Journal Project

[Loudcherokee]

Hello folks, 

Decided to make 3 journals for my daughters and niece for Valentines Day coming up. I've got some pull up laying around from Springfields $30 oil tanned sides and this is the first of the three. 

Basic design idea came from Little King Goods, but I added a couple of touches of my own. The journal notebook is 8x5 and I added a strap closure. 

Finished the edges with sandpaper starting at 220 and working up to 800, then saddle soap with canvas, and finally tokonole with a hand burnisher.

This was my first time using Aquilim 315 and WOW this stuff is awesome. 

Let me know what ya think! 

LC

[Retswerb]

Excellent! That’s nice looking leather and you put it to good use.

[kiwican]

Simple and clean!

[Loudcherokee]

Thanks! I learned alot with this one. 

LC

[Loudcherokee]

Here is Journal #2. This one is for my niece. The strap on this one is a piece of her dad's old belt. 

LC

[kiwican]

Nice thought on the closure 

[JayEhl]

 

On 1/31/2021 at 1:14 AM, Loudcherokee said:

This was my first time using Aquilim 315 and WOW this stuff is awesome. 

I've never heard of this and being a noob I had to look it up.  I've been using DAP weldwood contact cement (the red one).  Why is the Aquilim 315 good/better?  Just curious.  

[Loudcherokee]

1 hour ago, JayEhl said:

 

I've never heard of this and being a noob I had to look it up.  I've been using DAP weldwood contact cement (the red one).  Why is the Aquilim 315 good/better?  Just curious.  

In my case its the smell. I have weldwood too and will still use it probably for my holster and belt projects, but for wallets I like the aquillim. Theres no odor, and you don't have to wait for it to dry to a dull finish before applying, especially if you're gluing flesh to flesh or flesh to sanded grain. Its almost an instant bond. 

The odor is the biggest thing though. Even when I was going outside to do the gluing, I would bring it back in to sew after it dried a bit and it would still smell awful in the room I was working in. While I've inhaled enough paint fumes and adhesive odors over my lifetime for it to probably not matter to me, I have a 16 month old and two teenagers I don't want around the fumes. The aquillim smells similar to Elmer's white glue to me. 

LC

[JayEhl]

well, that makes sense.   As a kid I remember building model airplanes with my dad and the glue smell reminds me of that time (not the getting dizzy part!) .  Funny how aromas do that.  Anyway, I'll have to keep that in mind after I go through my recent can I bought. 

Thanks for your insights!

~JL

[Loudcherokee]

Here's the third and final journal. Well, except for the wife's lol. That one will take awhile though. 

Used a different leather here. Still a $30 oil tan from Springfield and it is really nice to have a whole side of this for $30. Decided to work in a buckle closure instead of a snap on this one. Im happiest with the edges, which finished out really nicely and you can see the layers. Used sandpaper from 220 - 800 grit, then saddle soap rubbed in with canvas cloth, topped off with tokonole. 

Two things I noticed, I forgot to finish the edges on the inside flaps where the journal cover slides under, and I hated having to stitch across my strap on the back but I couldn't figure out a way around that. I would have preferred the two parallel stitches and that be it, but couldn't wrap my head around how I would attach the strap, which has to be done before attaching the inside panel, and then stitching that section of the inside panel. 

LC

[Hardrada]

I'd try attaching the strap more towards the edge, way away from the journal area: few things more vexing than a trying to write over a lump. I think you nailed it in the first one of your series.

Edited February 5, 2021 by Hardrada

[JayEhl]

I like the design and layout but am confused at what @Hardrada   said about the strap.   @Hardrada  are you talking about the strap that keeps it together or the strap bit that keeps the pen?  I have to agree about the "writing over a lump" but thought the pen loop in the middle would be more annoying than the other strap. Probably just me and please consider my words with a grain of salt. I've not assembled a journal cover.  I should restate that.  I'm in the middle of two but the hand stitching needs more practice and was frustrating so they're on hold for right now.  (secretly looking to buy a sewing machine)

[Loudcherokee]

6 hours ago, JayEhl said:

I like the design and layout but am confused at what @Hardrada   said about the strap.   @Hardrada  are you talking about the strap that keeps it together or the strap bit that keeps the pen?  I have to agree about the "writing over a lump" but thought the pen loop in the middle would be more annoying than the other strap. Probably just me and please consider my words with a grain of salt. I've not assembled a journal cover.  I should restate that.  I'm in the middle of two but the hand stitching needs more practice and was frustrating so they're on hold for right now.  (secretly looking to buy a sewing machine)

I don't know that the strap would be an issue honestly with this thickness of leather and also the journal backing being somewhat thick. Not sure you would feel it. 

As for the pen loop, yes I suppose that could get in the way. Didnt really think about that. I may move it to the edge on future renditions, or maybe even at the top of the journal. 

I agree about the hand stitching. I want a machine too and plan to get one, but will likely keep sewing small projects like this by hand. But I don't know that I will ever stitch a belt by hand again. THAT was a workout, and I believe my hands are still sore from that lol. 

Hand stitching the first two were a pain, mostly because I used thread that wasn't meant for hand stitching. I used Ritza Tiger on the third, and it went much smoother. 

 

LC