First stab at it!

[Retswerb]

No shame there @Chris623! You’re off to a fine start, and learning as you go. All part of the fun.

Your assessment is right, the leather was too wet. Sometime when you’re around the house for a while take a piece of scrap leather and case it and then as it dries stamp it once or twice every so often. Keep doing that until the leather dries. You’ll get to see the progression with the leather at different moisture levels and how it responds to the tool, can be a helpful learning aid.

[Chris623]

Thanks for the tip, Todd.

And thank you, Retswerb, I'll do that.  I've just had too many irons in too many fires all at once to be able to do that and keep any helpful data...........but I'll give that a try.

Edited October 12, 2020 by Chris623

[battlemunky]

Also, there is no shame in just wetting it right before you go to work it. Traditional casing isn't required and the leather sure gets workable faster and having tried both I don't see the value in the long casing. Maybe for a larger piece so the moisture level stays consistent but again, I've tried both and see no real difference over the other aside from one being far easier on my lack of patience than the other.

Also, using the backgrounder you won't see as much of a burnish as you will with other types of stamps like a shader or something, the main takeaway is that there is a lasting impression more than a burnish. The level of burnish also depends a lot on the leather. Hermann Oak tends to burnish up better upon stamping than Tandy and so does Wickett & Craig. I look for the stamp lasting more than I do for the burnish. That's just me though, others may look for burnishing over lasting to know they are getting it "right".

Edited October 12, 2020 by battlemunky

[Chris623]

Thanks, battlemunky.

[garypl]

If you want to confirm the leather is the right moisture level before putting a stamp to your workpiece, cut another piece of scrap from the same piece as your project and wet it at the same time you do your project piece.  Test on the scrap and if it looks good, then move to your project piece.  Might save you some aggravation.  This might not work as well if you are using a large piece for your project and the scrap is much smaller, but as long as it is the same thickness, should get you in the ballpark.

Gary

[Chris623]

Thanks, Gary.  That's an almost too obvious tip.  I should have thought of it myself!!!    I'll definitely do that when I prepare to tool the back of the sheath.

[buzzardbait]

The leather itself can also be the problem. over the years i have used lots of leather that will not burnish worth a damn no matter what you do.

[Affaltar]

I had similar problems when starting and I found a procedure that worked without any problems every time (I don't know where so I can't link original instructions)

1. Tape the back, I use just the yellowish paper tape for painting, don't know the name, but use few layers

2. With a damp sponge wet the top until it gets dark and it stops sucking in all the water, you'll notice water starting to pool at top and just slowly get inside, that's enough. Try to get it like that everywhere

3. Wait for it to dry until the top is dry color again. 


That's it. It's fast, and if it starts to feel like it's too dry during tooling you can just make a quick pass with a sponge and wait 20ish minutes again

[Chris623]

Thanks.  That's my plan when I get back to the leather working.

[Chris623]

  Well, the joke's on me! 

I mentioned the sheath had stretched in length.  Okay, so I cut it off to match the welt.  Glued the welt in today.  Laid the knife "inside" the welt to check the fit.  Uh...............................don't know why I didn't think to check it, but the sheath also stretched in width in the area of the mouth.  (1/4")   I'm pondering whether to cut 1/8" spacers to get rid of the slop and finish the sheath or just nail what I have to the "Wall of Shame" and start over.  If this sheath was for a customer, I'd not even consider continuing on with it, but since it's just for me and the idea was just to get a little practice in making sheaths,  I'm tempted to finish it.  It's my first sheath.  If I "toss it" over every little mistake, I'll never get it done!      Thoughts?