Leather cup and a few other bits

[snowleopard]

Here is my first attempt at making a leather cup
8000



And a simple mora sheath
8001

[ian c]

If only my first attempts were ever that good come to think about it if any of my attempts were that good.

[alvino78]

T^

[snowleopard]

Thanks everyone for your kind comments!!

Joel

[biker-bri]

Well done that man, T^
Cheers Bri

[butchthedog]

You keep yourself plenty busy with all of your leather creation's, looking good Joel.

[snowleopard]

The only problem is that the bottom of the cup has shrunk, leaving a big gap around the edge. This means that it won't hold water.

Thanks everyone,

Joel

[Silverback]

Just tried to look at your website Joel and got this message

"The Google Account of a site owner has been disabled because of a perceived violation of the Terms of Service. The site owner needs to restore their Google Account before this site can be viewed."

[snowleopard]

Will be resolved soon, sorry about any problems there,
Got into trouble with google for being under 13!
When Daddy gets home I will see what he can do about it,
Joel

[Humakt]

The only problem is that the bottom of the cup has shrunk, leaving a big gap around the edge. This means that it won't hold water.

Thanks everyone,

Joel

Did this happen when you dunked it in wax?
If so, then you probably had the wax too hot, and ended up deep frying it, turning it into a giant pork (well, beef) scratching, which shrivels the leather.

I don't use a thermometer myself, so what I do to regulate the temperature of the wax is to heat it up until it is all dissolved and then turn off the heat. Give it a couple of minutes and then put the object in, but only in and out, don't leave it in there straightaway. Give it a couple more dips. This allows the leather to heat up and also the wax to cool down. After doing this a couple of times then the wax will have cooled enough, and the leather warmed enough, for you to immerse the object and leave it in there. Although I do tend to keep the object moving and take it out and pour off the wax, before dipping again.

Good for you for giving it a go. The best way of learning is doing things for yourself.

[snowleopard]

Did this happen when you dunked it in wax?
If so, then you probably had the wax too hot, and ended up deep frying it, turning it into a giant pork (well, beef) scratching, which shrivels the leather.

I don't use a thermometer myself, so what I do to regulate the temperature of the wax is to heat it up until it is all dissolved and then turn off the heat. Give it a couple of minutes and then put the object in, but only in and out, don't leave it in there straightaway. Give it a couple more dips. This allows the leather to heat up and also the wax to cool down. After doing this a couple of times then the wax will have cooled enough, and the leather warmed enough, for you to immerse the object and leave it in there. Although I do tend to keep the object moving and take it out and pour off the wax, before dipping again.

Good for you for giving it a go. The best way of learning is doing things for yourself.,

It wasn't worth waxing it because of the crack. It shrunk when I let it dry in the sun, you see, I sewed the handle together, then I set the bottom out too soak,(I then forgot about it with the result that it was super wet), so the bottom was swelled when I stitched it, and when it dried it shrunk. It now has a future being a pencil pot!

Thanks,

Joel

[Humakt]

Ah.
Can I ask why you soaked the base?
I make my leather cups by stitching the body of the cup and then cutting a disc for the base and then stitching that in. There's not normally a need to soak any part of the cup, except the handle (which, of course, is soaked, molded, allowed to dry, and stitched, before attaching to the body of the cup).
As well as making the leather supple enough to mold, wetting leather also has the effect of making the leather harder when it dries. But for a cup that's not needed because the act of dipping it in hot wax will also make the leather go rigid.

[Humakt]

Also, depending on how big the cracks are, it may still be worth dipping the cup.
After dipping it in wax and letting it cool enough so the wax turns white (but is still hot!) you can use bits of semi-molten wax to fill holes.
In truth you have to do this anyway, especially along stitch lines, and there's always a small gap where the base connects to the edge of the cup where the two halves of the body have been joined.
Such is the nature of the material that it's nigh on impossible to make it without one or two small holes that need plugging. And you use semi-molten wax to do this. Just push it into the hole.
It may also prove useful to dip the cup because it will be useful experience and, if you do end up deep frying it, you will have only ruined a cup that was less than perfect anyway. I think you'll find it a useful excercise for future projects.

[snowleopard]

Ah.
Can I ask why you soaked the base?
I make my leather cups by stitching the body of the cup and then cutting a disc for the base and then stitching that in. There's not normally a need to soak any part of the cup, except the handle (which, of course, is soaked, molded, allowed to dry, and stitched, before attaching to the body of the cup).
As well as making the leather supple enough to mold, wetting leather also has the effect of making the leather harder when it dries. But for a cup that's not needed because the act of dipping it in hot wax will also make the leather go rigid.

I soaked the base because it would not fit in the bottom and stay there.

I will dip it today hopefully, thanks for your help Humakt! Much appreciated

Joel

[biker-bri]

Having been taught by a retired professional saddle maker wet moulding the base is the best way to go when making a leather cup / tankard, Humakt is correct in saying that
leather becomes harder when it dries but this works in your favour, allowing you to achieve a better seal around the base by being able to tighten the stitching, also so long as you
have used something ROUND to mould the base the fact that it is now harder helps to keep the cup in shape - I have tried several other ways to make cups / tankards and this way is the best.
Cheers Bri

[snowleopard]

Having been taught by a retired professional saddle maker wet moulding the base is the best way to go when making a leather cup / tankard, Humakt is correct in saying that
leather becomes harder when it dries but this works in your favour, allowing you to achieve a better seal around the base by being able to tighten the stitching, also so long as you
have used something ROUND to mould the base the fact that it is now harder helps to keep the cup in shape - I have tried several other ways to make cups / tankards and this way is the best.
Cheers Bri

Thanks a lot,

Joel