FxrAndy Posted July 30, 2007 Report Share Posted July 30, 2007 Last night i was laying in bed unable to sleep as usual and decided that today i was going to make my own strap. So with no training tools or leather i got home from work and went hunting, after a while i found my self armed with some thick grean leather palmed artic mittens, a darning needle, some glue and a stanly knife, 6 hours later with very sore thumbs and fingers a broken needle i have a [censored] strap, but i made it! I wanted it nice and thick so i tripled the leather after i had cut it into very rough strips and glued it, then i used a house hold fork to mark out where the next needle point was to go (with very little success) and started to sew, what a bastard job!!!!!!!!! One good point though at least the colour will match my work clothes! The leather was just to soft to start with and i am too inpatient to read and research, now i will do and looks for some better leather tools. Just look how crap my stiching is Once that was finished and still had the needle in my hand i decided to sort out sone bad stiching on cheep rep deployment strap i had, ( like i thought i could improve on the situation) I dont know i thing the rep dep looks better now than it did before all loose looking and i prefer the contrast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victoria Posted July 30, 2007 Report Share Posted July 30, 2007 Once that was finished and still had the needle in my hand i decided to sort out sone bad stiching on cheep rep deployment strap i had, ( like i thought i could improve on the situation) I dont know i thing the rep dep looks better now than it did before all loose looking and i prefer the contrast. Great colour! WHAT AN EFFORT! I don't care if it came out a little rough. This is too what I have been thinking of doing, since soon my parents will throw me out of the house for buying so many straps, and my boyfriend will dump me for the same reason. And, FxrAndy, if we can't beat 'em, join 'em! Kudos, baby. You're my new hero. (Fave thumbnail #1) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
earlgrey-erfurt Posted July 30, 2007 Report Share Posted July 30, 2007 for the first time.... congrats put some babyoil on your fingers cheers from Germany helmut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victoria Posted July 30, 2007 Report Share Posted July 30, 2007 These days I just edit my post, but this is important info: Kostas/V told me he's going to be VERY busy for the next 5-6 weeks, and hardly posting on the forums. I would PM him this thread, FxrAndy, so he sees your hommage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FxrAndy Posted July 30, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2007 Thanks Victoria and Helmut, i am going to get some better leather and tooling in the week and give it another go soon but am still going to wear this. I was so supprised how well i like the colour with the 177 and the lume, i might glue another coat onto some stiffer leather and try that to get neater edges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FxrAndy Posted July 30, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2007 Ulu????? i used a rule but as the leather was so soft it streched as i was cutting. What does an Ulu look like Nanuq? Damn nice Axe cover !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ximenes Posted July 30, 2007 Report Share Posted July 30, 2007 FxrAndy, Great first attempt.. I work with antiquarian book leather, it takes more skill than I have. Nanun, That is some fantastic blind tooling on the cover!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victoria Posted July 30, 2007 Report Share Posted July 30, 2007 DAYUM!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FxrAndy Posted July 31, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 31, 2007 Just finished Number 2, ans i am a lot happier with this one, 5 hours works and sore fingers again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FxrAndy Posted July 31, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 31, 2007 Well disapointed with last nights effort i decided to get hold of some better leather, in the nect town there is a small shop that just deals in leather and leather work so i thought i would look through his off cuts for some thing i could use. After 5 hours work, more thought thsn last night and a bit more patentence i aheva Fat Fiddy Strap i am happy with. This thing is about 6-7mm thich and a bastard to fit, it is lined with a soft fine leather that i found in the off cuts witha Crock pattern on and it feels good. Every hole, cut and stitch by hand. Hope you like it, have i done better! Edit, it loks darker on the fiddy as it had just been waxed it looks lighter now it had had time to soak in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deltatahoe Posted July 31, 2007 Report Share Posted July 31, 2007 looks cool andy. you're becoming quite the industrious tinkerer -- keep up the original projects deltatahoe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V Posted August 7, 2007 Report Share Posted August 7, 2007 Well the second one looks much better as you said in your PM.. I believe that the secret of the straps is the leather.. It shouldn't be too soft or too stiff... That's why my Greek hide is a pleasure leather to work with.. If it is too soft the leather as you said stretches and you must be very careful when you cut it.. The Ferrari is like this and it needs months of practice to work with a soft leather and do a decent result. Plus I guess you need to have the leathermaker's tool to make your life easier Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roland Posted August 7, 2007 Report Share Posted August 7, 2007 I started making my own straps too and I'm in the middle of making the second one. I made Fiddy straps first, they are easier to cut since the are 26mm all the way through. I was wondering why you punched so many holes. This defeats one of the advantages of a custom made strap: (i) no mobile keeper because the long side has the perfect length, and (ii) they need only one hole. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FxrAndy Posted August 8, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 8, 2007 @ Roland I never stared to make a custom strap till yesterday, just a strap, my 24/22 that i made yesterday has only one hole and is a bit tight right now but as it wears in it will get looser i hope! Got any photos of your work or any tips? My Wife want a a fat strap for her 217 and she wanted it fat! so i made one to her design, if i make another i will alter it a bit but she it happy with it. Have a look at the attached pics. First the 217 and then the 177. Nice soft textured (not hard and pollished) type leather doubled on the 177 (i have to move the keeper down a bit on that one) and lined with some soft aligator finish chamois on the 217. Any one got any ideas for what i can do next? any thing you always wanted to see? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FxrAndy Posted August 8, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 8, 2007 @V as you said the leather and tools make all the difference, as i was at the leather shop the other day i saw some tools that made the edges soooo perfect in just seconds but at $50 a pop too much for now, got a decent awl now thought and that makes life easier! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roland Posted August 8, 2007 Report Share Posted August 8, 2007 What tool is that? You don't need any tool for finishing the edges. All you need if gum Tragacanth and Edge Kote. First use the gum and then burnish the edge. A burlap cloth would do fine. I am using the Dremel tool with a delt disk. Then you apply the edge kote. A finished edge gives a very professional look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FxrAndy Posted August 8, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 8, 2007 Some japanese thing to take off a rounded 45 deg cut right on the edge, the difference was astounding. What is this edge cote and where can i get it? i have tried wax but it is too soft. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roland Posted August 9, 2007 Report Share Posted August 9, 2007 http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/products.asp?dept=174 And if you want to do the burnishing with a power tool, the slicker is $3. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FxrAndy Posted August 9, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 9, 2007 Great link thanks! I might be able to get some proper toold now but it is amazing what you can do with a stanley knife and a darning needle! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FxrAndy Posted August 11, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2007 Well that is all my pams sorted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victoria Posted August 11, 2007 Report Share Posted August 11, 2007 IS THIS YOUR STRAP??! Wow, FxrAndy, you're a freaking rockstar! Respekt! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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