# Leather and Lace



## Performance Catapults (Feb 3, 2010)

This is my first ever attempt at working with leather...and what a challenge! This is sloppy I know, but I intend on improving. It is deer skin, with deer skin lace. I decided to wrap my solid osage shooter. I drove about a half hour away to Tandy leather, and this is what I settled on getting. The manager said this stuff is very durable. It is really soft to the touch, and I like how it feels when shooting. I plan on attending some workshop classes at Tandy Leather on Saturdays to learn more about working with this stuff.


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## julesj (Dec 24, 2009)

very cool Jim, you did a great job


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## pelleteer (Dec 19, 2009)

Yeah, looks perfectly fine to me. I bet it's super comfy to hold too.


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## Performance Catapults (Feb 3, 2010)

I need to learn how to lace better, and different lacing techniques, where exactly to make the lace holes and how big to cut the patterns. It's hard to determine how much the leather will stretch and so forth and so on. I spent just as much time from start to finish on the leather, as I did making the slingshot.


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## pelleteer (Dec 19, 2009)

At least it looks like you left enough room on this one that you'll be able to snug it up should the leather stretch further. One of the first things I tried to wrap with leather was a knife handle. I got it all nice and snug and evern and within a few days it was slightly loose, but I hadn't left enough space to snug it up anynore so I had to cut one end shorter and repunch the holes.


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## Performance Catapults (Feb 3, 2010)

Yeah, that's another thing...I really didn't want to have the seams touching, even though the store manager suggested too. However, I figured if the leather stretched that far, it would be ok to have the seams touching. I kinda wanted to have some wood showing in the seam area to expose the beauty of the wood. Again though, knowing how big to cut the pattern to acheive this, is an art in itself. Seeing some of the leather they have, I've got some ideas spinning for future projects.


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## Rayshot (Feb 1, 2010)

Great and cool idea!! And apparently you thought of the stretching ahead of time. Nice.

Jim the slingshot looks very good.

It appears that lack of imagination is the only thing that will stop new ideas. I don't expect that with the bunch here.

Ray


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## Marbles (Jan 23, 2010)

Looks good, working with leather is fun and Tandy has everyihing you will need. If the leather on the slingshot stretches alot you can wet it a little to shrink it some.


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## Performance Catapults (Feb 3, 2010)

Marbles said:


> ...If the leather on the slingshot stretches alot you can wet it a little to shrink it some.


Yeah...they told me that as well.

I may re-do the stitching tomorrow to a different style, where the strand runs through each hole instead of the cross stitching. So it will be like ///////, instead of XXXXX.


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## Flatband (Dec 18, 2009)

I think it looks great Bud! Ya gotta love leather!







Flatband


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## Sarge (Dec 18, 2009)

That really looks good. I like it.


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## Daveridesbikes (Mar 26, 2010)

cool project, looks great.


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## smitty (Dec 17, 2009)

I used to work with leather years ago making gun holsters and knife sheaths. The usual way I would approach this type of project was to work with the leather wet as it will stretch more when wet, then when it dries out it is very tight and will stay that way. The gun or knife is forced into the wet leather to form the leather to a custom fit after everything is all stitched up. I seldom used lacing though, I used a sewing tool with very strong string used for leather. I made a sorta vise out of wood to hold the leather right at the seam with a foot operated set-up to hold the clamp shut. When I let off on the foot pressure the clamp opened up. This way the needle of the sewing tool could easily be pushed through the wet leather right along the edge of the clamp jaws. A separate string is used along with the sewing tool to lock the stitches. The clamp was curved so that it had about a 3/8" contact area and was about 6" wide. I'm only mentioning this for extra food for thought because that lacing you did looks good.
I think you did a very good job on your slingshot. It has a lot of "COOL FACTOR". You sure have made some nice shooters.


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## Tex-Shooter (Dec 17, 2009)

Hmmm, I love it Jim. -- Tex


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## Saxon (Mar 17, 2010)

Tex-Shooter said:


> Hmmm, I love it Jim. -- Tex


Does not look sloppy to me Jim. Looks like a nice job.	Hey Tex, is that one of your band sets on Jims slingshot? Sure looks like it.


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## Thwupp-p-p (Jan 17, 2010)

Excellent job, Jim! What a beauty!!!


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## shot in the foot (Jan 3, 2010)

If thats your 1st attempt, you have done well, its a lovely job, cant have been easy, jeff


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## Martin (Jan 17, 2010)

This should be slingshot of the month, very nice.


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## foreigner (Jan 16, 2010)

That's awesome Jim! I can't see nothing wrong with it besides the leather stretching over time like you mentioned. I too was also interested in Tandy's workshops. I was interested in making designs and patterns on leather, but with time and life I couldn't make the class. Maybe another time. I'm sure you'll be happy with the results on similar future projects. The type of stitching you mention would expose more of the slingshot frame. I was thinking that might cause the leather to wrinkle around the areas such as the forks? Give it a try. Good luck.


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## Performance Catapults (Feb 3, 2010)

I did change the stitching today, and also wet the leather. I like the new stitching better. You don't have to use as much, and it pulls the leather straight, allowing it seems, for a better stretch. Only thing I could've done different, is to run the straight stitch over top, right now the straight stitch is on bottom.


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## Wingshooter (Dec 24, 2009)

Very nice. It looks like I have another project!!


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## Dayhiker (Mar 13, 2010)

Hot ****! Upholstery for your slingshot, how cool.


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## pelleteer (Dec 19, 2009)

Dayhiker said:


> Hot ****! Upholstery for your slingshot, how cool.


Just don't set it down on your leather sofa. You may never find it again (until ya sit on it







)...


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## foreigner (Jan 16, 2010)

Very nice! Still awesome!


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## Chugosh (Feb 9, 2010)

That is a nice result there.


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## Performance Catapults (Feb 3, 2010)

Went to my first leather craft class today and bought my starter kit. Practiced doing cuts today and showed off my slingshot. I was given some scrap, upholstry cowhide to use. It's a little thicker than the deerskin that's pictured on my shooter, and it won't stretch as much. I may get around to cutting a couple patterns tonight.


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## smitty (Dec 17, 2009)

Jim, that is an awesome slingshot you made! I am looking forward to seeing what you come up with after your classes! The slingshots that show up on these forums are just amazing!


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## Performance Catapults (Feb 3, 2010)

Here's the same shooter, now with cowhide upholstery. I like this much better. It fits more uniform, doesn't stretch as much, and even though it's thicker, it's still not bulky feeling at all. There's still room to pull the seams when it does stretch. The lace is still deerskin, and this time it's one continuous strand all the way around. It looks good too!










http://s66.photobucket.com/albums/h246/kybowtye/slingshot/?action=view&current=PICT0300.jpghttp://s66.photobucket.com/albums/h246/kybowtye/slingshot/?action=view&current=PICT0299.jpghttp://s66.photobucket.com/albums/h246/kybowtye/slingshot/?action=view&current=PICT0298.jpg


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## Chugosh (Feb 9, 2010)

Watch out. Some one is going to want to buy that from you or have you do it for their catty.
I liked it real well before, but I have to agree that the cow hide works even better, by the look of that.

I wonderr if rabbit fur would.... nah.


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## Tex-Shooter (Dec 17, 2009)

Jim, They just keep getting better. -- Tex


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## Performance Catapults (Feb 3, 2010)

Chugosh said:


> Watch out. Some one is going to want to buy that from you or have you do it for their catty.


It would take a generous offer to get this one, as it's my favorite shooter. I would be willing to do it for other's cattys, as long as they're willing to pay for the material and labor.


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## shot in the foot (Jan 3, 2010)

Now thats a proper pro job, looks nice, jeff


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## foreigner (Jan 16, 2010)

Jim,
That looks wayyyyyyyyy better! Looks like a snug fit and I could only imagine how comfortable it feel.


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## Performance Catapults (Feb 3, 2010)

Yes, it's a comfy fit, and my finger and thumb are finding the same threads on the forks when I shoot. That never concerned before. I felt like I never needed a reference point, like an ergo notch, but now that there is one with the lacing, it's an added bonus.


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## Dayhiker (Mar 13, 2010)

Oh, man. Jim, that is soooo sweet! I think I'm in love.


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