Thread: Homemade leather bags.

Originally Posted by 32t

Horizontal like PALS webbing would work better.

Ah damn! I missed a chance to take the p!ss out of Ed...

Originally Posted by edhewitt

So you gonna be roo hunting when you are next on the farm, there seem to be a lot of folks interested in having leather stuff made all of a sudden, perhaps you need to change your signature to "not for hire or reward" .
I looked at the price of leather today for something to do, it seems.to be quite pricey, well not all, I saw some for around $5 per square foot.
What makes the leather you have more likely to fall apart/wear out quickly, is it thin or something, just trying to understand.

The 3rd grade stuff I have, has some bad habits. It's dry and was when I bought it. It's stretchy for the most part and because of that you better hope your fairy godmother holds the rain off for you, because it likes to sag all out of shape and is prone to tearing. Some of that is because it's a 2mm thick hide, which isn't that thick as far as cow hide goes. I plan on applying a beeswax waterproofing to it to fend off the rain after rehydrating with some good old dubbin. If it was any better quality I wouldn't want to use it...Depending on what it looks like when I'm finished, I might not want to use not anyway
I also figure if something goes wrong with the leather in places, I will probably be able to fix it. It might end up as a patch work, but I think (if I'm being honest with myself) that it will be just fine, regardless of it's perceived and known faults.


Mick

Originally Posted by edhewitt

I was thinking the knife would be horizontal, with one strap going through the belt loop on the sheath and one somewhere near the end. But yes you would be right if the knife were to be vertical. Or it could be installed on the strap, though that might be less practical.

No knife straps going on. I've already got a pouch sewn in for a quick folding knife and that will have to do. I can always add something to the inside of the lid if I like. Plenty of room there for a bit of customising later on.


Mick

All these posts you could have had it done :<0)

Sorry that was me talking to 32t, I had already noted your no knife comments earlier.

Originally Posted by MickR

It might end up as a patch work, but I think (if I'm being honest with myself) that it will be just fine, regardless of it's perceived and known faults.


Mick

We are usually the worst critics of our own work.

Originally Posted by 10Pups

All these posts you could have had it done :<0)

Ha! Any time you want to come over and see what I'm up to, you're welcome you know . I spend more time scratching my head and re-thinking everything (agonising over if you want the truth) I want to do, than any actual work...But enough, I need to do some more, and take photograph of just how little progress I have made.


Mick

LOL we are 1 in the same my friend. I don't have to come over to see what's going on. I have shiny things on my work bench I can look into and see exactly what your saying.

Progress report...Not much progress to report. I'm back to a house full of kids and have knocked off early. What I've been doing in the meantime has been to put the final shape on the shoulder strap ends ready for gluing and sewing, marking out stitch lines on individual pieces and punching hundreds of little bloody holes with the awl, stitched down the shoulder strap attachment points to the back of the bag, made and stitched in some rough and ready pouches for the bits that I want to have ready access too and glued in the panel containing the pouches and that also forms the loose papers pocket.

God help me! Look at all this work still to go! Inside pouches sewn down but...


No real plan here. No real measurements taken. Practicing being rough and ready and hating it!


Shoulder strap attachment points sewn on the back of the bag.


Inside pocket glued down ready for stitching holes


Hundreds of holes made. Hundreds more to go!



Mick

Good stuff Mate. I have an old leather belt pouch with a loop inside for a torch. Eventually decided I needed bigger as the utility belt attracts too much attention when not in uniform.. Daytime in Queensland is a shorts and light shirt type of thing.
Anyhow.. Found a leather satchel on run out at some store and picked it up for $15. Not as macho looking as yours will be but holds everything... Tool kit, multi-tool, torch, knife, pens, laser, binoculars, etc,etc...
By the way.. I found a product at the saddlery a couple years ago called Australian Leather Wax. It is a combination of neatsfoot oil and bees wax. Works good for protection and waterproofing..
Can't wait to see your finished result. Adam

Looking good Mick