Another Bag for the GRRW Leman Squirrel Rifle

[BrownBear]

My wife has fondled the Leman Squirrel Rifle as much I have, and after my bag was built she said she needed a new bag, too. So following her dictates I put this one together.

You'll notice I used a snap as a closure on pocket on the front panel. That was her suggestion after we both read this fascinating piece. Turns out that the snap as we know it today comes from the 1850's, right in line with the Leman. And she wanted one. She also doesn't like pockets on the inside of bags, so hers went on the front panel with its own flap.

Yes ma'am! :surrender:

The bag is 8"x9" overall with the pouch itself more like 8"x6" or so. She wanted more room, so I went with a 2" tapered gusset (and welts of course, for the 3 oz leather) rather than the 1" I prefer on my own.

Final photos show the strap attachment (ala TC Albert) and a comparison of the loops on the two straps. For my own I used the Albert "chisel" technique (bottom strap) since the strap is wider than the buckle, while I used the Al Stohlman technique (top strap) strap-width and sewn to the strap on the back side) for my wife's with the larger buckle.

Here's the scary part. She thinks her bag matches the Leman better than mine. And she's been fondling the Leman lots more than me. And she's getting really impatient that the weather has kept us from shooting it. Over the years she's stepped between me and guns more than once. There's a growing chance that I'm going to lose the Squirrel Rifle to her before I even get to shoot it!!!!!

 

[Artificer]

Brown Bear,

That is a lovely pouch for your Lady. Well done! :thumbsup:

I admire much of the work you have shown, so I am a bit reluctant to bring up the following.

I have to say I would be more than a little concerned about the way you stitched across the grain of the leather when you sewed on the ends of the straps. I did it that way in the past many times myself, before I learned the problem with it. That always weakens the leather and with leather as thin as 3 oz, I would be very concerned about the leather cracking. Now, I know you will keep the bag properly maintained and oiled, so this is far less likely to happen.

I used to sew across the grain on straps and often even made squares or rectangles of stitching in what I thought would make the stitching stronger. I sewed a single line of stitches across the grain on my first 18th century waist belt behind the buckle, but even though that leather was about 5-7 oz and I did keep it oiled fairly often, the leather cracked right through the stitches.

This is something I learned from the Eric Myall videos on 18th century leather working. When they sewed the ends of straps onto bags or sewed the leather that went around the buckle and sewed it closed to itself, they ran two lines of stitches parallel to the length of the leather, somewhat close to the edges. For a waist belt buckle, they often added a third line of stiches down the center of the length of the strap.

Now, I also have to admit that Eric shows sewing the strap ends on a simple American Cartridge Pouch by going across the width of the straps. However, that leather was at least 7-8 oz. and would withstand cracking through the stitches better.

Please understand I mean this only to inform others and if they have strap ends where the stitches go across the width of the straps, they need to be even more careful to keep the straps properly oiled and maintained.

Gus

 

[NeilMacleod]

Very nice looking pouch, nicely done

 

[BrownBear]

Cogent thinking about leather grain, but I've pretty much quit watching it.

Forgot to tell a couple of buds about it when showing them how to cut and sew, so of course they cut across the grain. But in 5 or 6 years of harder use than I put my gear through, they've never had an issue with 4-5 oz leather. In my experience welts and fine stitching pretty much take care of it with even 2-3 oz leather. Even the seam joining the flap to the back panel is welted, and the pass-through point of the straps between the flap and back panel is effectively 3 layers. The only non-welt is the short seam joining the bitter end of strap to the back panel, and it's not bearing the weight.

Definitely watch the grain when using 7 stitches per inch or less and no welts on lighter leather, though. I have a set of 12tpi pricking irons and a 12tpi pricking wheel from Fine Leatherworking but haven't had the courage to use them yet. My 8, 9 and 10tpi tools seem good enough for my needs so far.

 

[omarick1948]

Nice job on bag, but I'm not a fan of snaps ... sorry, that's just me.

 

[BrownBear]

...but I'm not a fan of snaps ... sorry, that's just me.

I'm with you, but t'werent my bag. And what Mama wants..... :wink:

 

Nice job on bag, but I'm not a fan of snaps ... sorry, that's just me.

Snaps were first patented in 1885, probably not in common use until some time later.

 

[smo]

Funny thing, I lost a good .36 cal underhammer like that once.... :idunno:

 

[Artificer]

Thank you for understanding.

As far as the snap that is well concealed under the main pouch flap, I also understand that was what "Mamma wanted...."

In the mid to late 80's, my Mom saw a reproduction of an 18th century (Man's) wallet I made and really liked it. She asked me if I could make one for her in Royal Blue color. When I found out that Tandy offered that color dye, I said I would be happy to make it for her. However and besides making it wide enough for modern paper money; she also wanted a section with the plastic leaves for pictures, and another section for credit cards, her driver's license, etc.

I had never made a modern wallet with those things, so that required some figuring. To top it off, Mom had small hands, so I had to figure out how to place the pockets and inserts so she could hold the wallet in one hand and get at what she wanted with her other hand - without having to lay it down to get at these things. I think I planned and worked on the details for four or five times the amount of time it took to make the wallet.

So while it looked like an 18th century wallet from the outside, it had the modern features inside that she wanted.

However, when it was done, it was Mom's pride and joy and she enjoyed using it for the rest of her life.

Gus

 

[BrownBear]

The best news is, she loves all this outdoor stuff as much as I do. I'm one lucky man!

When we were young and dating, I had other things on my mind, of course. Only later did the important details smack me between the eyes: She grew up working behind the counter of her family's sporting goods store, and hunting, fishing, camping were favorite family pastimes.

She thinks all this stuff we do is normal! :rotf:

 

[Artificer]

Sounds like you are Blessed!! Good for you and your Lady.

Mom and Dad liked to go to Colonial Williamsburg with me occasionally over the years. On our first trip, the Cordwainer and I got into such a long discussion on the 18th century, that he decided to offer us "Tea on the Lawn." During his afternoon break, he apologized the Tea Service was "only" from around 1810, but he was working to get an 18th century one. That was a HUGE HIT with Mom.

After I made that Royal Blue 18th century Wallet, she pulled it out of her purse at the Prentis Store in CW to buy something and it got a lot of attention and notice. She made a point of pulling it out there from then on, because it got more attention.

Sorry to go OT like this, but it brought back some great memories of Mom, who passed about 10 years ago.

Gus

 

[BrownBear]

Sorry to go OT like this, but it brought back some great memories of Mom, who passed about 10 years ago.

No apologies needed. Most of us are into it for the culture and history, and that's exactly what you're describing. Well done!

 

[MSW]

nice looking bag ... i had no idea about the snap ... thanks for the link!