Middle Earth Ranger Forum

cool, thanks for the info

ForgeCorvus wrote: ↑Sun Jan 09, 2022 6:25 pm A Rod (Pole or Perch ) is 20 Natural Feet or 15 Saxon feet..... 16 1/2 Imperial

Ha! I am glad to see someone still measures in perches!

To the O.P.: Just like any hobby, Leather working can be very expensive. Start small and see if you like it before investing a ton of money. Many tools can improvised from things you already have. A single punch chisel can be made from a finishing nail. Want a four prong chisel ? try cut down and sharpening a common steel fork.

Clothes pins make decent clamps when waiting for leather cement to set. Don't have a wood mallet to punch holes ? Take a piece of garment weight leather and wrap it over a regular hammer head. Replace it as it wears out.

As far as a sword scabbard goes here's an inexpensive solution for one that will look good and is highly customizable (you will have to adjust for the thickness of the blade but other than that it will work: http://www.middleearthrangers.org/forum ... 2f66922f3f

The pictures are no longer viable but the information is good. I've done over a hundred scabbards this way in the past 35 years for all types of swords, daggers and knives. Straight curved even recurved. Feel free to ask questions if needed

Okay, having taken down all this very helpful information. The leather is veg-tanned, and the small piece I tried wet-forming appears to hold its shape well enough.
I drafted a pattern for an archery armguard - for a friend, so it doesn't have to be completely period, which is good since I barely know what I'm doing. An armguard seemed the simplest starting point. Tested it. Cut the leather. It seems good so far? But of course if there's anything a novice wouldn't notice, I'm not going to know to correct it.
Assuming I've gotten up to this point correctly, I'm waiting on some eyelets and a leather lace.

looking good so far

you don't necessarily need eyelets because thick leather is quite tough, if you just punch a hole it should work fine, unless you friend asked for eyelets of course

Iodo wrote: ↑Sun Mar 20, 2022 8:18 am looking good so far

you don't necessarily need eyelets because thick leather is quite tough, if you just punch a hole it should work fine, unless you friend asked for eyelets of course

I was suspecting that might be the case, that’s good to know! She didn’t specifically ask for eyelets, but I think if I can obtain them I might go with them regardless, just to make it look nice if nothing else.

Very fun! That's a great first project.

Please forgive me if you know this and just haven't gotten that far yet. But if not -

You will probably find it more comfortable if you work over the edge with an edge beveler:
https://www.springfieldleather.com/Edge-Beveler-2

... and then an edge slicker:
https://www.springfieldleather.com/Slicker-Edge-Wood

Elleth wrote: ↑Sun Mar 20, 2022 10:28 am Very fun! That's a great first project.

Please forgive me if you know this and just haven't gotten that far yet. But if not -

You will probably find it more comfortable if you work over the edge with an edge beveler:
https://www.springfieldleather.com/Edge-Beveler-2

... and then an edge slicker:
https://www.springfieldleather.com/Slicker-Edge-Wood

Oh, excellent, that's precisely the other question I had! I wasn't sure if there was anything I ought/might want to do to the edges, but now I know, so thank you!

I live on a second floor apartment and My problem is I can't hammer any leather working tools or table without the sound vibrating the ceiling of the people below me. Anybody have a reliable solution for that?

Tom_Ranger wrote: ↑Mon Mar 21, 2022 12:01 am I live on a second floor apartment and My problem is I can't hammer any leather working tools or table without the sound vibrating the ceiling of the people below me. Anybody have a reliable solution for that?

This won't stop all of the sound but, will drastically reduce it. Place your work table/ coffee table/dining table over a thick pile carpet or a remnant. Place a folded towel or blanket under a small piece of 1/4-1/2" plywood that you as your surface. Place your leather over the plywood and then punch your holes. The multiple layers of fabric will deaden most of the noise and vibrations. Give it a try and see how it goes!

Temonthe wrote: ↑Sun Mar 20, 2022 7:57 pm

Elleth wrote: ↑Sun Mar 20, 2022 10:28 am Very fun! That's a great first project.

Please forgive me if you know this and just haven't gotten that far yet. But if not -

You will probably find it more comfortable if you work over the edge with an edge beveler:
https://www.springfieldleather.com/Edge-Beveler-2

... and then an edge slicker:
https://www.springfieldleather.com/Slicker-Edge-Wood

Oh, excellent, that's precisely the other question I had! I wasn't sure if there was anything I ought/might want to do to the edges, but now I know, so thank you!

I find that a properly beveled and slicked edge can do wonders for upping the professional look of a piece. Just one of those little things that can really make a piece look really nice.

I do have an edge beveler but for a long time I just carefully rubbed down the edges with sand paper rapped around a piece of wood, and I'm the ultimate cheapskate so this is still my edge slicker:



although it's quicker to use something on a power-drill, it also works to just rub the leather with solid block, I've filed different shapes into this over the years for different projects and it seems to work

what I usually do is bevel the edges (with a beveler or sandpaper, or beveler then sandpaper for a nice even curve) then make the edge wet with slightly warm water, or for better results paint on something similar to this: https://www.artisanleather.co.uk/gum-tr ... 409-p.html (if you can get some) then rub the edges with the wooden block until smooth, if your using the edge polish you should be able to get a decent shine but if your using the wooden block method be warned: elbow grease is needed

and as for this:

Tom_Ranger wrote: ↑Mon Mar 21, 2022 12:01 am I live on a second floor apartment and My problem is I can't hammer any leather working tools or table without the sound vibrating the ceiling of the people below me. Anybody have a reliable solution for that?

Peter Remling's solution does work well, but depending on how much money you want to spend, you could also get tiny machine press (old secondhand ones are usually better) and a nylon block to go underneath, then you can punch holes and set (modern two part) rivets quietly, you can do a fair amount of tooling just by pressing lines into damp leather using a flat blade screwdriver or similar tool, and without needing to use a hammer, a lot of my tooling is done that way, There's a quick video (on my random nonsense channel that I hardly ever look at) showing how to do that: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnXcqJy8TLA&t=3s