.  Might be worth practicing on thicker leather, and to get better definition, use some matting board on the backside of your 2 to 3 oz cased leather.

There are several tutorials around LW.net that will help you more than this short commentary, but basically score a very very light line in your cased leather along the edge of a rule so you have something to follow.  Your stamp should index to itself to get the alignment between each mark.  Make sure you have a space and time that you can really focus on the task at hand with no interruptions, cuz one mark off and the rest will go haywire.

YinTx

[Pirate305]

On 7/5/2020 at 3:40 PM, YinTx said:

First off, thanks for the compliment.  And to answer your question, practice.  Lots of practice.  Here's one pile of errors.

And yes, your leather is a bit thin.  Might be worth practicing on thicker leather, and to get better definition, use some matting board on the backside of your 2 to 3 oz cased leather.

There are several tutorials around LW.net that will help you more than this short commentary, but basically score a very very light line in your cased leather along the edge of a rule so you have something to follow.  Your stamp should index to itself to get the alignment between each mark.  Make sure you have a space and time that you can really focus on the task at hand with no interruptions, cuz one mark off and the rest will go haywire.

YinTx

Oh hell, send me your mistake pieces I'll pay for them.  LOL. No, really I will.  And by the way what stamps do you use for your basketweave? 

 

[YinTx]

On 7/14/2020 at 6:34 PM, Pirate305 said:

Oh hell, send me your mistake pieces I'll pay for them.  LOL. No, really I will.  And by the way what stamps do you use for your basketweave? 

 

Not sure how I missed this post from so long ago!  Scraps are scraps tho.  Some I went ahead and finished out.  As far as stamps, I started with Tandy stamps, was lucky enough to get a Robert Beard basket stamp, and just recently acquired some Barry King stamps and some Sergey stamps.  Tandy ones are by far the most difficult to keep aligned.  All the others are really great quality and a joy to use.

YinTx