Dog collars - always worked flat?

[Klara]

I have watched a few of JHHall's videos and she makes padded dog collars  on a flat surface and it works. Whereas when I hold two pieces of leather together while lying flat and then bend them into a cylinder, the inner piece is too long, which I find perfectly logical. So I wonder whether it would be better to glue the pieces together while bent and punch the holes (still missing an awl for true saddle stitch) while the collar is resting on half of a piece of round wood. Does anybody do it that way? 

[mike02130]

When making handbag handles an wallets and watch bands I use a form to bend and glue.  A dog collar has a larger radius, I wouldn't bother with the form.  The only way you'll know is to do it.

[chuck123wapati]

2 hours ago, Klara said:

I have watched a few of JHHall's videos and she makes padded dog collars  on a flat surface and it works. Whereas when I hold two pieces of leather together while lying flat and then bend them into a cylinder, the inner piece is too long, which I find perfectly logical. So I wonder whether it would be better to glue the pieces together while bent and punch the holes (still missing an awl for true saddle stitch) while the collar is resting on half of a piece of round wood. Does anybody do it that way? 

once you glue them together they become one piece of leather so they don't separate. make them flat it will work fine. 

[Klara]

I have worked the last ones flat, and it's definitely a lot easier - but I'm not happy with the result. Next I'll try thinner padding and another leather to see whether that changes anything.

[garypl]

The thicker the leather the more wrinkling you will have when bending it into a circle if you glue them up on a flat surface.  If the item is being made to stay in a circle, I would glue the pieces on a form or just do it by hand starting at one end and keeping the pieces curved.   

[Klara]

That was my thinking as well, hence my original question. But the video from JH Leather shows a collar with 6 mm padding being worked flat and I figured I should for once follow the pro's advice...

I already have prepared half a piece of fencepost to use as form...

[fredk]

I don't know if this will influence your thinking;

When I used to make the occasional archery arm bracer for my medieval display team I got a 2L cola bottle and cut the top off, then I filled it with plaster to make a form.

Mostly the bracers I made were lined with thick suede, about 2 - 2.5mm thick. A bracer only needed to be about 2/3 round the bottle form but I wrapped the suede all the way round. I used double-sided adhesive tape to hold an over-size piece of suede to the bottle, then I glued on the padding, if requested, then glued the outer leather over that. With good contact adhesive it was all glued up in minutes, no need for clamping.

Whilst the bracer was still on the bottle I ran a gouge along the edges, about 3mm or 4mm in, for a sewing line then I used a scratch awl to mark my sewing points. These marks were quite deep, almost all the way through. Then I took the bracer off the form and sewed it all up. When that was done I trimmed the suede and finished off the edges.

Most of my bracers were held to the arm by lacing so the holes for this lacing was punched towards the finish. If buckle straps were requested they were prepared and glued in place at the time of gluing on the padding

[fivewayswelshcobs]

I always work flat but usually trim the padding to length at the end of stitching, ie before stitching over the end. Keeps the padding flatter rather than forcing it to be the same length. It still lies flat but much less wrinkled.

[Klara]

36 minutes ago, fivewayswelshcobs said:

I always work flat but usually trim the padding to length at the end of stitching, ie before stitching over the end. Keeps the padding flatter rather than forcing it to be the same length. It still lies flat but much less wrinkled.

I'm sorry,  I'm not sure I understand. Do you mean you bend the collar before trimming the ends? Because otherwise I don't see the difference. I did trim and skive the end of the padding and the leather around it, but there is several centimeters of difference between outside and inside circumference... The first collar, same size as the previous, mostly unpadded ones, came out 2 inches too small with the padding. 

@fredk I'm seeing myself with a measuring tape in the supermarket, measuring bottles... You managed to get your stitches regular enough marking them "freehand"? 

 

[fredk]

44 minutes ago, Klara said:

I'm seeing myself with a measuring tape in the supermarket, measuring bottles... You managed to get your stitches regular enough marking them "freehand"? 

Fairly even. And with saddle stitching any small difference was covered by the thread. If I was to do these now I would use a wing-divider to mark the spacing.

Plus;  I would go to my local woods and look for a big branch or wood log for my former. (There are NO wood turners left in N.I. !! for me to get a piece of wood turned for a former)