This week's project

[JAB]

I decided I wanted a braided leather sling for my Marlin .44 Mag lever action.  I thought a three-tone braid would look good.  I had leather thongs in brown and white so I used some black shoe dye on a couple of the white ones.  I braided them in pairs to make the strap wider.  I used some leather strap material - also dyed black - and some buckles I had on hand to make adjustable 'connector straps'.  I made a shoulder pad for the strap out of two pieces of leather.  I cut a cheap mouse pad into three strips and stacked those inside the shoulder pad for extra padding.  You can't see it in the pics below but I put the leather on the back of the shoulder pad rough side out to help keep it from slipping around on my shoulder.  I also decided to put spare cartridge loops on the shoulder pad.  I have made a braided leather sling before but this is the first adjustable sling I have attempted, the first sling I have made with a shoulder pad and the first time I have tried this method for making spare cartridge loops.

 

So, I started out with this:

 

 

and ended up with this:

 

 

 

 

There were definitely some lessons learned from this project.  If I make another one, I would change a few things.  For one, I would use some kind of jump rings or d-rings to attach the sling to the connector straps rather than tying directly to it (I actually punched holes in the straps, passed the thongs through the holes and tied a knot in the end of each.)  I think that D-rings or jump rings would give a better fit and finish as well as allowing me to make the connector straps shorter while having the same level of adjustment.  I also figured out how to make the spare cartridge loops come out nice, straight and neat - about halfway through making them (which is why half of them are nice and straight and the other half - well - not so much.)  I would also probably braid three of each color rather than just two, if I can, in order to make the strap, itself, wider.

 

All in all, though, I think it turned out looking pretty good and I also think it will work well and so I am pleased with it.

 

I have an SKS that is wearing plastic, Monte Carlo type furniture so the next project will probably be making a paracord sling for it.  Well, that and making a Kydex sheath to carry my Buck Paklite in a horizontal position.

Edited October 10, 2014 by JAB

[Grand Torino]

You've definitely got it going on with the knots and braids. :rock:  Keep up the nice work. :up:

[BJB]

I Like it

[JAB]

Thank you very much, gentlemen.