Big John said:
Hi Eric, all
Inspired by your tankard I've made a 1/2 pint cup which looks pretty nice but there is a problem with the main seam. I stitched it damp as I've only got straight needles and thought the leather would be more pliable that way and all was fine until it dried out, then the leather shrank away at the seam leaving gaps!
What to do? Well I concluded that I simply hadn't pulled it tight enough when stitching so I pulled up the slack all the way along and re-finished the end - lovely. Next I sewed the base in, all fairly good (but fiddly), but the shape wasn't great, so like a fool I soaked the whole thing and formed it over the glass I'd based the design on - being careful not to wedge it in to tight so as not to split the seam again.
All was fine for a day or so and I checked it regularly whilst it was drying, but right in the last stages of drying it has shrunk apart again - only a little this time, and probably small enough for the wax to seal it, but I'm not sure how durable it will be.
Have you ever come across this problem? Am I simply not being forceful enough with my stitching or maybe the stitches are too big/wide - they look similar to yours!
I was thinking of putting it on a form and gently pounding the seam to expand the leather and therefore close it up before waxing - what do you think?
The sample 'shot cup' I made out of some old scrap was fine, but the leather is a lot softer so I guess it hasn't shrunk with quite so much force.
Many thanks,
Hi John. The problem is that you soaked it to start with. Leather shrinks when it dries (that's why indians tied a leather band round the foreheads of their captives as a form of torture). All I do with mine is lightly dampen it so I can mark up the stitch holes and create the general shape.
I cut out the main body shape. I then dampen it and run the wheel up both edges, starting from the top of the flask so the stitches line up. I then let it almost dry. When I say almost, I mean I let it return to it's natural colour but keep checking it. To check it, you place the leather against your cheek. If it looks dry but feels cold to the touch then it's ready to tool with whatever design you choose. At this stage if I want to leave it for any length of time, I place it in a plastic food storage bag and leave it folded over to exclude any air.
At this level of moisture content, the surface will take an impression, but it won't shrink any more. It will still be supple enough to work though. I tool the leather with the pattern/design I have chosen, and when I'm happy with it I use the curved awl and push holes down the sides that I previously marked with the stitch wheel.
Then I form the tankard roughly to shape and starting at the top of the vessle, I start stitching, using a saddle stitch and waxed linen thread. I stitch all the way down to the base of the tankard then go back on my stitches for four holes so the thread locks tight. I then cut the thread off flush to the leather so there is no knot.
You'll find if you do it this way the leather won't shrink, but it will still be soft enough so you're not fighting it. One thing is to make sure you pull the stitches really tight
after each stitch. When I say really tight, I mean wrapped around your fingers and pulled hard. I have to put elastoplasts on my fingers before I start each day because I need to pull on those stitches so hard, the waxed thread will cut right into my fingers if I don't. That's the secret. Make the seam so tight that liquid just can't get out. The waxing of the piece just reinforces the seal afterwards.
Hope this helps. In the case of the one you've made, If it were me, I'd cut it open again and make a vambrace from it then start again on another cup.
Good luck,
Eric