Making A Pen Case

[Anne-Sophie]

No comparison, the suede pen slots are just classy.

 

The bag is really beautiful!

 

 

I don't know if pipping is necessary, instead of using your beautiful decorating stitches, so, you best bet might be to ask the buyer.

 

I think a handle in the style of one of the small cases you restored, could be good.

 

But, this bag feels lighter, more feminine, so another technique might be called for. Not one with a core but made of braided leather and attached to the sides of the bag.

 

 

I just got the idea of re-using the cream leather that was made for the pen slot by making leather decorations, like you did in a previous bag, I think the pink one.

 

I don't know if this is possible, but could the cream leather scraps be lightly tinted, looking like a wash more than a dye in light red, blue or pink or even cappuccino to match the dye full colors, I have seen you make, so far.

 

Note that I don't know anything about leather work, and that might not be possible.

 

 

Many congrats, once again, thank you so much for sharing your incredible talent!

Edited April 6, 2017 by Anne-Sophie

[my63]

Do you mean something like this.

This is a version of the flower I made for the first pen hand bag I made.

 

20170403_195104[1] by my0771, on Flickr

 

Edges are by far the hardest part of leather work in my opinion. This is where my edges are at the moment once glued leather can be sanded.

 

20170406_102519[1] by my0771, on Flickr

 

After sanding it is usual to use some type of edge paint to seal and give a finish to the edges this is also sanded until a smooth finish is achieved.

Red edge paint is not easy to find in the UK for some reason there is a company in France and another in Italy that make some but getting it is quite difficult.

So I am currently considering other options including piping and wrapping the edges I will post some sample pictures later.

[Anne-Sophie]

This is indeed the flower I am talking about.

 

 

Below are French makers of leather paints, you might already know them, or the paint quality is not what you are looking for, either way I am trying to be helpful.

 

 

Alta Cuir: This is their site in English, I choose the page about dye, they also have paint.

https://www.alta-leather.co.uk/en/7-leather-dye

 

 

This is the leather paint section of a French hobby store, the site is in French.

http://www.creavea.com/peinture-cuir-20-ml_boutique-acheter-loisirs-creatifs_66504.html#product-choice

Edited April 6, 2017 by Anne-Sophie

[my63]

Thanks Anne-Sophie it is very kind of you the product I was looking for is made by a company called Fenice I think they are based in Italy.

I have managed to find a supplier in Europe who sells it so it is on its way. It is difficult for the Amateur to get hold of certain materials.

My favourite thread is made in France but it is very expensive I have recently been granted a pro account so I can buy at a great discount.

 

Thanks again

 

Michael

[my63]

Although I have ordered some edge paint which is actually a coating which sits on top of the edges that have been joined.

I am also considering this option where a thin strip of leather is wrapped around the edge and then stitched in place.

 

20170407_182721[1] by my0771, on Flickr

 

I don't have lots of this leather so there is no room for mistakes

[my63]

​I have decided to go with the edge binding option as in the sample above, A thin strip of the red leather is cut and skived or thinned to reduce its thickness to around a third to allow it to fold over the edge.

 

20170408_145944[1] by my0771, on Flickr

 

20170408_150208[1] by my0771, on Flickr

 

These pictures show the edge binding glued in place I need to add the piece around the main body of the bag before I can start stitching.

 

Thanks for looking

 

Michael

[my63]

I thought i would share this case with you

 

20170404_081122[1] by my0771, on Flickr

 

I have increased the thickness of the kydex I am using to give even more protection it is only by 0.3 mm to 1 mm so it wont make a huge difference.

 

After the application of some heat and quite a bit of pressure this is what we have.

 

20170404_083507[1] by my0771, on Flickr

 

At this point I realised that I had ran out of black suede so while my supplier sent some over night I started to look at the outer cover.

 

20170405_154253[1] by my0771, on Flickr

 

Once the suede arrived I wrapped the moulded kydex in it.

 

20170405_124251[1] by my0771, on Flickr

 

I was also able to finish moulding the outer cover and add some dye.

 

20170405_154224[1] by my0771, on Flickr

 

Before the dye had dried out completely I made the stitching holes there is a deliberate mistake here.

 

20170405_194950[1] by my0771, on Flickr

 

What mistake I hear you say. basically I punched the first stitching holes in the flap in the wrong place and had to start over.

 

20170406_145354[1] by my0771, on Flickr

 

After taking that backwards step I made the replacement back section.

 

20170406_160937[1] by my0771, on Flickr

 

This time I did a better job cutting out and making stitching holes

 

20170406_173343[1] by my0771, on Flickr

[Anne-Sophie]

​I have decided to go with the edge binding option as in the sample above, A thin strip of the red leather is cut and skived or thinned to reduce its thickness to around a third to allow it to fold over the edge.

 

20170408_145944[1] by my0771, on Flickr

 

20170408_150208[1] by my0771, on Flickr

 

These pictures show the edge binding glued in place I need to add the piece around the main body of the bag before I can start stitching.

 

Thanks for looking

 

Michael

When I saw the sample, I said to myself, this is gorgeous, I hope the bag is made that way!

 

I see that you did so, very beautiful!

[Anne-Sophie]

I thought i would share this case with you

 

20170404_081122[1] by my0771, on Flickr

 

I have increased the thickness of the kydex I am using to give even more protection it is only by 0.3 mm to 1 mm so it wont make a huge difference.

 

After the application of some heat and quite a bit of pressure this is what we have.

 

20170404_083507[1] by my0771, on Flickr

 

At this point I realised that I had ran out of black suede so while my supplier sent some over night I started to look at the outer cover.

 

20170405_154253[1] by my0771, on Flickr

 

Once the suede arrived I wrapped the moulded kydex in it.

 

20170405_124251[1] by my0771, on Flickr

 

I was also able to finish moulding the outer cover and add some dye.

 

20170405_154224[1] by my0771, on Flickr

 

Before the dye had dried out completely I made the stitching holes there is a deliberate mistake here.

 

20170405_194950[1] by my0771, on Flickr

 

What mistake I hear you say. basically I punched the first stitching holes in the flap in the wrong place and had to start over.

 

20170406_145354[1] by my0771, on Flickr

 

After taking that backwards step I made the replacement back section.

 

20170406_160937[1] by my0771, on Flickr

 

This time I did a better job cutting out and making stitching holes

 

20170406_173343[1] by my0771, on Flickr

This is just all around classy, such a rich chocolate color!

 

I didn't see the mistake, but I winced when I read that you had to redo the back.

I remember when you said that you were hurting and now, when you don't post as much, I run to your blog because I am certain I will see more fabulous projects

 

When I have to keep up with your posts it is usually because we have a day or more of really bad storms, producing either snow or possible hail and severe force winds, even tornadoes.

 

In which case my computer is not on.

 

I am sorry that the paint was not was you were looking for, but now, you know they exist.

 

France caters a lot to artisants, many people want to buy something beautiful and well made, once and keep it forever.

[my63]

My mistake with the mahogany case was with the stitching holes normally I cut the shape first and then mark the stitching holes for some reason I changed my metyhod and punched a hole in the wrong place I could have trimmed the edge and made the flap thinner but I decided to unpick the stitching and replace the back panel.

 

20170407_075548[1] by my0771, on Flickr

 

Here is the finished case ready to be shipped to its new home.

 

The red case has progressed a little over the last few days the new edge coat has now arrived and I have been experimenting with it. I have learned a lot from this bag.

 

20170419_092602[1] by my0771, on Flickr

 

I have started stitching around the edges as you can see from the picture above, it is very difficult to get this edging to look right even when the binding piece is perfectly straight it stretches as it is glued in place.

 

I have very little of this leather and should have made a smaller bag I have spoken to my supplier but this colour was discontinued however they have managed to find me a flame red hide which is on its way so I plan on making another actually I had to buy 25 square feet of this leather so I will be making a few bags I have a number of designs in mind.

[my63]

​Red leather has arrived there is quite a lot.

 

20170420_120213[1] by my0771, on Flickr

[Anne-Sophie]

My mistake with the mahogany case was with the stitching holes normally I cut the shape first and then mark the stitching holes for some reason I changed my metyhod and punched a hole in the wrong place I could have trimmed the edge and made the flap thinner but I decided to unpick the stitching and replace the back panel.

 

20170407_075548[1] by my0771, on Flickr

 

Here is the finished case ready to be shipped to its new home.

 

The red case has progressed a little over the last few days the new edge coat has now arrived and I have been experimenting with it. I have learned a lot from this bag.

 

20170419_092602[1] by my0771, on Flickr

 

I have started stitching around the edges as you can see from the picture above, it is very difficult to get this edging to look right even when the binding piece is perfectly straight it stretches as it is glued in place.

 

I have very little of this leather and should have made a smaller bag I have spoken to my supplier but this colour was discontinued however they have managed to find me a flame red hide which is on its way so I plan on making another actually I had to buy 25 square feet of this leather so I will be making a few bags I have a number of designs in mind.

 

The chocolate pen case is perfect, I think this is a very classic piece.

 

I would be a perfect home for an LE pen, great alternative to the gaudy boxes some LE pen manufacturers offer.

 

I believe a wrapping of black leather for the bottom of the bag would make for a great finish, the bag has a great, classic silhouette.

After the finish, you could offer it for sale, that is unless you want to keep it as a prototype.

[my63]

Anne-Sophie thanks for you kind words they are appreciated I have plenty of red leather now so there will be bags for sale at some point.

 

I have three pen cases on the work bench at the moment and as one is for a member here i thought i would share the progress.

 

20170428_103521[1] by my0771, on Flickr

 

Two of the blue strips of Kydex are for this project as it is a twin pen case.

 

20170428_123130[1] by my0771, on Flickr

 

The application of heat and pressure I turned the flat kydex sheet into tubes.

 

20170428_134208[1] by my0771, on Flickr

 

After rounding the ends I wrapped the tubes in turquoise suede and left them to dry.

 

20170428_135836[1] by my0771, on Flickr

 

Thanks for looking

 

Michael

[my63]

In order for this case to function and to protect the suede from the friction fit of the lid I need to fix the two tubes together with an inner leather cover. I use 0.5 mm veg tanned leather.

 

20170429_110307[1] by my0771, on Flickr

 

When I had cut the leather into two pieces and stitched the pieces together down the centre.

 

20170429_123051[1] by my0771, on Flickr

 

I wrapped the tubes in black film to protect the suede for as long as possible then I soaked the leather in cold water.

 

20170429_124945[1] by my0771, on Flickr

 

After moulding the leather I dyed the leather black

 

20170429_204432[1] by my0771, on Flickr

 

The leather needs to be moulded wet and glued to the tubes before it dries out too much. After removing the black film I was extremely careful applying the glue and sticking the tubes in place.

 

20170429_195736[1] by my0771, on Flickr

 

I have set this aside to dry over night.

[my63]

Now that I have made the easy part of this case it is time to make the outer cover it is made in two parts a front and back.

 

As the commissioner had admired the Nintendo Switch case I made

 

20170425_151517%5B1%5D by my0771, on Flickr

 

I decided to try to use the same leather, I say try as the leather I would normally use for this type of case is 2 mm undyed veg tanned shoulder and the leather I used for the Switch case is 5 mm pre dyed veg tanned leather I have not tried to mould this leather before.

 

I marked out the area on the inside of the pieces of leather where the pen tubes would sit. I then thinned or skived the edges to allow the leather to bend. I then soaked it overnight.

 

20170502_105557%5B1%5D by my0771, on Flickr

[Anne-Sophie]

 

The colors are stunning!

 

I can't wait to see more of the case.

[my63]

I have had some problems posting lately but it appears to be working today so here goes.

 

This is the moulded outer cover without the clamps almost dry.

 

20170503_091227%5B1%5D by my0771, on Flickr

 

Once the case was almost dry I marked out a number of holes to assist with assembly one I had cut it in half like this

 

20170503_184812%5B1%5D by my0771, on Flickr

 

having cut the case in half I then glued the top and bottom pieces together.

 

20170503_190900%5B1%5D by my0771, on Flickr

 

I like to add a band around the centre to cover the joint for this I needed a piece of leather the same as the outer cover but a lot thinner I used a skiving knife to remove a lot of the thickness of the leather.

 

20170504_185841%5B1%5D by my0771, on Flickr

 

Here is the band ready to be fitted to the lower section.

 

20170505_120151%5B1%5D by my0771, on Flickr

 

It would appear that I had removed a little too much leather from this band which allowed too much flex so I have made a second one.

 

20170506_154238%5B1%5D by my0771, on Flickr

 

Thanks for looking

 

Michael

[zaddick]

This is looking familiar...

 

Still using my 2 pen case almost every day. I have pretty much stopped using my other cases, except the single pen tube you made when I need 1 or 3 pens at work.

[Anne-Sophie]

I have had some problems posting lately but it appears to be working today so here goes.

 

This is the moulded outer cover without the clamps almost dry.

 

20170503_091227%5B1%5D by my0771, on Flickr

 

Once the case was almost dry I marked out a number of holes to assist with assembly one I had cut it in half like this

 

20170503_184812%5B1%5D by my0771, on Flickr

 

having cut the case in half I then glued the top and bottom pieces together.

 

20170503_190900%5B1%5D by my0771, on Flickr

 

I like to add a band around the centre to cover the joint for this I needed a piece of leather the same as the outer cover but a lot thinner I used a skiving knife to remove a lot of the thickness of the leather.

 

20170504_185841%5B1%5D by my0771, on Flickr

 

Here is the band ready to be fitted to the lower section.

 

20170505_120151%5B1%5D by my0771, on Flickr

 

It would appear that I had removed a little too much leather from this band which allowed too much flex so I have made a second one.

 

20170506_154238%5B1%5D by my0771, on Flickr

 

Thanks for looking

 

Michael

Amazing!

[my63]

Thanks Zaddick this case is the baby brother of your case it only takes large pens not supersize pens that your case was designed for. I am pleased to hear that it is standing up to everyday use my intention is to build cases that last.

 

So the centre band is now stitched in place and once it has fully dried out I can fit the thong to secure the two pieces of the case together.

 

20170508_105129%5B1%5D by my0771, on Flickr

 

Thanks for looking

 

Michael