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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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  #1  
Old 07-02-2007, 09:08 AM
RICK LOWE RICK LOWE is offline
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Location: Candler,NC
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My first inlay

Had been wanting to do an inlay for quite awhile and finally worked one up. Thanks to all the good information on this site, I had a pretty good base to start from. As usual it wasn't as smooth as I'd have liked. Started out by getting all the way to the dye and realizing I had cut it out for a lefty. Went better after that. The inlay is cobra skin which is pretty much white with dark outline. Used some blue acrylic paint and black dye to get the hue to match the handle. Thinned this way out to make a wash effect. Got about what I was looking for and put it together. Lots of little stitches around the inlay! It is a little bulky at the fold, but I think I learned how to avoid that. The backing under the inlay got a little bunched and could have been a bit thicker. Several other mistakes that can't be seen, but I learned a bunch and the next one will be better. Thought I'd see what y'all think and maybe get some ideas. Thanks for looking.
Rick

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  #2  
Old 07-02-2007, 09:21 AM
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Robert Dark Robert Dark is offline
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Location: Oxford, Alabama
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Well Rick, it looks like we both tried something new at about the same time.

While inlays look good, I have decided that you really need to live with Paul or Sandy for a long, long time before they can look really good.

I like the looks of that Cobra......... Was he mad when you wanted to borrow his skin?

Ya done good my man. Hope to see you soon.

Robert
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  #3  
Old 07-02-2007, 09:37 AM
RICK LOWE RICK LOWE is offline
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What's the old saying about great minds....? Don't know about mine, but I think yours really went well. I totally agree with spending time with the masters, just hard to find the time. I missed a good one with Sandy a week or so ago. Dang ole job keeps gettin in the way. Would sure like to visit with Paul as well. That cobra was long past the spitting stage. Bother Carl had a fresh rattler rounded up for me on his way to Sandy's, but it crawled under his truck bed liner, scared John Costa outa 2 years of life, and got released on the way home. Had to settle for the cobra. Hope to see you soon, too.
Rick
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  #4  
Old 07-02-2007, 07:50 PM
Carey Quinn Carey Quinn is offline
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You guys ain't right but both of your sheaths look right good.

Keep up the good work.

Carey


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  #5  
Old 07-02-2007, 11:07 PM
DC KNIVES DC KNIVES is offline
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As one that does more inlays than anything else, I can say that's pretty nice. You picked probably one of the harder sheath styles to inlay as you found out. Flat sheaths are much easier, but what is life without challenges.What kind of backing did you use and did you glue it too? Keep at it. Dave
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  #6  
Old 07-03-2007, 08:58 AM
RICK LOWE RICK LOWE is offline
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Dave I never thought about this type of sheath being more difficult, but found that to be the case after starting. I've looked at a bunch of yours (gonna try a friction folder next) and they are super! I used some soft scrap that is about 3/32" thick and glued it to the inlay then contact cemented the inlay to the sheath body. This gave some body to the inlay. The backing seemed to have moved a little and left a puckered spot on the bottom. From there I stitched the inlay and glued a real thin dyed veg-tan liner over the whole inlay and stitched the welt. Paul Long has emailed Robert and me with some of his thinking on inlays and they sure make sense. His suggestion of using thin splits would sure make this style a bunch easier.
Rick
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  #7  
Old 07-03-2007, 09:10 AM
Sandy Morrissey Sandy Morrissey is offline
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You guys are the real McCoy! I am just an old fake, just like my inlays----which are also! I only make simulated inlays any more. It is a challenge to make them look half way decent, but it is fun.


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  #8  
Old 07-03-2007, 10:32 AM
RICK LOWE RICK LOWE is offline
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Sandy, you're making me laugh!! I've seen yours and Carl's "fake" inlays and couldn't tell the difference from the real stuff without touching. Now that's what I call art. I asked brother Carl yesterday about trading some plunder for a skin stamp. I'd like to try that as well as working this type of inlay.

Rick
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  #9  
Old 07-03-2007, 06:18 PM
DC KNIVES DC KNIVES is offline
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Rick, glad your trying a Friction Folder.If you need anything or have any questions do not hesitate to ask. I would be glad to help you bud.Good luck and have fun my friend. Dave
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  #10  
Old 07-05-2007, 08:48 PM
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Harry Mathews Harry Mathews is offline
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Rick after looking at your inlay and John's, I am going to definitely give it a try. They look great! We had a 5 foot diamondback heading for the shop last week and he volunteered his skin for the project... after a brief discussion. We have been seeing more and more of those suckers the last few years. I don't really mind them as long as they aren't under foot. I kind of wish that they would just stay in the woods.


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  #11  
Old 07-05-2007, 09:37 PM
DC KNIVES DC KNIVES is offline
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Harry , we have a few in Florida too. Dave


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  #12  
Old 07-06-2007, 08:29 AM
RICK LOWE RICK LOWE is offline
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Harry you'll do just fine with an inlay. Once you get the first one finished, I'll bet there will be more to come. Nice to find the raw inlay so close at hand! In this area we just don't see many of the rattlers. Now those that Dave posted are what you call top notch inlay material. My son lives west of Ocala, Fl. and they see lots of the big'uns while doing land clearing. I asked him last night to catch me one. He said he didn't know about "catching" one, but he'd get a skin for me.
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  #13  
Old 07-08-2007, 09:12 PM
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Harry Mathews Harry Mathews is offline
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I don't ever intend to catch one. It's people that mess around with those things that get bit. A hide will keep just fine if you salt it down good, it doesn't need to be kept alive. It would be nice if you could get the skins already in the condition that Dave shows them. Most of the ones that I have seen for sale commercially had no bright color variations. I think that they were the western diamond back and were more of a dull color. They didn't look nearly as good as Sandy's version. I don't generally promote the random or deliberate killing of snakes, poisonous or not, but it begins to bother me some when they are close to the shop. They do make a nice sheath though and I like to have some available when a customer requests it. The next one will go in an inlay.


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  #14  
Old 07-08-2007, 09:48 PM
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Crex Crex is offline
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Pretty good work brother Rick. Colors matched up nicely. Sorry you couldn't make it down.

Pretty skins Dave. Took a lot of rats to make those big ones. Pretty familiar with the big easterns and canebrakes, used to catch them for the zoos. I also cruised timber in the SC lowcountry 4 years. They can sure get fat and lazy in the swamps and sandhills.

I'm with Harry on needless killings and go out of my way most the time to move the errant wanderer to a safer local. The litttle timber buzztail was playing dodge with semis on a limited access highway was the only reason I picked him up (that and I wanted to see how bad Rick wanted a skin for his inlay).
Since Dad showed me the simplicity of "faux snake", I haven't bothered even collecting road kills. Why mess with the mess? Got seven timber rattlers in the freezer needing skinning (from well meaning reptile-phobic friends).


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