First Leather Project - Shooting Bag

[MSW]

I'm liking BrownBear's awl blade ... might splurge and spring for one ... the advice about having a flat spot on your handle to keep it from rolling off of the table is a good point ...

your bag looks very nice - -I like the way the rings worked out...

for horns, check out this book:
http://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/76/1/BOOK-R18CPH

money well spent, imho ... as with bags, horns do not require a bunch of expensive tools, and you can make some great looking gear with a very modest investment...

keep up the good work, go forth, and make good smoke!

 

[flattail]

:thumbsup:
Good looking bag! IMHO, and in practice, I find you don't need a button or latch or whatever if your flap is long enough. Yours is. The only way things will fall out is if you turn it upside down. And, with no button, it's easy to get your hand in without fumbling.
I love the grain on that leather. I think it would look even better if you treated it with something like "Snoseal" or Briwax or some other waterproofing. I just like the look of oiled leather.
+2 on Brown Bears suggestion for flats on your awl and a flat blade.
Keep up the excellent work.
Ed

 

[BrownBear]

I'm liking BrownBear's awl blade ...

When you go to a blade, be sure to get a hunk of jewelers rouge.

It will feel like nothing more than a hunk of chalk, but as a final polishing step after sharpening, it's critical to the awl passing through the leather like a knife through butter.

When I get a new awl blade, I shape/sharpen first with a fine point file, cleaning up the edges and the point. Pretty rough, so I go next to 800 or 1000 grit paper, followed by 1500, and finally 2000 grit. I get them from the body work section of auto supply stores.

If you use the awl then, even though it feels smooth as a baby's behind after the 2k paper, it will still drag in the leather. Spend some time polishing it with the rouge, and the more you polish, the easier it passes through leather.

As a side note, in most climates awl points/blades will collect enough corrosion or something to drag in leather if they've sat unused for weeks or months. I'm in the habit now of doing a quick polish with the rouge before each use. Quick as quick can be, I'm back to knives passing through butter. :thumbsup:

 

[LaBonte]

To help prevent drag on the awl blade also keep a hunk of beeswax around - about every 3-5 holes just stab it into the wax and go for it...the wax also helps keep the awl blade clean....

 

[BrownBear]

Great tip. Thanks!

Not an issue with the oiled/waxed leathers I frequently use, but I sure notice the difference in drag when I go back to "regular" leather. All fixed now I think, thanks to you. :hatsoff:

 

[MSW]

thanks for the tip ... i'll give it a try!

 

[SpottedBull]

Excellent work and excellent advice as well on tool selection. There are a few reasons why a diamond shaped awl blade is better than a round blade like an ice pick. A round point will tear the fibers of the leather. The resulting hole will not be able to "heal" itself and kind of close back together. The diamond shaped blade will part the fibers, and after the thread is passed through, will actually close back together slightly. Also, I would invest in a professional style groover from Tandy. This will help with two things as well. The groove will give you a uniform place to run your over stitch wheel. Buy as good an over stitch wheel as you can. The groove will also let the stitches sit down below the surface of the leather and be somewhat protected from scraping. One more small piece of advice would be to add a welt between the pieces of leather. This will protect the stitches from exposure. Look at the seam of you bag, and pry it open a little. If you can see the thread, that is where the welt would be and would be protecting them.

But again, an excellent job for a first foray into leathercraft. I wish that my 20th bag had looked that good.

 

[BrownBear]

The groove will also let the stitches sit down below the surface of the leather and be somewhat protected from scraping.

Excellent advice. I dunno how traditional it is, but it's functional as heck.

Agree on the welt, too. In my experience it just makes for a stronger seam, along with the groove, of course.

Tandy's Pro Model Groover costs more than their basic, but you get what you pay for in ease of use and results.

 

[localfiend]

Thanks for all the tips guys. I'm going to be heading into town later this week to pick up some leather I ordered at a Tandy outlet. I'm gonna look at awls and perhaps a groover. Might see if they have any products like sno-seal as well, this leather is really soft, so water proofing might be a good idea.

One more small piece of advice would be to add a welt between the pieces of leather. This will protect the stitches from exposure. Look at the seam of you bag, and pry it open a little. If you can see the thread, that is where the welt would be and would be protecting them.

What do you use for the welt? Just another layer of the same leather? Seems like it would be really danged thick if I did that, on par with the welt on the knife sheath.


Anyone know if it was uncommon to have black dyed leather in the late 18th to early 19th centuries? I have some black scrap leather that I bought to practice with, and jumped straight into making the moose leather bag instead. I think there's enough to make a bag with the same pattern, as long as black isn't completely impossible.

 

[BrownBear]

Might see if they have any products like sno-seal as well, this leather is really soft, so water proofing might be a good idea.

Sno-Seal will really change the character/looks of the bag. I settled on using mink tallow from TOW for waterproofing. Not nearly as effective, but it sure looks better to my eye and I always have it on hand.

While you're at Tandy have a look at this leather. It's the best danged stuff around for wet climates. Unbelievable. Not cheap, but ever so often they put them on sale for about half price. I go through a lot of it, making just about everything muzzleloading with it, but also fly fishing bags, camera bags, day packs, and anything else I can manage for outdoor use in the wet. No sense carrying nylon and such when you have a side of leather and an awl handy.

BTW- I see in their February sales flyer that they sell that leather in their remnant bags for cheap. No pieces big enough for bags certainly, but if you paw through their packages you might spot one with pieces big enough for some of your smaller projects. I wouldn't order bags like that sight-unseen, but long as you're in the store.....

 

[SpottedBull]

I only use veg tan leather for everything I make, just varying the thickness by item. When I make shooting bags I use 2-3 oz veg tan and use the same for the welt. For higher end bags, on request, I will use a rolled welt, which is basically a piece folded double. That makes 4 thicknesses to sew through too.
Yes black leather was around in the 12th century so I am sure that it was around in the 1800's. I use a vinegaroon dye to make mine black. There have been extensive discussions on this forum of that method. Basically its rusty iron dissolved in vinegar. I run it through a coffee filter a few times to get all the solids out too.

 

[R.I.Jerolmon]

I make up a "polishing stick" that works for knives, awls etc. .25" thick, 2.5" wide by 10" long smooth wood with a thin strip of leather glued to one surface (flesh side up). Thin coat the leather with neatsfoot oil and then rub it well with the red rouge. Will serve well for a long time, kind of like grampy's razor strop. Also keeps the rouge off your hands and then on the leather.