Busy last week. Did a couple florals for 1911's.

[BruceGibson]

Y'all go easy on me.

 

[usmc0341]

Looks awesome to me!

[chuck123wapati]

Doesn't get much better tthan that ! 

[Dwight]

Stunning would be the word I would use . . . great job Bruce . . . gives the rest of us a higher level to shoot for.

May God bless,

Dwight

[BruceGibson]

Thanks for the kind words, y'all!  I love building for the 1911's, but I do need to work on my florals--drawing the patterns is something I fight with all the time.  Too lazy to practice if truth be told. 

[327fed]

Brings tears to my eyes.

[JWheeler331]

That looks great. 

[1961Mike]

HI Bruce,

That looks great.  Your carving is very, very good.  I'm curious how you finished the leather to keep it that light color.  Is that unfinished (no Neatsfoot oil, no EVVO) with some sort of laquer?

Thanks

Mike

Edited March 24, 2021 by 1961Mike

[BruceGibson]

6 hours ago, 1961Mike said:

HI Bruce,

That looks great.  Your carving is very, very good.  I'm curious how you finished the leather to keep it that light color.  Is that unfinished (no Neatsfoot oil, no EVVO) with some sort of laquer?

Thanks

Mike

Thank you, Mike.  The burnish from the carving was a lot better before I had to wet it to detail the back panel.  I try to keep the carved panel as dry as possible and wet the back panel, but the face panel has to have some, too.  I used Fiebing's 100% Pure Neatsfoot on this--light coat back and front applied with sheepskin.  Top coat on this one is Tan Kote from Fiebing's, and I was happy with the result.  I usually use an acrylic from Angelus and put it on with an airbrush.  It's darker in real life--I think my lighting for the photo was a little too intense and washed it out a bit. 

[BruceGibson]

9 hours ago, 327fed said:

Brings tears to my eyes.

 

9 hours ago, JWheeler331 said:

That looks great. 

327fed I cried a bit making it. 

JWheeler331 Thanks, JD!

[RemingtonSteel]

Bruce, for a California kid turned Florida cowboy, I would say you nailed it. I would be thrilled if my florals looked as good as this. That laziness of yours must be addictive, as I suffer from it too.  Do you wet mold the back to increase retention?

[JamesRiley]

Beautiful.  I hope to get there some day.

[BruceGibson]

13 hours ago, RemingtonSteel said:

Bruce, for a California kid turned Florida cowboy, I would say you nailed it. I would be thrilled if my florals looked as good as this. That laziness of yours must be addictive, as I suffer from it too.  Do you wet mold the back to increase retention?

LOL!  Yep, California's WAY back in the rearview mirror!  I still need a LOT of work, but I sure do appreciate the compliment.  I do wet and detail the back panel--it all has to be done by hand because I can't cheat and squeeze it in the press with the carving on the face.   

[BruceGibson]

13 hours ago, JamesRiley said:

Beautiful.  I hope to get there some day.

Thank you--but believe me, I'm not good.  Better than I was, but with a long way to go.  Keep practicing (and I need to practice what I preach) and you'll leave me behind in no time.  I've spent what seems like a million dollars on books, videos, DVD's, etc., and if I had to pick the one thing that was the turning point for me, it would be the Jeremiah Watt floral carving DVD's.  All of the stuff I invested in helped, and it still does--but I felt like I made major improvements quickly with the Watt DVD's.  They're expensive, but I'd buy 'em again if I had to.  His website is www.Ranch2Arena.com if you want to have a look. 

[JLSleather]

I've said it afore, but I'ma fixina say it agin --- I LOVE the color you get in these!

 

[BruceGibson]

16 minutes ago, JLSleather said:

I've said it afore, but I'ma fixina say it agin --- I LOVE the color you get in these!

 

Thank you, sir! 

[Viking]

Beautiful work.  The color is great.  I’m assuming very high quality  leather with oil, antiquing & resolene? No dye? 

[Josh Ashman]

Simply amazing work Bruce! Thanks for sharing! 

[RemingtonSteel]

On 3/26/2021 at 11:05 AM, BruceGibson said:

Thank you--but believe me, I'm not good.

Bruce, you are either a perfectionist, humble or both, in addition to being your own worst critic.  I actually don't believe you, cause I can see with my own eyes the quality of the work you are doing. If you don't trust yourself, trust the objective viewpoints of fellow members here. You've got to know that if JLS and Josh are throwing compliments your way, your doing good.  I was going to follow that up with "Trust me, I wouldn't lie to you", but I realized that I already have.  When I said in a previous post that "I would be thrilled if my florals looked as good as this", was the lie. Truth be told, I would be thrilled if my florals looked half as good as yours do.  As you can see below, my carving ability is not even close to being in your league, but I am working on it.

Edited March 30, 2021 by RemingtonSteel
I guess I can't spell very well either!

[Grunt]

Very nice!