Making A Pen Case

[my63]

Thanks for that Scrivelry lots to think about.

I am planning on making some smaller cases next 15mm in diameter but I am not sure of the best length mine covers the whole pen so if the case was dropped and stood on the whole pen is protected.

 

If anyone has any ideas I would love to hear them.

 

I am also very impatient to try out my new dyes so I am going to make one for each colour.

 

Thanks

 

Michael

[Inkysloth]

I've just taken delivery of about 10 square feet of veg tanned leather, not the best quality, but it'll be good enough to risk on trying out working with leather. Ah, the joys of Fleabay!

 

If I wet & form the leather, and then stitch it, am I better off making the holes to stitch before the soaking or after? Will they close up as the leather swells when wet?

[my63]

If you want the honest answer I don't know.

I form the leather and then let it dry before I do anything else,

If you hang on 10 minutes and we will find out.

 

Michael

[Ted A]

I've just taken delivery of about 10 square feet of veg tanned leather, not the best quality, but it'll be good enough to risk on trying out working with leather. Ah, the joys of Fleabay!

 

If I wet & form the leather, and then stitch it, am I better off making the holes to stitch before the soaking or after? Will they close up as the leather swells when wet?

After.

 

The leather will shift/slide some when you wet and shape it. And the tolerances are really tight. If the leather shrank or stretched in the wetting and shaping by even a fraction of a millimeter you would have holes misaligned and when you sewed there would be a pinching or stretching that made it look a bit rought.

[my63]

Sorry took a little longer than I thought

 

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2861/10926767113_c8900c2064_z.jpg
IMG_5634 by my0771, on Flickr

 

This is about half way dry I am not sure if the pictures show it but they are smaller as the leather dries out I made the holes with the chisel in an ideal world the chisel would mark the holes then the awl would be used to push right through.

 

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5493/10926792213_ec44413515_z.jpg
IMG_5641 by my0771, on Flickr

 

What are you planning to make your form from.

 

I have been trying to make a new form today but I cant hold the saw with either hand at the moment so it has all gone a bit wonky.

 

Pictures would be good, how thick is your veg tan and will you share your source ?

 

Michael

[Inkysloth]

Thanks both!

I'll err on the side of piercing the holes after the wetting, as this leather might well warp all over the place.

I got it from Leatherandstuff-shop http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/Leathercraft-/75565/m.html?item=380679311772&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEWNX%3AIT&_ssn=leatherandstuff-shop

 

It was £9.95 + £4.40 (IIRC) for 10 sq ft and postage. Like I said, it's pretty rough, I don't think it's exactly fine quality, but for playing around it's fine. And I expect I can sand, oil, and generally get it to soften a little bit.

I've also got a couple of A4 sized sheets of Kydex to try out.

 

I'll be trying a form from plywood and foam, with a chunk of rounded off balsa, or if I find some in a skip, softwood.

 

This is on hold until after Christmas though I think - I'm selling my cards & prints at 4 different fairs this year, and I need to be making sure I've got enough stuff made to sell!

[scrivelry]

Thanks both!

 

I'll err on the side of piercing the holes after the wetting, as this leather might well warp all over the place.

I got it from Leatherandstuff-shop http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/Leathercraft-/75565/m.html?item=380679311772&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEWNX%3AIT&_ssn=leatherandstuff-shop

 

It was £9.95 + £4.40 (IIRC) for 10 sq ft and postage. Like I said, it's pretty rough, I don't think it's exactly fine quality, but for playing around it's fine. And I expect I can sand, oil, and generally get it to soften a little bit.

I've also got a couple of A4 sized sheets of Kydex to try out.

 

I'll be trying a form from plywood and foam, with a chunk of rounded off balsa, or if I find some in a skip, softwood.

 

This is on hold until after Christmas though I think - I'm selling my cards & prints at 4 different fairs this year, and I need to be making sure I've got enough stuff made to sell!

 

 

I think most pallets are hardwood, but maybe some are not? I tend to go around testing wood with my fingernail when I am inclined to scavenge some, to see if it is soft or not.

 

Around here lots of places are more than happy to let you haul pallets away. And there might still be some soft wood involved in some packing crates at fruit markets.

 

Best of fortune with the prints!

 

T

[scrivelry]

Thanks for that Scrivelry lots to think about.

I am planning on making some smaller cases next 15mm in diameter but I am not sure of the best length mine covers the whole pen so if the case was dropped and stood on the whole pen is protected.

 

If anyone has any ideas I would love to hear them.

 

I am also very impatient to try out my new dyes so I am going to make one for each colour.

 

Thanks

 

Michael

I do think you would want to make sure the whole pen was covered, because if someone wants their pen protected I'm sure they want all of it protected. But what about making one a little longer? I am thinking there is the possibility of a little space at one end or the other for some cartridges or a vial of ink - the case is hard enough that as long as it didn't leak at the threads the vial would be safe to carry around without fear of breaking that way. I am trying to sort out in my mind what this might look like...

 

I throw some carts in the bottom of my pen case, but I am talking about an eight dollar pen for which I possibly overpaid, and plastic carts, so I'm not really worried about them ruining the finish or anything...Maybe a little leather box of sorts that is smaller enough to slip easily in and down, but big enough to support the bottom of the pen???

 

Lots more work, possibly not worth the trouble. Just a thought.

 

T

Edited November 18, 2013 by scrivelry

[my63]

Scrivelry

The way I am thinking at the moment is to add a piece of ribbon in a loop inside the case secured at one end at the top and by a piece of elastic at the bottom so once the pen was in the free end of the ribbon could be pulled to remove the pen rather than tipping the case.

I could add space inside for cartridges.

Inkysloth

I bought goat skin as I wanted thin hard wearing leather the leather you have can be carved and I think that you may be very good at that from looking at you web site. so I look forward to seeing what you produce.

Don't forget to share the pictures.

I use plywood for my forms as I have some and it is easy to work with remember the kydex gets quite hot when it is soft enough to form.

Please be careful as it will be hot enough to burn you when it is soft.

 

Michael

[BamaPen]

Beautiful work Michael. I'm going to have to try this soon.

 

John

[my63]

Thanks John

If I can help you in any way just ask.

 

Michael

[scrivelry]

I have a set of books in a cardboard case and they have something very similar to what you describe with the ribbon so I can get them out of the case. I can't quite picture the elastic, but I do not picture these things as well until I see them, so that's just me.

 

T

[my63]

Hi Scrivelry

The elastic is to pull the ribbon back down to the bottom as an anchor point, but other than that you got it spot on.

I have let you into the early planning stage and it may never see the light of day.

I have lots of ideas at the moment I need to transfer them into leather as soon as I can.

Michael

[my63]

I have managed to complete the new mold for the next batch of pen cases

 

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2813/10933407404_331ee3fceb_z.jpg
IMG_5646 by my0771, on Flickr

 

 

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7375/10933401154_ac54b5f911_z.jpg
IMG_5644 by my0771, on Flickr

 

Thanks for looking

Michael

[my63]

I have wanted to test my new form for since I made it

 

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7424/10978765926_aff5d19403_z.jpg
DSC_0046 by my0771, on Flickr

 

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5481/10978903663_5513a0b459_z.jpg
DSC_0050 by my0771, on Flickr

 

As you can see it appears to work quite well,

I formed 7 pieces in about an hour.

In order to make the process simpler I have made some templates from modelling wood a little thicker than balsa wood but still very easy to shape.

 

This is the back section I am using the back of the larger case it means a little more waste but reduces the number of templates required

 

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5549/10978905463_47aa09e2eb_z.jpg
DSC_0051 by my0771, on Flickr

 

This is the template for stitching it slots inside the larger case and ensures the stitches are straight

 

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7449/10978909233_82c0c10f52_z.jpg
DSC_0054 by my0771, on Flickr

 

This is the template for the lower piece of kydex.

 

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3821/10978689285_1b90a85b49_z.jpg
DSC_0055 by my0771, on Flickr

 

As I have typed this I am thinking that I will need to make a new back template as the flap will be too large.

I have not cut any leather or suede yet so I can make a new template.

 

Thanks for looking

 

Michael

 

Sorry for the poor quality pictures they are from my new phone I seem to have lost the charger for the little camera one of my 4 legged friends might have it,

Edited November 21, 2013 by my63

[my63]

Since the last post I have managed to find the charger

And I have also made a new template I don't think I have showed this process so here goes

 

Using my negative form to give an inside line I used a 'd' cell battery to provide the outside curve

 

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7307/10980285675_8bb657a1e1_z.jpg
IMG_5670 by my0771, on Flickr

 

I used the stitching guide off the larger template set to give the other end

 

In order to check each side of the template is similar I drew around it with a black pen then turned it over and drew around it with a red pen

 

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3758/10980400653_dd53825018_z.jpg
IMG_5661 by my0771, on Flickr

 

A little tiding and everything should be fine

 

Thanks

Michael

[my63]

I have a nice new form and some new templates what is next,

I had cut some strips of veg tanned leather before I made the templates I decided to use them.

Looking in my off cuts box I found some cognac suede from a jewellery box I made for my wife. I laid these pieces over the strips to ensure I had enough to cover the leather.

 

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2813/10989856405_31c509ab02_z.jpg
IMG_5671 by my0771, on Flickr

 

I placed the suede over the form and applied some pva I then placed the kydex over the top of the suede and left it to dry.

 

The next step was to continue with the back section I used the positive section of the form to make the template for the kydex for the back section

 

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5507/10990072033_1bd690d7a8_z.jpg
IMG_5676 by my0771, on Flickr

 

The picture above shows the back section with the kydex in place the back piece is slightly larger than the front piece, So it cannot fit inside the front piece.

 

I have made a mistake this morning I should have used the kydex and the form to shape the leather for the outer the form will take the kydex and the suede but not the leather as well.

I will use one of the other pieces of kydex to shape the leather then before it dries transfer it to the piece with the suede inside and allow it to dry.

I plan to dye the leather just before sewing the two sections together as I plan to punch the holes they will need to be dyed as well and I think for the best effect it should be done in one go.

Thanks for looking

Michael

[my63]

Forming the outer is very easy I ran the front and back under the tap and allowed the water to soak in.

 

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5493/10994022573_7a4a03335d_z.jpg
IMG_5680 by my0771, on Flickr

 

I used the same form that I used for the kydex in the same way it is drying now

 

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3792/10993906956_703d5094b4_z.jpg
IMG_5686 by my0771, on Flickr

 

I was not happy with the edge finish on the second prototype so I have tried something different this time, before I form the leather outer I wet one end and folded the edge over and clamped it flat, This gives a nice straight edge that I can fold under.

 

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5473/10994027983_076008ac34_z.jpg
IMG_5682 by my0771, on Flickr

 

I will leave the top section in the form like this until it is dry then I will apply glue to these edges as you see them, I will then add the back and apply some clamps.

Once the glue has dried I will punch the holes for stitching and apply the dye not sure which colour to use I think brown or red or mahogany.

Anyone have any thoughts

 

Michael

[my63]

I have glued the front and back sections together.

 

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5508/10997083896_2bb72fa3b9_z.jpg
IMG_5694 by my0771, on Flickr

 

I have not trimmed any of the scrap away as yet.

 

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7440/10997074446_a94981b742_z.jpg
IMG_5688 by my0771, on Flickr

 

Thanks

 

Michael

 

[kiavonne]

Michael, I really like watching your threads. Showing your processes and progress is really fascinating to me, and your end products are so very nice. Thank you for posting these.