Sheaths for Drunk Pandemic Online Buys

[RevMoore]

     So, here are some sheaths I made for some drunken pandemic purchases from CRKT. Tomahawk sheath is still a bit tight around the handle. Put together with Chicago screws and hand stitching. Tried something new with the Provoke (the Kramabit). Wet molded it using my vaccuum sealer I bought for my sou vide machine (cooking stuff). Had to put a thin piece of trash leather "face to face" with the leather so that it didn't take the texture of the inside of the vaccuum sealer bag.

     Question I had for the more experienced, is when wet molding and tooling, which order does it go in. Do you wet mold and then tool while the leather is still on the "mold"? Or do you tool the leather and then delicately wet mold? Either seems difficult.

 

p.s. sorry the pics are poor quality. still working out the kinks of using http://shrinkpictures.com so i can upload more than one at a time.

[Grey Drakkon]

Very neat!  My only quibble would be the rings clinking against the axe, but I imagine some people would actually enjoy that (like spurs jangling).  Clever use of the vacuum sealer, and good on you on anticipating the texture being an issue.  That does however give ideas for placing items in when forming it to see if you can get some neat effects, like using tulle for a delicate scaley texture. 

 I really dig that little kidney bean sheath, looks useful!

There's issues either way when it comes to tooling, shaping it after tooling can mar the pattern, but tooling after shaping will warp the shape.  From what I've seen different people have different preferences, and it may depend on just how much tooling is being done as well.  That was helpful, wasn't it? 

[RevMoore]

Thanks Grey.

I used the rings since I think I may eventually make a gridle/warbelt (think renn faire costume) to strap it onto. Plus, with it being put together with Chicago screws and only using semi-permanent lock tight, I can always replace the rings with a more traditional leather belt loop at a later date.

[battlemunky]

I've tried both wet forming then tooling and tooling then wet forming and I'm not happy with either so I usually try and avoid it. I'm hobbyist level so I don't get commissions very often so to avoid making something I know is going to look like crap, I don't mix tooling and forming. Like @Grey Drakkon said, there are issues to either. Bottom line, you'll lose some detail and/or some shape whichever one you do first.

[LawmanFl]

I did a basket weave and then wet molded a leather holster.  I did lose some detail, but died it black so it did well.  I agree with everyone else, it isn't easy and it seems you will lose detail depending the thickness of the leather and how extreme the mold it. 

I hope that helps.....I am still in the learning mode as well.