View Full Version : Leatherwork..it,s Pouches again
These on the right-hand side, have been posted here, before and are made from 3mm+ veg tan.
But I decided to have a go at something a little smaller, lighter and easier to fabricate. So I got some 2mill vegtan and found the results a little too floppy.
Thats when I tried to use the boiled leather form of hardening and went into it, as is my wont, not knowing that I didn,t know as much as I should.
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/gallery/data/500/medium/pouches.jpg
Still an' all it was a learning experience which yielded variable results, but a usefull experience....though , to date, I have avoided the total hot wax dip technique, having burned and singed enough material, already, to satisfy my needs.
Top lefthand three, are in the thinner material, and have had various treatments in regard to preparation.
The upper left item, after shrinking by one quarter in size and warping unequally,out of all original form during a boiling water dip of 90 secs....this one turned out as hard as wood and sounds like an empty box, when tapped.....
Now, in order to stash the pouches all together, I,m thinking along the lines of needing another leather bag!!!
Comments welcome.
Ceeg
Loving them mate! :D
I particularly like the ones with the 'tuck through' catch!
Jedadiah
10-09-2007, 15:57
'ey up Seagull, tha's reyt fettled them! Nice one mate, i'm very impressed by all of those. What are you going to try next then, a leather bergan?:)
Heathenpeddler
10-09-2007, 16:13
They look great! How did you do the closures on the right hand ones? I'd love to have a try at those :)
Eric_Methven
10-09-2007, 16:53
I love those on the left! (I love those on the right too, but the ones on the left are fantastic).
The boiling method gives them loads of 'character'. They'd go down well with the living history folks if you changed the sam browne button for a traditional closure. Excellent.
Eric
Eric, I had intended to look around for bits of bone or something, but went for the much easier stud.....and the boiling technique..brrrrrh! Yup it is characterful when it comes out right, but "naff" otherwise. Just a bit too unpredictable for me, at this stage, but I will continue to learn.
Jed, no mate, but I am considering a conversion of the belt loops on largest pouch, to D ring fittings, and then fabbing a cross-chest shoulder belt.......the whole caboodle to be passed on the inboard side of the belt so as to keep the heavy weight off of the waistline.
Even wearing gallus,s, this one tends to drag down the port side of my pants
HP, the closure is just a simple cross strap, with a wet formed loop. Simple, but it takes some fairly exact measuring and marking out. Backstrap is fixed to rear panel before assembly; cross strap is fixed to front panel before assembly. Once sew.d , you just need to prick through, from cross strap to front panel in order to position the cut out coupon. It has got to be exact and well tight, or any upward pressure on the front flap will
try to trip the whole thing open .....hence the over long backstrap.
Thanks all
regards
Ceeg
British Red
10-09-2007, 18:18
Hey Ceeg - I already have a nice Baldric with trigger clips....
That big one would clip right on if you put D rings on.....
Would save you all the work of making a baldric dontcha know? Honest it would....it'd look really good on me too...great advertising and....and...the pixies would bless you (I running out of logic at this point :))
Red
Ach, Red.
Really s0rry, but none of 'em is good enough to inflict on someone else.
Too many odd lines and bodges ,to many re-sew,s and too little precision.
Though many thanks for the encouragement.
Ceeg
British Red
11-09-2007, 08:26
:D
They look pretty good from here Ceeg ;)
Most good craftsmen are like that though - Singteck used to describe his leatherwork as a hooby since it wasn't really good enough to sell!
Red
I am with Ceeg on this one, if I snap a thread when stitching I tend to start again and if I would not be happy to carry it why should anyone else, stick to your guns Ceeg, it keeps the standards high.
They do look good though :)
Eric_Methven
11-09-2007, 10:31
I know loads of people who would buy those simply because they are not perfect. It's the imperfect distressed look they are after. If it's too perfect it looks like it was made by a machine and that's not what people want.
Eric
Heathenpeddler
11-09-2007, 17:34
I know loads of people who would buy those simply because they are not perfect. It's the imperfect distressed look they are after. If it's too perfect it looks like it was made by a machine and that's not what people want.
Eric
Yay! There's hope for my leatherwork yet then :p But seriously, they do look great. Any chance you could do a mini tutorial on those closures? I can't quite grasp how it's supposed to be mounted.
I get a great deal of satisfaction when working with canvas or leather.
It,s just a creativity thing, I think and I get these infrequent bouts of enthusiasm for it.
So, with all the comments still ringing in my lugs, I knocked up this case/pouch yesterday evening. ( apolls for photo quality ) It still needs waxing:eek:
There,s no doubt in my mind, that these Sam Brown studs are proving highly addictive.
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/gallery/data/500/medium/OKAPI_CASE.jpg
The main thing, was to try a bit of fancy 'cutting out' for the closure tag and, I thought the Oak leaf would suit, just right; only I hadn,t figured out just how to carve all the loops.
But, the native wit eventually returned and I used my revolving punch for the fiddly bits and a stanley for the rest of it.
HP, I,m rubbish at tutorials m8, but pm me with what the prob is, and I shall try my best to sort it.
Thanks for looking.
Ceeg
I know loads of people who would buy those simply because they are not perfect. It's the imperfect distressed look they are after. If it's too perfect it looks like it was made by a machine and that's not what people want.
Eric
Aye, me. The bottom two are really nice.
Aye, me. The bottom two are really nice.
Me as well, that little one top left is my fav....Nice work Ceeg....
fred gordon
16-09-2007, 20:26
I know loads of people who would buy those simply because they are not perfect. It's the imperfect distressed look they are after. If it's too perfect it looks like it was made by a machine and that's not what people want.
Eric
Absolutely Eric. I think the ones on the left look great. I especially like the bottom left one.:notworthy
fishfish
16-09-2007, 20:44
some fantastic work! ime gonna need to buy some more leather me thinks!
Nice, Ceeg, very nice indeed :notworthy
I do agree with the opinions on doing it 'right' but what Eric said about character is so true, we could have sold those ten times over among the re-enactors, especially since they are properly made, it's the built in 'character' they love but quality always counts.
cheers,
Toddy
seamonkey
17-09-2007, 05:19
Very nice work indeed, i feel inspired after seeing your post.
Wonders how weird i'll look buying old leather handbags at op shops :-)
I thought I should post the finished article , having subjected it to waxing treatments as per Eric and Mikes ideas. ( but, for "bain-marie", read "corned beef tin").
Suitably distressed and roughly handled, it bears the visible signs of many sea passages and years of hard usage. Real fib, aint it?
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/gallery/data/500/medium/okapi_case_post_treatment.jpg
For the sharps buffs, the Okapi knife would be considered by many, to be pretty useless for bushy stuff, it being quite a softish carbon steel and very lightly constructed.
Its cheap price and ease of sharpening, made it ( in the 1960,s ) ,well favoured for marine use , particularly by Indian seamen.
They were all made in Germany, then , bore the Solingen stamp and were freely available in just about every continental Chandlery and duty free store.
This pouch , is just a variation on the type of home brewed "sleeve" which the seamen made from canvas.......and it was mostly without belt loops; pocket carry being the preferred method of toting.
Ach...memories
Just so's you would know.
Ceeg
firebreather
18-09-2007, 14:29
The ones on the left would look great hanging off my belt when i wear my kilt. just the right size to hang at the side in addition to my sporran.
If they are not up to scratch then send them to me and i will help "AHEM;) " dispose of them :D
Wotcher Firebreather.
Well heres one I,ve done this morning.
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/gallery/data/500/medium/fancy_pouch.jpg
It's by no means finished yet; it needs proper fettling and more hotwaxing.
I,ve been fiddling around, amusing myself with this Oak leaf motif/fastener thingy.
Why not get tore-in, yersel'...it just needs a few practise shots; Blimey, if I can do it, then anyone can.........but its purely for pastime and a damn good excuse to avoid re-erecting my fence.
My daughter saw this one, in its two-tone finish and straightaway started with the smoothtalk for a larger scaled one, as a (another!!!!!!!) shoulder bag.
But I got a question for our artist, Eric (love the drawings, Eric)..
Its about hot waxing, again. It would be, wouldn't it
I,ve been making a sort of Baldric and gave it a coat of bubbling hot wax, by whisshing it through a tin of wax.
Once semi-dry, I was removing the excess wax with a butterknife and I got this eye searing , hi-gloss finish appearing on the leather.......have you experienced this?
Ceeg
firebreather
18-09-2007, 23:47
Looks great. SWMBO is the creative one in our family I am more of a professional appreciater and user :D of crafts. I wish I had more time to learn stuff but the list of things too learn is already too long, banjo,more fire stuff, carving etc etc.:lmao: One day I will get round to it.
Greg
I did get around to making a Baldric for my largest pouch, but I baulked at the idea of having to rip the back off the pouch in order to get access; to replace the loops with D rings; then restitch the rear panel.......too much faffing about.
So, I ftted D-rings to the ends of the 'Ric, and passed the existing beltloops up through the D-rings.
Then made up a toggle to take the strain. Where would we be , without toggles?.
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/gallery/data/500/medium/baldric.jpg
For tyers, its just a manrope knot at each end, and a Matt Walker in the centre, made in electrical flex.
Oh, and I got to find out how to use the camera "macro" button:D
Ceeg
Cool Ceeg - any chance of a tutorial on how you tie the toggle (esp. now you have found the macro setting ;) )
Cool Ceeg - any chance of a tutorial on how you tie the toggle (esp. now you have found the macro setting ;) )
Hay ho, Graham.
D'you mean affix the toggle, or "how-to" tie the knots on it ,what what?
Ceeg
ps d'you think anyone will be interested?
firebreather
19-09-2007, 14:10
ps d'you think anyone will be interested?
I am always trying to learn new knots and even with the help from certain idiots guides still cant get them right. So me me me:headbang:
Right, well that,s two:lmao:
but, Graham, just assuming its the knots that you arewanting...then I will give it a whirl but, I need to pick your brains.
(Q) How could I best compose the whole thing, off forum, and fiddle with the wording until it is presentable......and only then, post the whole thing up, in a one-r ?
Ceeg
Last one, for a while, it took me about 10 hrs in total.
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/gallery/data/500/medium/birthday_bag.jpg
Design based on my largest possibles pouch ,but just beeswax polished only.
Daughters birthday soon.
Ceeg