Display Case

[BrokenolMarine]

Got out for another couple hours. Took my spray bottle and "cased" the leather. This involves wetting it enough that the cutting is smooth and stays nice. It turns dark, and as it begins to lighten back to it's dry color and is cool to the touch it's ready to work. I take my time and cut in the design. The LONG border framing and the circle in the lower right hand corner for my logo I cut in free hand. The quilt pattern I used a ruler as a guide but still had to be VERY careful to follow my pattern. The pucker factor was HIGH.

27 design cut in.jpg (594.04 KiB) Viewed 2257 times

After the cut in was done I left the leather with weight on it to flatten and went to dinner with Miss T. The next step will be to begin tooling. Prior to tooling, you tape the back of the leather with Packing Tape or Painter's Tape to prevent the tooling from distorting the shape. Failing to do so will cause the leather to draw or spread and your perfectly sized piece of tooled leather will no longer fit.

After dinner the leather had dried and I taped the back and we will be ready to tool when the time comes. I won't rush it.

28 back taped.jpg (652.17 KiB) Viewed 2257 times

I am looking forward to it, arthritic aches and all.

[BrokenolMarine]

The blank space in the middle?

Magnets will go there.
The pencil lines still around the edge?

Mark the location of the shoe molding after assembly.

We are still good to go.

[Hatchdog]

Awesome. I was thinking you should use cloth as it would probably be easier but nooooooo, you went the hard route. Thank you for that because it’s going to be beautiful. Interesting all the little “tricks” you share with us which makes us appreciate your work even more.


“I was going to tool the floral pattern in the upper left, but Miss T said no one will notice with the KNIVES in the case. (Compliment? Or Smart Azz remark? )”

Compliment, definitely a compliment. (And well deserved too)

[BrokenolMarine]

I got out this afternoon after morning chores, and started in on tooling. The first step is using a checkered bevel to alternate beveling on each side of each line. I did the diagonal lines going ONE way so far. There are a lot of line, and two sides, I did the lines on ONE side and you can tell the difference. Hands started to ache, so I stopped. If you push with weakened grip you make mistakes. (The mallet weighs a pound.)

29 started tooling.jpg (661.17 KiB) Viewed 2238 times

This is the very first step in a long process for the Basket Weave... but looking at the close up, you can already begin to see it appear....

30 close up view.jpg (598.04 KiB) Viewed 2238 times

After tooling both sides with the checkered bevel, from both directions... I'll go back and smooth the bevels with a lined footprint shader. You'll see it next. Other steps will follow. Like I said, "We've Only Just Begun."

Once the Basket Weave is complete, then there is the Serpentine Border.

[BrokenolMarine]

I got back out and worked on the beveling again. How about a better look at the bevel?

33 the bevel side view.jpg (643.75 KiB) Viewed 2231 times

They call it a checkered bevel because it's ... checkered...

34 checkering.jpg (491.27 KiB) Viewed 2231 times

This helps it darken the leather and accent as you bevel the edges of the cuts or design. I got back to work, working the sides of the lines I had already worked in the first session. The trick here is to look at each "Block" and determine if your previous bevels faced IN or OUT. The blocks edges are pairs. If they have a pair of INs, they need a pair of OUTs or vice versa. Work your way thru the area and make that happen, working slowly so you don't mess up the pattern.

31 beveling done.jpg (844.12 KiB) Viewed 2231 times

A long view of the completed base beveling of this side. Next up I'll bevel the opposite side with the Checkered Bevel, then move on to the Lined Footprint Shader to give it more accent and a better transition.

35 lined footprint shader.jpg (466.03 KiB) Viewed 2231 times

[Hatchdog]

That’s pretty amazing doing the basketweave you do. I guess I have never thought about it before but I had no idea how by creating shading and a semi 3D effect presto, there’s the basketweave. Your patience is incredible.

[BrokenolMarine]

That’s pretty amazing doing the basketweave you do. I guess I have never thought about it before but I had no idea how by creating shading and a semi 3D effect presto, there’s the basketweave. Your patience is incredible.

Still a lot to go, keep watching. If I don't blow it along the way, this project should turn out really nice. It would work well for a display case for handguns or rifles as well. I plod along, but get there in the end. Years ago, I decided to try and make a case for my Henry Big Boy Carbine... to see if I could. Stops and Starts along the way to figure out this or that... and that turned out all right.

It's done.jpg (256.36 KiB) Viewed 2214 times

and it closes.jpg (271.47 KiB) Viewed 2214 times

[BrokenolMarine]

That build along is here somewhere... or should still be. LOL.

[BrokenolMarine]

Back at it this morning... I started the basic beveling on the other side and got the first angle of lines done. It's looking good. Taking my time and working slowly. After finishing the task I took a break to rest my hands. I'll work the other set of lines just as I did with the first side, after lunch.

36 started other side.jpg (993.17 KiB) Viewed 2207 times

Here is a closer look at the start on the basic bevel. You can already see the basket weave start to appear, and as discussed in the earlier posts, the "pairs" of bevels. INs and Outs.

37 closer look.jpg (856.56 KiB) Viewed 2207 times

[BrokenolMarine]

The basic beveling is done. Either late this afternoon or tomorrow, I'll move to the lined footprint and start addressing each square for more character and the real basketweave will start to appear. (Hopefully.) But, it's beginning to look like something. I don't feel like I wasted a big side of leather.

38 basic beveling done.jpg (574.09 KiB) Viewed 2206 times

I can even see improvement in the work as I moved thru all those blocks.

39 close up.jpg (745.18 KiB) Viewed 2206 times