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The Sheath/Holster Makers Forum This is the place to discuss all forms of sheath and holster making.

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  #31  
Old 03-26-2004, 01:18 PM
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Drac Drac is offline
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Mark,

I'm not a sheath maker, but I've worked with Osage orange on several occasions and have 2 65 year old fence posts setting in my shop waiting to be used. Osage orange may start of at almost a neon yellow but ages to a yellowish brown and with the fence posts can turn almost a black it color as it ages. I made my brother in law a set of black powder knives uses Green River kits and Osage orange. My shop was bright yellow for days. After I made them I put them away for 6 months for Christmas and when I took them out they had turned browner and the grain was much more pronounced. A year later, with use, they are even more so.

You might want to consider this when choosing a color.

Jim
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  #32  
Old 03-26-2004, 01:48 PM
mwinans mwinans is offline
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Thanks to both you guys. I'll look up that British tan. This is my first experience with Osage so I wasn't thinking about the darkening with age. That will certainly factor in to my choice.

Mark
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  #33  
Old 03-26-2004, 03:44 PM
rebglass rebglass is offline
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Thanks. I did wipe down with cloth, then treated with atom wax. Then buffed up. Looks nice. Thanks again.
Rebecca
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  #34  
Old 04-18-2004, 02:38 PM
neil1967 neil1967 is offline
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how long to rub dye

I am having the darndest time! I've recently dyed some sheaths, using Fiebing's oil dye (one black, one dark brown) and have followed all the advice in this forum. I rubbed with alcohol to deglaze, then dampened the sheaths lightly before adding the dye, let them dry overnight with a fan and ventilation, and now I'm using a cotton cloth to rub off the excess dye and it keeps rubbing off. The sheaths look beautiful, nice and shiny, but still the dye comes off every time I rub them. I haven't put on a finisher yet and don't want to until I figure out why the dye keeps coming off. Should there be NO dye coming off after a while? Or, is a LITTLE okay? Is it normal for it to take so much elbow grease to get them to stop rubbing dye? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Neil Kessler
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  #35  
Old 04-19-2004, 03:11 PM
Sandy Morrissey Sandy Morrissey is offline
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Neil---the dye will continue to rub off until you have applied some type of sealer. I prefer the acrylic sheens, myself. The rub off on the oil dyes is not as bad as that of the spirit dyes. Your initial buffing is to remove the dried residue of the dye and gives it a light gloss. Sandy


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  #36  
Old 04-20-2004, 10:34 PM
ABN ABN is offline
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Contact cement: instant bond or overnight cure?

I am using Weldwood contact cement on my leather projects. The bottle says that there is an "instant bond," but I thought I read somewhere that for maximum durability, it is best to let the cement cure overnight.

Is an overnight cure best, or am I just wasting time?

Thanks in advance, -Alex
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  #37  
Old 04-20-2004, 10:47 PM
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Chuck Burrows Chuck Burrows is offline
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Howdy Alex-
Over night is best in my experience although it can be worked after a half hour or so. When left overnight not only does the bond get stronger (you'll tear the leather and not the glue line when done right) but when sewing your needle won't get gummy.
I just have more than one iron in the fire so to speak and that way you can let it dry overnight.

Chuck


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Wild Rose Trading Co - Handcrafted Knife Sheaths



The beautiful sheaths created for storing the knife elevate the knife one step higher. It celebrates the knife it houses.
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  #38  
Old 04-21-2004, 07:23 AM
ABN ABN is offline
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Makes perfect sense, Chuck. Thanks for the quick reply!!
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  #39  
Old 04-23-2004, 08:45 PM
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MtMike MtMike is offline
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Also, If you use a power drill instead of an awl to punch your holes, uncured glue can be messy on the drill bit AND on the edges of the holes if you scorch it.
Great question -- the answer seems to be simple if you believe the label on the glue, but I guess the label writer never made a sheath

Mike


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  #40  
Old 04-27-2004, 09:59 PM
Sandy Morrissey Sandy Morrissey is offline
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YELLVILLE----???

Hi, Rebecca-----Interesting name, Yellville! Sounds like it would be an ideal location for a hog calling contest! Where in the state is it located? Only a few miles from here, but in NC, is a community called Hanging Dog! Neat, huh? ----Sandy---


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  #41  
Old 04-28-2004, 11:25 AM
rebglass rebglass is offline
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Yup, Yellville! We're in the Ozarks, central and northern-most part of Arkansas. We do, indeed, have hog-calling contests, conducted in varying degrees of sobriety. We used to be called Shawnee Town, then
Col Yellville, recently of the Civil War, payed someone to rename the place Yellville. Not as neat as Toadsuck Ferry, though...(really!).
Rebecca
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  #42  
Old 05-15-2004, 10:35 AM
ABN ABN is offline
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All about leather finishes

Can someone please explain to me the differences (pros/cons) between the myriad of leather finishes available?

I have been using Fiebing's Leather Balm with Atom Wax, but notice that it causes a mess on carved/stamped surfaces as the wax loads the design. Which finish is best for carved surfaces?

When does it make sense to use the other finishes, like Super Shene, Neat-Lac, and Tan Kote?

Also, I note that some finishes (like Super Shene) say they can be used to "resist areas before applying stains." What does this mean?

Thanks in advance for the help, and sorry for all of the newbie questions!

-Alex
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  #43  
Old 05-15-2004, 11:02 AM
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Chuck Burrows Chuck Burrows is offline
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Alex- first off take a look at the sticky at the top of this forum which has much info about finishes.

Just about any finish can be used for carving and just about any of them will load carving to a point - it's therefore necessary to learn a few application tricks. The main trick being that when using something like Leather Balm use VERY thin coats and when get buildup use a fairly stiff natural bristle shoe brush which will become one of your biggest friends in my experience. A soft bristle toothbrush or two or a dozen are also helpful to have.

Since most of my work is of the Old West style and just because I prefer a more satin finish my favorite finish has become Fiebings Bag Kote (which can be thinned about 20% with water), followed by Tan Kote, and in third place Leather Balm - which I use to burnish the inside surfaces and edges more than as a top coat (when buffed it not only gives a high polish shine but is not as water resistant as Bag Kote or Tan Kote).

Super Shene - Sandy M's favorite so I will let him speak of it as I have very little experince although I know it gives a high shene hard coat type finish yet stays flexible.

Neat Lac is one of those hard almost plastic type finishes that in m experience is not good for using leather as it tends to crackle with use and will also get scratched up and look terrible!

A resist is used when doing multi-color carving - again not my "thing" so here's some info courtesy Sandy M on Hi-Lite carving which explains the use of a resist:
Hi-Liting Carving by Sandy Morrissey-
There is a great difference between antiquing and high lighting of your tooling or carving. I prefer high lighting as I very seldom replicate old items. When your tooling or carving is completed is the time to dye in the background of the project. Use a GOOD brush such as camel hair or sable with soft, pliable hair. This helps to prevent dye being flicked off the brush by stiff bristles. The results are not pretty when dye is in the wrong place! When your background is finished you should apply the base (background) dye to the project, being careful not to get any on your tooling or carving. When dry it is time to apply a finish that will act as a resist to subsequent treatments. I prefer an acrylic sealer finish such as Super Shene or Neat Sheen from Tandy or the Leather Factory. Two light coats are superior to one but do not apply second until the first is dry. When the second coat is dry it is time to apply the high lighter. I use Tandy's HI-LITER. Apply with a small square of sponge rubber making sure that all depressions and all decorative swivel knife cuts are filled. Smooth out the excess and let dry for several minutes. Fold one sheet of a paper towel until you have a pad about 2 1/2 inches square and dampen moderately on both sides with water. Now the HI-LITER should be dry to the tacky stage. Using the damp pad, wipe the excess off the tooled or carved work. This will leave the cuts and indentations darker than the surface. Examine your work and finesse the removing of any unwanted HI-LITER. When completely dry the surface can be lightly buffed with a soft cloth and, if desired, a light protective coat of Sheen can be applied. This is VERY EFFECTIVE in bringing out the beauty in your project.


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Wild Rose Trading Co - Handcrafted Knife Sheaths



The beautiful sheaths created for storing the knife elevate the knife one step higher. It celebrates the knife it houses.
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  #44  
Old 05-16-2004, 09:42 AM
Sandy Morrissey Sandy Morrissey is offline
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Thanks, Chuck!

Again I am indebted to you, my friend! ---Sandy---


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  #45  
Old 06-20-2004, 06:28 PM
DC KNIVES DC KNIVES is offline
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This is a good recipe for hand wax for linen thread.
Curt




All,
I do not remember where or how I came up with this recipe.
It is not an exact recipe....meaning that it is easily
adjusted to your personal preferences for softness, etc.
I use 4 ingredients:
?Yellow Rosin- You can buy this from any rodeo
equipment supplier (the stuff bullriders rub into their rope
to make it tacky)

?Beeswax

?Atomic Wax- I buy mine from Southern Leather (formerly
Dunn Leather) in Denver.

?Olive Oil

The quantities I use are:
?4 Parts Rosin

?2 Parts Atomic Wax

?2 Parts Beeswax

?2 Tbls Olive Oil

I use an old aluminium stock pot and 3# coffee can to
fabricate something that resemble a double boiler. Fill the
stock pot about 1/4 full and drop in the coffee with the
rosin inside. You will have to boil the rosin for what seems
like forever before it starts to liqueify. Once the rosin is
completely turned to liquid, you add the beeswax and atomic
wax a little at a time until it too is melted.Finally after
everything is in liquid form I had the olive oil.
Stir it all up for a few minutes. Then fill a 5 gallon
bucket 3/4 full of water. Pour enough of the mixture
directly into the water in the bucket to make a baseball
size wax ball. Give it 15 to 20 seconds and reach in the
water and form the glob of wax into a ball.Repeat the last
steps until you have a tidy little pile of balls.
One caution- I made my first batch in my wifes kitchen-
large mistake. This stuff stinks when you cook it and if you
spill any it takes hours to clean up (personal experience).
A hotplate outdoors is the way to get the job done with a
minimum of mess.
I think that is everything. This recipe makes a fairly soft
wax that adheres very well. If you want a little harder wax
cut back on the beeswax and add a little more rosin.


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