Arm Guard Build Along with some tooling how-to

How to's, questions and build alongs for those who make or want to make their own gear made from leather. Get some tips on how you can make your own quiver, arm guard, etc. to go along with your Custom Traditional Bow.
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Cameroo
Posts: 19
Joined: Sat May 21, 2011 5:20 pm

Arm Guard Build Along with some tooling how-to

#1 Post by Cameroo »

Hey guys, I'm pretty new here and thought maybe I could contribute by showing how to make yourself a leather armguard. I'll do my best to explain it step by step, with the aid of pictures. If I've left out any details, just ask. This is a copy-paste from a build-along I did on another forum. Sorry to bore you if you've seen it already.

Day 1

I have been using veg tanned leather for my arm guards, since it is ideal for tooling. I created a paper pattern that I fitted to my arm to trace onto the leather. I have found that tooling stretches the leather quite a bit, so I've been using contact cement to glue the leather to a cutting board so that it keeps it's shape while tooling. When I'm done, I pull the leather off, the contact cement comes up with it, and then I can peel it off. It comes off in a sheet of latex, usually pretty easily (unless I put it on too thin).
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Here's the cement I use, I won't use anything else because I know this comes off easily
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Then I create my design, resize it the the dimensions I need, and print it off. My friend requested oak leaves, this is what I came up with
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Before tooling the leather, it has to be "cased". All this means is that you have to dampen it with a sponge and let the water absorb until the leather returns to it's original color. With that done, I place the pattern on the leather where I want it, and attach it with a piece of tape so that it doesn't slip. Then I use a scribe to trace over each line and transfer the pattern to the leather. It doesn't take much pressure on the scribe.
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The next step is to cut all of the lines with a swivel knife. This allows a nice sharp edge to be tooled that gives more depth. This is from another project, but I just wanted to show the knife.
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The swivel knife takes a bit of practice to get nice smooth curves. Here's what it looks like after it's cut
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Cameroo
Posts: 19
Joined: Sat May 21, 2011 5:20 pm

Re: Arm Guard Build Along with some tooling how-to

#2 Post by Cameroo »

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Ooops, how'd that get there??

Now comes the real time consuming part, the tooling. For those that don't know, the tools you'll see in the next few pictures are tapped with a plastic mallet to get different effects. I'll try to explain the different stamps as I go. I start of by using a textured "beveller" along all the edges where objects overlap. It is important to do the tooling on the correct side of the cut. The shading is always done on the object that you want to appear to be behind. Hopefully the pictures will explain what I mean. There are smooth bevelers, and textured ones. I'm using the textured one, because when I stain this later, the textured leather will hold more stain, making it darker, and giving it more depth.
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This tool is called a pear shader. Most of these tools are multi-purpose: you can hold them at different angles to use certain edges to get different effects. I'm just adding some texture to the leaves
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This is another type of shader, I'm using it for more leave texture, where the leaf's veins meet the stem.
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After using various shaders and bevelers on the leaves, I end up with this
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Now I'm going to use a smooth beveler to go around the outside of the leaves and branches, and end up with this
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Cameroo
Posts: 19
Joined: Sat May 21, 2011 5:20 pm

Re: Arm Guard Build Along with some tooling how-to

#3 Post by Cameroo »

Day 2

The guy I'm making this for requested some "green in the middle" and mahogany around the outside. I didn't know how to pull of a transition between the 2 colors and have it look any good, so I decided to make an oval that divides the 2 areas. I used Photoshop to make the pattern and printed it off. I taped and traced it onto the leather, then made another slightly bigger oval around that
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Then I used the swivel knife again and cut the ovals into the leather
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The next step was to use a beveler to go around the outside edges of the ring
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I was kinda jumping around, and started using what is called a seeder tool to fill in the background outside the ring. I like to do the outside edges first so they're nice and straight, and then randomly fill in the inside. Tonight I just did the edges.
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Then I started filling in the background areas inside the oval with these tools. The smaller one works nice for getting into tight areas, and you can tilt it to just use the "toe" for really tight spots. I found that going around the outside edges first works well with this tool as well.
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Then I used the larger one to fill in the open spaces faster.
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That's as far as I got tonight. Gotta finish filling in the background with the seeder, then comes the fun part - staining and finishing!
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Cameroo
Posts: 19
Joined: Sat May 21, 2011 5:20 pm

Re: Arm Guard Build Along with some tooling how-to

#4 Post by Cameroo »

Day 3

Well, I didn't get much done tonight, but I have the tooling pretty much finished up I think. I wish I had never tried using the seeder tool as a background - I love the way it looks but that tool covers such a small area, it takes forever to fill everything in. Should be able to start staining next. Here's where it's at now:
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Day 4

Well I had some time today after work to make some progress, and got the staining pretty much done.

The first thing I did was use a product called block-out and painted it on the ring part. I wanted this to remain the natural color, and this stuff keeps dye and stain from penatrating. Then I painted the leaves with a reddish-colored stain I mixed up
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My buddy requested some green in the middle. I wasn't 100% sure how good this would look, but after putting it on, I think I like it :) I put a bit of light brown stain on the twigs after that.
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Now I was pretty much ready to apply the mahogany colored wipe-off gel antique to the background, but first I had to pull the leather off the cutting board to trim the edges so I could stain them too.
Here's what I was talking about earlier in the thread, this contact cement peels off like a rubber glove.
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After I got that pulled off, I cleaned up the edges of the leather with an edge beveler. This thing works awesome, and it's imposible to gouge out too much leather.
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I used a skiver to clean some of the fuzzies off the backside to prepair it for it's dye job later
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Next I applied the gel antique. You brush it on and then wipe it off. I use a small paint brush to apply it close to the edges where it meets another color, and then use a bigger cotton dauber to apply it to the larger areas.
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I work in fairly small sections because I found if you let the gel sit too long, it doesn't wipe off too good and you end up with really dark spots. I just use strips of rags to wipe it off. Always start with a clean spot on the rag and start at the outside border between colors and wipe inward, so that you don't get it where you don't want it.
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Next I used a dauber to apply a cranberry stain to the backside
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And here's where I'm at now. Should be able to finish it up in under an hour now. Just gotta seal it and put some eyelettes in for the bungee cord. Hopefully tomorrow it will be done.
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Cameroo
Posts: 19
Joined: Sat May 21, 2011 5:20 pm

Re: Arm Guard Build Along with some tooling how-to

#5 Post by Cameroo »

Day 5

Got her done! I put a couple coats of Satin Sheen on it, and then punched some holes for the eyelettes. The eyelettes are installed with a small punch and anvil.
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After the eyelettes were installed, I cut some 1/8" dia. bungee cord to lace it with. I lick the ends with a flame for a second to keep them from fraying.
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And here's the money shots - all laced up.
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cyberscout
Posts: 77
Joined: Wed Mar 30, 2011 1:39 pm

Re: Arm Guard Build Along with some tooling how-to

#6 Post by cyberscout »

Cameroo --
Beautiful work! I might even try to make one myself
It looks like you are doing the "on trust" "Paid for" Training drill with your pooch, I first read about in Meet Mr Grizzly [M. Stevens ]?
Ray

Cameroo
Posts: 19
Joined: Sat May 21, 2011 5:20 pm

Re: Arm Guard Build Along with some tooling how-to

#7 Post by Cameroo »

Thanks :) By all means, you should try making one.

And ya, I try to teach her that good things come to those who wait :) I can hold a hot dog half an inch from her nose, and she won't eat it until I tell her "OK". She's a smart one!

Here's a few pics of some other armguards I've made. Maybe they'll provide some inspiration

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User avatar
RUSTY
Posts: 128
Joined: Tue Mar 29, 2011 1:17 pm

Re: Arm Guard Build Along with some tooling how-to

#8 Post by RUSTY »

Hey Cam!! Haven't talked to ya in a while. Glad to see you here and showing your work off!!!
Rusty

"If we must die, we die defending our rights!"-Sitting Bull <---<<<

cyberscout
Posts: 77
Joined: Wed Mar 30, 2011 1:39 pm

Re: Arm Guard Build Along with some tooling how-to

#9 Post by cyberscout »

cameroo -
You are quite the leather artist ! I especially like the colors - and unique carving. I am pretty sure I could make some sort of "armguard", I am also sure it wouldn't be anywhere near as attractive as yours --haha
Ray

Peachey
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Jun 15, 2011 3:57 am

Re: Arm Guard Build Along with some tooling how-to

#10 Post by Peachey »

Thats is cool, you are a artist. Very nice thanks for sharing.

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