Shooting Bag Zebra hide

[Kapow]

Hello all you crafty devils. I have started to make my first shooting bag out off a piece of zebra backskin I have left over from a shoulder mount.

I am just keeping it simple as possible. I'm going off a commercially bought one from October Country. It will be about ten inches square with a one inch gusset and a continuous piece for the back and front flap.

Q1: can I make the shoulder strap and gusset out of the one continuous piece? If so, how will this affect the way the bag lays against my hip?

Q2: I want to know is it feasible to glue felt to the inside of the bag for a liner?



Thanks.

 

[DOUBLEDEUCE 1]

I can't answer your questions, but that is a great looking hide! :thumbsup:

 

[Kapow]

Thanks DD. I cut it so that the more pronounced dark stripes will run diagonally across the front flap. Bit of natural camo and quite striking to look at.

It's a zebra I shot a few years ago after an amazing stalk with my bow. The best thing is there will be plenty of hide left over for other projects. Maybe a traditional arrow quiver. I'm sure there will be a few requests for it from others to which the standard answer will be "get your own!"

 

[19 16 6]

:shocked2: Well there goes any idea I had.
Oh well, :idunno: I'll just make one from the hide of Mums old milking cow.
O.

 

[BrownBear]

Q1: can I make the shoulder strap and gusset out of the one continuous piece? If so, how will this affect the way the bag lays against my hip?

Q2: I want to know is it feasible to glue felt to the inside of the bag for a liner?

I made one bag early on with a continuous strap/gussets. I didn't like the way it hung on my body, but that might be a reflection of the temper of the leather. It was too darned soft, so it tended to wrap around my body and make the bag lots harder to get into. A stiffer letter might have been better. I'm partial to attaching the strap to the back of the bag at an angle of around 11-13 degrees away from the bag at each end. It rides close to my body while not folding, even with soft leather.

I've glued fabric to the inside without issue, but never felt. Don't see why it couldn't be done.

 

[BrownBear]

...A stiffer letter might have been better.

You probably guessed this, but that ought to read "leather." Too many folks yammering around me while I was typing. :redface:

 

[MSW]

nice looking hide!

As regards the idea of a strap which is also the sides of the bag (am I getting this right?) - I think that this is one of those things that sounds great but doesn't work so well when the practical meets the theoretical. I see the weather getting in between the edges pretty quick, and the whole thing losing shape when you put stuff in it.

(you do put stuff in your bag, no? - I put all sorts of stuff in there ... my address book, another pair of socks, a few spare flints, my roach clip - please don't tell my parole officer!! - a knapping hammer, you get the idea...)

as regards the idea of felt inside the bag, I don't see why not.

there's free advice - probably well worth the cost :v
good luck with your project

 

[Flintlock]

Yo, you be like the pimpinest long hunter in the hood with dat Zebra bag bro.

 

[Kapow]

I glued the felt to the skin pieces. It looks amazing already! It has also added a bit of heft to the leather which I'm sure will be helpful in maintaining shape.

I went with dark navy blue felt. It's a good choice. Might take it to a local saddler to do the stitching properly on a machine. Do it justice. I might yet wind lacing around the front flap edge. I'm thinking a piece of buffalo horn black toggle to close it.

 

[jethro224]

That hide is gonna make a really cool shootin' bag!

Ya think I could get a chunk offa you? :wink: :haha: Couldn't resist.
Ain't no loose zebras around these parts.

Don't see why the felt wouldn't work.

As to the strap/gusset, I wouldn't do it that way. Like BrownBear, I like a strap to be attached at an angle to the back of the bag. Just works better.
I also much prefer a tapered gusset that ends a bit below the top edge of the bag. Leaves plenty of room in the bottom where all the junk want's to be and helps keep the top closed and laying flat. You don't even need a toggle or button that way.

 

[Kapow]

I like that advice. Thankyou, I'll be running with that. Tapered gusset. I'm tempted to put a neo magnet in the front flap. Not very PC but would be cool. Or just buy a magnetic type clasp.

 

[Kapow]

I met a lovely elderly lady saddler who said she'd stitch it up on her machine for $25. That's a bargain I think but I'll have a week to wait to pick it up.

It didn't occur to me until I'd already walked into the saddlery carrying my proud little project that zebras are horses and all the horsey peoples in there might get a bit upset. Oops. I explained how the wildlife in Africa works and the fact that the biggest killer of zebra are rival zebra stallions and surprisingly it was received quite well. Pheeewww.

So in a week I'll be posting a photo of my possibly one of a kind possibles (shooting) bag. Afterwards I went into a skin shop down the road. I've driven past it a hundred times as it's on the main national highway. They have heaps of cow skins for sale hanging up out the front.

I was amazed when I got inside to see piles of tanned skins for sale. Most of them were sheep and cattle but they also had kangaroo, caribou, Wolf, coyote, skunk, raccoon, fox as well as several whitetail deer mounts for sale. Right in the middle was a full zebra rug for $4000! I think I just found a way to pay for my next safari!!

 

[Treestalker]

Odor, Sir? What odor? Oh no Sir; that's not a roach clip, that's my Southeast Vermont Tick Picker! :rotf: Geo.

 

Yo, you be like the pimpinest long hunter in the hood with dat Zebra bag bro.

Homie wants his bag back. :wink: