I'm getting there. Learning process.

[res308]

For a friend's Esee 5.

 

Edited September 13, 2016 by res308

[res308]

Another friend's karambit. A pain in the nether regions. Sorry for all the leather debris.

 

Edited September 13, 2016 by res308

[res308]

Some reason it won't let me upload the third picture, which the Kabar sheath I just made.

[res308]

Still have work to do on this one, it's not finished yet. I'm learning as I go.

[res308]

I need to learn some better ways, and actually get a few tools. Maybe then it wouldn't feel like a life sentence from start to finish.

[sybo]

Each pic looks like you are getting better and better!! I like it! The world could use some more good leather workers. Keep us posted!

Edited September 9, 2016 by sybo

[DaveTN]

Looks good. I have been thinking about learning leather holster making for something to do when I retire. With Kydex so easy and cheap to do there is going to be fewer companies doing leather.

[Grand Torino]

Man you got a talent there....keep working at it. And yes...the right tools make everything easier. Good job.

[JAB]

Because there are fewer places for imperfections to hide simple designs like these require high quality work to look good and yours most definitely look good (for the record, I like simple designs so that isn't a criticism.)  I also have a question about the fire steel loop on the Kabar sheath.  Is the 'front' part of it a part of the welt and the 'back' part sewn on the outside of the back of the sheath?  I want to do such a loop on a couple of personal use sheaths and that is the simplest way I can figure to do it so that it isn't too thick in the welt.  Otherwise, I guess I could use a thinner piece of leather so that double over it would be about the same thickness as the welt but then that would require cutting a gap in the welt for the loop to fit into.

I know what you mean about the 'life sentence'.  I don't do leather to sell, just for myself and a couple of things for family or friends.  I have a few, very simple and basic tools - stitch line cutter, burnisher, beveler and a couple of metal stamps - and it always feels like I am setting out to climb Kilimanjaro when I start a new leather project.  This is especially true because my hands/wrists always seem to end up cramping for a day or two after I finish.  I saddle stitch by hand because I like the way the stitches turn out but man that is a pain in the...wrist.  Right now I am wanting to make a pancake holster for a couple of my revolvers (pretty simple process, really) and a scout sheath for one of my fixed blades in sort of a 'Hedgehog leatherworks' style (just for my own use - I'm not doing someone else's design to sell I just can't afford >$200 for a sheath even though it probably is worth it.)  Those have a lot of elements to them and I have a couple of ideas for elements to add that even the originals don't have.  I think I have figured out how I want to do the scout sheath but getting started is another thing, entirely.  It doesn't help that once I actually start a project I don't usually want to stop until it is finished rather than setting it aside to let my hands rest then coming back to it.

Edited September 9, 2016 by JAB

[res308]

Thank you kindly gentlemen.

JAB, I don't know if I did the striker rod loop correctly or not, but I thinned out a piece and doubled it over, then wet formed for the loop. So I then had to cut a space in the welt for that to replace. Don't know if that was the right thing to do, but we shall see. I've been trying to learn all I can from this "kid" in England named Ian Adkinson. Found him on YouTube and have been amazed by his work. Now if I can just catch up.:)

Edited September 9, 2016 by res308

[res308]

Final product on the Kabar sheath. Glad I was just making this one for myself. Made some mistakes and found some things I'll do differently on my next sheath. But, for some novice work I'm kinda satisfied with it. It'll do to go along with me to the woods.

Edited September 13, 2016 by res308

[JAB]

On 9/9/2016 at 11:27 AM, res308 said:

Thank you kindly gentlemen.

JAB, I don't know if I did the striker rod loop correctly or not, but I thinned out a piece and doubled it over, then wet formed for the loop. So I then had to cut a space in the welt for that to replace. Don't know if that was the right thing to do, but we shall see. I've been trying to learn all I can from this "kid" in England named Ian Adkinson. Found him on YouTube and have been amazed by his work. Now if I can just catch up.:)

Thanks for the info.  Yeah, I have seen some of Ian Adkinson's videos, too.  Some amazing work, for sure.  Also, you might want to check out a channel by a guy who goes by 'grierwolfe'.  His real name is Justin (I think) Wolfe and his business is 'Wolfe Customs'.  He makes some really nice looking things, as well (at least based just on seeing them on the computer screen), and has several leatherwork tutorials on his channel.  He is also pretty 'big' into bushcrafting, camping and so on so he will also do tutorials and the like on things such as, for instance, using flint, steel and char to start a fire - he has one interesting video where he argues that, although it isn't necessarily his favorite tool, a good tomahawk would make a better 'one tool option' than a knife - but mostly his channel relates to leather work.  I am not much of a bushcrafter and don't get to camp nearly enough but am very interested in those things so I like his videos on those things, too.

Edited September 14, 2016 by JAB

[JAB]

On 9/13/2016 at 0:13 PM, res308 said:

Final product on the Kabar sheath. Glad I was just making this one for myself. Made some mistakes and found some things I'll do differently on my next sheath. But, for some novice work I'm kinda satisfied with it. It'll do to go along with me to the woods.

I understand the 'things I'll do differently' part.  I almost always discover those things in most of my 'self guided' projects, not just leather work.  Still, that thing looks great.  You should carry it proudly and with a big smile on your face.  I love the little detail of how the stitching on the end of the retention strap almost perfectly lines up with the double row stitching on the sheath, itself, when the strap is snapped closed.  It is so well done that at first I thought, "why did he put a snap on that end of the strap and then sew the strap down," before I realized that the strap isn't sewn down.

Edited September 14, 2016 by JAB

[res308]

Thanks for the complements. All prayers would be appreciated ---- I'm about to start another one.

 

[Randall53]

Good job res308. Keep it up. You have a lot of talent!