The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - New pancake hot off the stove for my Colt SA

HighValleyRanch · December 2, 2010, 04:53 PM

It's not as hard as one puts it to be.
Main points:
Use a spray bottle to wet the leather. You can cut while damp, but only tool when it is drying out. You will find the right balance. Tooling too early means mushy imprints. It's almost better to tool when dam near dry. The leather can be light and when you tool, it will turn dark, and that way you know you are in the right moisture content.

Stamping is the easiest, but carving and free hand is a little harder. But all carving using the same stamping techniques, just knowing your tools and how they end up affecting the leather.

The main tools I use are the edge beveler, the background, and the cutting knife. This is a special pivoting knife that does the right width cuts.
Those three tools will get you to over 50% of the work. Then its just the finishing tooling.

Be sure to use natural leather. Tanned leather or other finished leather will NOT TOOL PROPERLY. Only raw natural leather tools the best. I find that the 6 to 9 ounce leather holds tooling the best, although I have tooled 3 to 4 ounce as well.

Try it out on some scrap to wet your feet. I learned from the guy at Tandys and in ten minutes I was on my way.

GOOD LUCK!

December 2, 2010, 04:53 PM	#34
HighValleyRanch Senior Member Join Date: July 15, 2005 Posts: 4,066	It's not as hard as one puts it to be. Main points: Use a spray bottle to wet the leather. You can cut while damp, but only tool when it is drying out. You will find the right balance. Tooling too early means mushy imprints. It's almost better to tool when dam near dry. The leather can be light and when you tool, it will turn dark, and that way you know you are in the right moisture content. Stamping is the easiest, but carving and free hand is a little harder. But all carving using the same stamping techniques, just knowing your tools and how they end up affecting the leather. The main tools I use are the edge beveler, the background, and the cutting knife. This is a special pivoting knife that does the right width cuts. Those three tools will get you to over 50% of the work. Then its just the finishing tooling. Be sure to use natural leather. Tanned leather or other finished leather will NOT TOOL PROPERLY. Only raw natural leather tools the best. I find that the 6 to 9 ounce leather holds tooling the best, although I have tooled 3 to 4 ounce as well. Try it out on some scrap to wet your feet. I learned from the guy at Tandys and in ten minutes I was on my way. GOOD LUCK! __________________ From the sweet grass to the slaughter house; From birth until death; We travel between these two eternities........from 'Broken Trail"