Another rifle sling

[ClayB]

Was pretty ugly outside yesterday so I got the day off. I spent the day making another rifle sling. I wasn't completly happy with the elk on the first one, so I came up with a different pattern. I found a picture in a wildlife book I had and started by tracing the head of the elk. Even after shrinking it on my copy machine, I couldn't make it fit the small space I had to carve in. So I started modifying it, curving the antlers down, pointing the nose up a bit. Then I had to change some of the lines on the neck to make it look more natural. I have never had a lot of luck doing patterns from pictures before, so I was really happy when this started turning out like I wanted it too. I was really pleased when I carved it and it looked just like I wanted it too. I got a little surprise when I oiled the leather. There must have been a small scar on the leather right across the elk's nose. It's noticable, but there isn't anything I can do about it. I did pull all the stitching because I still don't have my Boss adjusted quite right, but I am getting it to work better and with some more adjusting, maybe it will work.

Clay

[abn]

Clay,

The first sling was really great, but I agree -- the elk you did for the second one is even better. And don't worry about the small scar... Leather's a natural material with its own little defects. Gives each piece personality, I say.