Finally Back In The Shop

[BrokenolMarine]

Spent time watching more videos. Then back in the shop yesterday evening and this morning. There were many short, small tasks that need to be done, each taking from ten to twenty minutes to accomplish but each important in their own right.

I burnished all four edges of the belt loop, and the top edge of the sheath.
Then I put a coat of sealer on the sheath that allowed me to antique it, then sealed it again.
After drying, I was able to drill all the holes I had marked earlier, for the sewing later.
After that I scratched the contact points and glued and clamped the belt loop using extra needles to align the holes for the later sewing.
Next up, I scratched and roughened the smooth side of the welt piece for better adhesion, then using contact cement again, glued the welt in place.
I have set the sheath aside to allow the contact cement to cure, and once that is done, I'll go back out and sew the belt loop in place to add strength and then sew up the side panel.
Afterwards, I'll sand and burnish the side.
Then the only thing remaining will be oiling and waxing one last time, and any last minute detailing. We are close.

Watch this space, pics to follow.

[BrokenolMarine]

Back out this afternoon. Managed to glue both the belt loop and the welt to the interior. The welt keeps the blade from cutting the stitches on the side when you insert and remove the knife. I then clamped them in place and let the contact cement cure for an hour while I rested inside with Miss T and the Dog.

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Once the glue had cured, I came back out and redrilled the holes, then I sewed the belt loop in place using the two needle saddle stitch technique and the Stitching Pony.

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A stitching pony holds your project and allows you to use both hands. I saw this online and they were for sale, at nearly $200. I made mine, and added a few changes. Mine can be rotated, and I added a pair of rare earth magnets on either side to hold the needles close when I am not using them, ( if I need to adjust the workpiece, to rethread the other needle, or have to take a break for some reason.) The nut on the pony for tightening the jaws is oak, handmade with a glued in standard nut... I can't do "plain." It's clamped to the bench here, but you can also sit in a chair or on the sofa with the flat edges of the base under your legs and sew.

After I sewed down the belt loop, I wet the inside of the center of the spine and placed contact cement in the appropriate location and ... glued and clamped the folded sheath.

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Once the glue dried, I redrilled the holes around the edge, and sanded the rough edges to insure they were smooth, dyed and burnished the edge, then sewed the edge. I used a thicker thread on the edge than I did on the back but same technique. Two handed saddle stitch. Once the sewing was done I rubbed in Mink Oil to protect the sheath and buffed 'er out. It's basically done other than waxing it after it dries over night.

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As you can see, the knife fits.

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If Jess wears this one out, I kept the template, and can make another.

Next up, the sheath for my Tanto.


Another hour or so of cure time.

[BrokenolMarine]

Actually, looking at this last picture again, (I was worn out when I took it,) I may antique the sheath again in the morning, let it dry for a half hour, and then apply another coat of finish atop that ... even up the accents. It should make the background shading and the details on the feather really pop. My work should be better than this. So, not done?

If the kid wears it all off later, I'll remake the darn thing, and do a better job, cut deeper accents, recess the feather.

[Sir Henry]

Looking good.

[BrokenolMarine]

Did get out in the shop this morning after Tina finished her chores and we went and picked up the Titan from the shop... (New Tires, Oil Change, Brakes and turned rotors... Ouch....) I re-antiqued the sheath as planned, let that dry while I practiced my carving on scraps, then wiped it down and recoated the sheath in finish. Put it on a stirrer to dry overnight. I think it was an improvement, bringing up the feather especially, and some of the background.

I'll know on the next carving to make the impressions for the background deeper to insure they show better, and to accent better the first time if I antique. The things you forget if you don't do something for a year.

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Also, thought I might take a better shot of "My Little Pony" and give y'all a better look. I can't claim the design, though I did make some improvements, and add some style to mine. Makes life much easier. The best things I added were the two magnets, one on each side as needle/tool holders. Use them A LOT.

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I could have bought a large wingnut to use on the side for tightening, but I thought the wooden bar with the enclosed nut not only looked better, but is much easier to manipulate. So far this thing has worked great.

Thought y'all might like a peak at my leather working bench as well. Keep in mind the tools were gathered and collected over a couple years. We don't smoke, drink, and rarely take vacations. Our workshops ARE our vacations so we can afford to buy a tool here, a tool there, or a few hand tools now and then, plus I try and catch them all on sale.

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[BrokenolMarine]

Oh, that round thing in the sock on the bench? An old five pound weight from an old weight set. I repurpose a lot of things. THAT is used to lay on the corner of a piece of leather while you are carving or tooling it... It keeps it from moving. They sell blocks of leather covered lead to do the same thing, but that was free. I have repurposed the ten pound plates as kayak anchors. They don't hang up often, shed mud and debris, and if I have to cut one loose, I have several waiting in the wings. I use a number of the old weights in the shop to put WEIGHT on projects during glueups. Hmmm, weight on projects with weights. Who'd a thunk it.