I use 1/8" thick neoprene foam between the strap and liner for padding. I taper the edges down (feather). It comes out really nice and seems to be comfortable
A note for transferring from tracing paper: use a heavier pencil and you can lay it on the leather before casing and take a tooling spoon and rub, it leaves a nice dark lined pattern, easy to see. Gum eraser tidies up any pencil after tooling. Careful when rubbing depending on the leather's temper. As always test before applying technique to a project. I've got a whole drawer of tracing paper patterns, pencil transfers so nice. Very helpful for those of us that like to use the exact same pattern often, saves alot of time as you don't have to trace the design twice. Ever once in awhile just retrace with a heavy lead pencil. I can rub transfer the pattern probably a dozen times before needing more lead on the tracing paper.
This is true, thats what tracing paper is for lol. But using a pencil to transfer ur lines let's you have reverse pattern on the back side, so for example with belts you just flip and turn the paper when transferring the pattern down the length of the belt. Simplifies the process.
Wow, these are beautiful! And super relaxing to watch the carving process. I made a gunsling for my dad last year but would like to make a new and improved one. The first one was braided but now I think I'll go for decorative carving, it's so unique (at least here in Denmark I've only seen plain straight leather slings or webbing/nylon slings)
I love watching your videos and always pick up new ideas. I use Chicago screws on my slings also but I’ve also used Conway buckles on the lower part for an easier adjustment. Great video as always.
I don't know if you ever heard of a tactical sling, but it's a sling that has an "extra" attached to the main sling. More or less, you cross body the sling, and it lets you have it carried and a moments notice you can just bring the rifle up and sight in on your target. Asking because I want to make one. Just coming up with the attached sling and how it would comfortably do a cross body.
Hey Don: Thank you for this. I just got stuck making 2 of these for a friend and his son. I've never made one before so it's a daunting thought. I have a question? Why the multiple diagonal lines for the basket weave? I suck at basket weave, but I've only ever used one diagonal starting line. Is that a problem? Thank you. Merry Christmas. God bless: Dave
Not all guys have a son in law who's a hunter and brings home nice warm moose heart to his father in law to smoke. I'm one of the lucky guy! Got to make the thumbhole one for him. To bad I can't do tooling. Guess it will be a sewn gunslinger pattern instead.
What was the point of drawing multiple parallel lines when stamping the basket weave? I think you have an extra trick for keeping the weave from twisting! Thanks as usual. I keep checking for a new podcast. Really look forward to those. I tried your antiquing technique on a belt and really like the way it turned out.
Looks great! I wonder if lining the sling makes it slip off the shoulder more than having the rough out side against the clothing. Maybe not. I haven't used a lined leather sling. Again, beautiful work.
You can always line it rough out. I've seen quite a few lined leather slings. Almost always lined with a suede or rough out leather. But I think that would end up a preference for whoever wants one.
@@maddawgnoll I may just try an unlined sling out of some 8/9 ounce vegetable tan leather and see how it works. I don't have a sewing machine, so it would be tedious to try to stitch the lining by hand. Thanks for the reply.
I bought several of your cutouts @ Waco a few weeks ago to make Christmas gifts, but I didn't buy the pattern. Why is there a 5th hole on the long side, for possible adjustment since it's a Chicago screw? Also, how far between do you place your Chicago screw holes?
@@JohnPorsbjerg and Jacob,... that song takeoff reminded me of "Hard time Killing Floor Blues" from the Movie O Brother Where Art Thou, by Chris Thomas King
Don I just bought your gunsling templates, i just wanted to ask what size needle and thread your using on the cobra 4 i just bought one and don’t know much! Thanks in advance!!
Don, this may be a stupid question. I was wondering how sharp should a Swivel Knife be? When I started using my Swivel Knife it was kind of jumping. It wasn’t a smooth cut. I thought it It’s have been dull so I sharpened the blade and it seems to be a little better. Can you shed some light on this?
Aaron from Makers Leather Supply says the tape leaves a marks on the leather that can't be dyed or top coated. I've never tried it but I always use plastic wrap over wet leather for tracing.
I agree and use it too but,... you gotta use the cheap 3M stuff. The other brands (and the top notch 3M stuff) stick too well and goof up the underside.
You would make a tap off if you were making several slings. To make a tap off, just follow his instructions on the pattern transfer the swivel cut the design a little deeper that you would if you tooling it. Let the leather dry and apply an acrylic top coat. Then you could use your new tap off by casing a piece of leather, laying your tap off face down and using a hammer to tap the back side of your tap off to leave an impression in the cased leather. You will now use the path that you transferred to cut the design. Now you can reuse your tap off to transfer the design into many slings
Very nice work! Maybe have the customer put a drop of loctite on screw to secure it after installed to their preference, I’ve ran across same problems in the past.
I don’t know if you still look at your comments: Can you use rivets on leather instead of the Chicago screws? How does one get into leather work? 0 experience. I’m a refrigeration tech so I’m not looking for a career, just a rewarding hobby
Why dont you use locktite on the screws so they don’t come lose? Use the blue one. It’s waterproof and it can be opened again but it won’t ever shake lose
I use 1/8" thick neoprene foam between the strap and liner for padding. I taper the edges down (feather). It comes out really nice and seems to be comfortable
That's a great idea!
A note for transferring from tracing paper: use a heavier pencil and you can lay it on the leather before casing and take a tooling spoon and rub, it leaves a nice dark lined pattern, easy to see. Gum eraser tidies up any pencil after tooling. Careful when rubbing depending on the leather's temper. As always test before applying technique to a project.
I've got a whole drawer of tracing paper patterns, pencil transfers so nice. Very helpful for those of us that like to use the exact same pattern often, saves alot of time as you don't have to trace the design twice. Ever once in awhile just retrace with a heavy lead pencil. I can rub transfer the pattern probably a dozen times before needing more lead on the tracing paper.
what a breathe of fresh air . no rubbish just good honest help thanks
I’ve found with tracing paper that you can rub the back side with a spoon to transfer the lead to the leather
This is true, thats what tracing paper is for lol. But using a pencil to transfer ur lines let's you have reverse pattern on the back side, so for example with belts you just flip and turn the paper when transferring the pattern down the length of the belt. Simplifies the process.
This is a great video and valuable resource to me thanks for taking the time to explain everything so well!
Wish your store was down under Your an exceptional leather craftsman !
That tooling is amazing.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge
thanks for sharing your craft.
Super NICE Don!
Hey Don! I think you are one of the best. That glue tray means I think almost your master. Hi from Easton Maryland. Stay safe.
Wow, these are beautiful! And super relaxing to watch the carving process. I made a gunsling for my dad last year but would like to make a new and improved one. The first one was braided but now I think I'll go for decorative carving, it's so unique (at least here in Denmark I've only seen plain straight leather slings or webbing/nylon slings)
A true craftsman making it look easy!! Great looking gun slings and beautiful tooling patterns, will have to order this one. ✌
I love watching your videos and always pick up new ideas. I use Chicago screws on my slings also but I’ve also used Conway buckles on the lower part for an easier adjustment. Great video as always.
I use Conway buckles for them. You certainly have some nice looking tooling on there.
Saw this tip on someone’s video. Use the Montana markers for you edge slicking cream. Works great!!!
Well done brother!
Amazing work.
Those are nice gun slings
Awesome. Thank you! Will be ordering in the near future
just what i needed
Bueatiful work,thank you
I don't know if you ever heard of a tactical sling, but it's a sling that has an "extra" attached to the main sling. More or less, you cross body the sling, and it lets you have it carried and a moments notice you can just bring the rifle up and sight in on your target. Asking because I want to make one. Just coming up with the attached sling and how it would comfortably do a cross body.
I’ve made 3 slings with buckles and I thought it came out pretty neat
Great video as always.
Beautiful work I wish I can become your student
Hey Don:
Thank you for this. I just got stuck making 2 of these for a friend and his son. I've never made one before so it's a daunting thought.
I have a question? Why the multiple diagonal lines for the basket weave? I suck at basket weave, but I've only ever used one diagonal starting line. Is that a problem?
Thank you.
Merry Christmas.
God bless:
Dave
I have used suede on the backside, it seems to stay on the shoulder better. Have you done that before and what do you think of that?
Not all guys have a son in law who's a hunter and brings home nice warm moose heart to his father in law to smoke. I'm one of the lucky guy! Got to make the thumbhole one for him. To bad I can't do tooling. Guess it will be a sewn gunslinger pattern instead.
For northern climates instead of tan kote what finish would you use over the antique? Say if the gun sling could be in the rain/snow
What is the average length of a rifle strap?
;thats my question also
Very nice work sir I like the one that has the thumb hole how much do you sell them for
What was the point of drawing multiple parallel lines when stamping the basket weave? I think you have an extra trick for keeping the weave from twisting! Thanks as usual. I keep checking for a new podcast. Really look forward to those. I tried your antiquing technique on a belt and really like the way it turned out.
He’s got another video where he explains that process. It’s to keep the weave true to itself as you stamp.
Looks great! I wonder if lining the sling makes it slip off the shoulder more than having the rough out side against the clothing. Maybe not. I haven't used a lined leather sling. Again, beautiful work.
You can always line it rough out. I've seen quite a few lined leather slings. Almost always lined with a suede or rough out leather. But I think that would end up a preference for whoever wants one.
@@maddawgnoll I may just try an unlined sling out of some 8/9 ounce vegetable tan leather and see how it works. I don't have a sewing machine, so it would be tedious to try to stitch the lining by hand. Thanks for the reply.
Can you do some guitar straps also. I'm a big fan of yours. Great job!
What size leather do you use for the liner?
Thread locker on the Chicago screws!
What are you using for a groover?
What's the weight on the chap leather for lining
Do you make slings for sxs shotguns? Not wanting to drill my 1907 AH Fox for swivels.
I bought several of your cutouts @ Waco a few weeks ago to make Christmas gifts, but I didn't buy the pattern. Why is there a 5th hole on the long side, for possible adjustment since it's a Chicago screw? Also, how far between do you place your Chicago screw holes?
What size tiger thread do you use? Thanks
Whats that guitar tune that takes off at 20:50?? That's the kinda jam I need at my tool bench!!! Anyone?
That's Broke Down heart by Peter Crosby :)
@@JohnPorsbjerg and Jacob,... that song takeoff reminded me of "Hard time Killing Floor Blues" from the Movie O Brother Where Art Thou, by Chris Thomas King
Don I just bought your gunsling templates, i just wanted to ask what size needle and thread your using on the cobra 4 i just bought one and don’t know much! Thanks in advance!!
Would you normally dye the keepers? Thanks for another great video!!
What size thread are you using on the sewing machine? How many stitches per inch are you sewing too?
Thanks for making these videos!
Don, this may be a stupid question. I was wondering how sharp should a Swivel Knife be? When I started using my Swivel Knife it was kind of jumping. It wasn’t a smooth cut. I thought it
It’s have been dull so I sharpened the blade and it seems to be a little better. Can you shed some light on this?
Anyone know what tools he using to tool? 10:02
Mr Gonzales,can you demo some guitar straps also?
You can put packing tape over pattern and that works good too
Aaron from Makers Leather Supply says the tape leaves a marks on the leather that can't be dyed or top coated. I've never tried it but I always use plastic wrap over wet leather for tracing.
I agree and use it too but,... you gotta use the cheap 3M stuff. The other brands (and the top notch 3M stuff) stick too well and goof up the underside.
Will this work for a shotgun sling?
In the video you mentioned making a tap off so that you don’t have to trace the pattern 3 times, do you have a video of how that’s done? Thanks!!
You would make a tap off if you were making several slings. To make a tap off, just follow his instructions on the pattern transfer the swivel cut the design a little deeper that you would if you tooling it.
Let the leather dry and apply an acrylic top coat. Then you could use your new tap off by casing a piece of leather, laying your tap off face down and using a hammer to tap the back side of your tap off to leave an impression in the cased leather.
You will now use the path that you transferred to cut the design. Now you can reuse your tap off to transfer the design into many slings
There are lots of UA-cam videos on tap offs.
I use a drop of Loctite in the Chicago screws.
Super glue or hairspray works well
Very nice work! Maybe have the customer put a drop of loctite on screw to secure it after installed to their preference, I’ve ran across same problems in the past.
Is that a carpet knife you use to cut out the lining?
Do you put something over antique as a sealer?
What would it be?
Thank you
Don normally uses Tan Kote as the final finish over the Antique ... hope that helps
CW Peterson
Grass Valley, California; USA
Do you sell the patterns for them
I make a padded one and include the hardware. I rivet them on so there’s no chance of it coming off.
Put a drop of Elmers glue in your screws. They will unscrew, but wont wiggle lose.
Beautiful workmanship, you won't find one of these at your local gun shop!!
Wait a minute, so you don't need to wet the leather to stamp it?! Sorry if thats dumb, I am just now getting into leather work.
I don’t know if you still look at your comments:
Can you use rivets on leather instead of the Chicago screws?
How does one get into leather work? 0 experience. I’m a refrigeration tech so I’m not looking for a career, just a rewarding hobby
Why dont you use locktite on the screws so they don’t come lose? Use the blue one. It’s waterproof and it can be opened again but it won’t ever shake lose
I bet every tool box in the US has at least one of those black and yellow Stanley screwdrivers in it. Lol
if the "box tape" (aka packing tape); lady it on yourjeans & then peel it off. Makes it less tacky but still adheres well.
Keep the background music theme for future vids please. 👍
Do you sell the pattern packs at your shop
Yes they do
how buy in other countrie?
Is your camera foggy or does my phone suck? I can’t tell.
I blue lock tight my Chicago screws
I thought vegetable oils were always shunned by leather workers because they go rancid and leave a smell?
Technically, olives are a fruit. I have been using evoo for years now after watching don and it worked out well!
What music is this? It’s awesome for working in the shop
Can you make a pattern for a shot shell sling. Amd a shot shell belt