Making A Pen Case

[Anne-Sophie]

If I remember well, you experimented with raised pattern under suede a while ago.

 

This is lovely!

 

[my63]

Finding the correct depth for the embossing is the tricky bit.

My son has been helping me to do the bits that need 2 hands. I had made the box before surgery but not the tray.

Test fitting the tray inside the box none of the linings a fixed in place yet.

 

2021-07-11_12-16-33 by my0771, on Flickr

 

The outer leather needs to be molded and fitted before any of the inner suede linings can be fitted.

 

2021-07-11_12-17-16 by my0771, on Flickr

 

Now all I need to do is allow it to dry out fully and glue it in place without any creases or lumps, not as easy as you may think.

[Anne-Sophie]

One word, stunning!

 

It is wonderful to see that you have made your craft a family affair.

[my63]

Thanks Anne-Sophie he has a project on my work list and is willing to help to get that done, but it is a start. 

Here is the finished box onece the leather dried out it looked great.

 

2021-07-13_05-01-25 by my0771, on Flickr

 

All of my dressings are off now I hope to resume case making soon.

 

 

[ParramattaPaul]

Five star work!

[Anne-Sophie]

Speechless!

[my63]

After the dressings came off I was able to start basic physio, This meant I was able to finish off some of the cases I could not do before surgery.

 

This is the first a two pen case for Emperor size fountain pens. It is dark purple with red suede and stitching.

 

2021-07-18_07-56-01 by my0771, on Flickr

 

2021-07-18_07-54-53 by my0771, on Flickr

 

Next up was a little Montblanc M series case this is a replacement for one I made that was a little tight, the dont always work.

 

2021-07-18_08-03-53 by my0771, on Flickr

 

Finally the group of cases for John @St Johns pens which he will be selling at the London pen show.

If you want a case for a large pen from stock then pop into the London show on the 25th July.

 

2021-07-18_08-06-40 by my0771, on Flickr

[Anne-Sophie]

The dark purple and red cases are soooooooooo gorgeous!

 

 

[my63]

Thanks Anne-Sophie

Things dont always work out as I plan, I always seem to find the opportunity to make a mistake. Trimming cases to size is my latest one. I actually did this before surgery so I can't even blame that. I cut the flap too close to the stitching it was OK and still worked as a case. It was wrong and I knew it was wrong. Fixing it involved cutting the back off and making a replacement. Simple really (not).

 

2021-07-19_09-34-13 by my0771, on Flickr

 

This is the replacement back panel front flap in place. Here it is stitched together and trimmed correctly this time.

 

2021-07-19_09-35-03 by my0771, on Flickr

 

I am finished the set of cases for John of St Johns Pens which will be offered for sale at the London pen show on July 25th 2021.

 

 2021-07-19_09-34-38 by my0771, on Flickr

 

I hope someone buys one  

[Anne-Sophie]

Thank you for the new pictures! It is helpful to see the inside colors.

 

As far as, the back of the case snafu is concerned, you were still recovering from covid and the nasty infection and your hand was in need of surgery. So there is that.

 

Some people, would let the snafu go, then, sell the item, as is.

 

You are a Master Leather worker!

 

[sansenri]

9 hours ago, my63 said:

I am finished the set of cases for John of St Johns Pens which will be offered for sale at the London pen show on July 25th 2021.

 

 2021-07-19_09-34-38 by my0771, on Flickr

 

I hope someone buys one  

 

These look great! I'm just sad I'm not coming to the London show! ...

[my63]

16 minutes ago, sansenri said:

 

These look great! I'm just sad I'm not coming to the London show! ...

I will be back to making cases to order next week so drop me a message or email my63leather at gmail.

My son and I are goingto carry out some tests on cases this week to see how strong they are..

[my63]

I have been trying for sometime to find a way to test my cases for strength. 

This case is oversize even for me it has a 30mm opening and is 180mm long, smaller cases will be stronger because the span is shorter.

 

 

I was able to damage the kydex liner by repeatidly striking it with the hammer but it did not split or flatten.

Clearly there was no pen in the case.

 

 2021-07-20_06-57-04 by my0771, on Flickr

 

[Anne-Sophie]

I haven't looked at your experiment yet, I just knew you made strong cases. 

[my63]

I have to be honest it was not a serious experiment  

Returning to leatherwork after surgery has been slower this time. I thought it would be nice to work on a bag to help me return. I have exhausted my cases I had started before surgery.

 

This bag or case was given to a friend by his late father it has more sentimental rather than financial value, It is made by Visconti though.

 

Front and back view

2021-08-07_06-14-18 by my0771, on Flickr 

 

All of the corners were badly worn.

2021-08-07_06-12-53 by my0771, on Flickr

 

Two corners had holes this was one of the better ones.

2021-08-07_06-14-07 by my0771, on Flickr

 

I dont patch anything on the outside everything is done from the inside. this means pulling the lining away and reinstating it after patching. I used a large patch so as the corner wears more of the patch will be exposed. Well that is the plan.

2021-08-07_06-15-05 by my0771, on Flickr

 

2021-08-07_06-15-14 by my0771, on Flickr

 

Restored front panel.

2021-08-07_06-16-22 by my0771, on Flickr

 

Inside front.

2021-08-07_06-16-32 by my0771, on Flickr

 

Back panel

2021-08-07_06-16-48 by my0771, on Flickr

 

This has been a gentle restoration the leather was cleaned and has some dye touch ups, it would have been quite easy to re dye the whole bag. But that was not the point  I did give it a feed and polish with carnuba wax.  Rather than trying to match in hand stitching with the existing machine stitching of the original bag I have hand stitched the front and rear panels.

Hoping to restart pen cases soon

 

 

 

[Anne-Sophie]

I saw the strength experiment video, your cases are indeed very strong and beautiful to boot.

 

Your restorations are always invisible, that is the mark or rather the non-marks of a true craftsman.

 

The new case is gorgeous.

 

 

Take you time, recovering slowly, from hand surgery. 

 

Your body had to overcome from the infection and covid as well as, build up immunity with the vaccine's help, with the hand surgery to boot, you seem to be James Bond against health villains. 

 

I believe that your are doing quite well, for overcoming all of that, nicely.

 

If people want one of your stock cases, they can get them from St John Pens, assuming he still has some left.

 

Otherwise, they better start the order process, to be part of your next orders' queue.

 

 

[my63]

Thanks for the kind words Anne-Sophie, 2021 has been another difficult year health wise I have another surgery booked for October which will be the last for this year thankfully.

 

Getting back to case making is important to me and I hope today is the day.

This is a three pen case the kydex has been formed into shape and wrapped in emerald green suede.

 

2021-08-08_03-35-09 by my0771, on Flickr

 

The tricky bit is to form the leather around its mold, A little bit of patience is required. I have altered this mold to be more rounded. I have bought a small outer table to help with this for future molds, for now it is sandpaper.

 

2021-08-08_03-35-37 by my0771, on Flickr

 

That is it for now.

 

 

[Anne-Sophie]

Michael, I am the one who has to thank you.

 

You bring the English tradition of first class craftsmanship on FPN, thus, to the world.

 

We all care a lot about our fountain pens, being able to house and transport them, in a vessel, that is as strong as it is beautiful, is wonderful.

 

When the nightmare is over, enabling  all of us, to travel between continents, with less restrictions, I do hope to meet my63leather team at a UK pen show, one day. 

 

 

[Anne-Sophie]

https://my63leather.wixsite.com/my63

 

You can see Michael's pencase strength test on his blog, above.

 

And, there are more pictures of the, in progress, emerald suede pencase.

[my63]

Thanks Anne-Sophie I am not too sure how up to date the blog is, but here is the latest on the Emerald green case.

 

Fresh out of the mold I applied chocolate brown dye.

 

2021-08-19_05-59-29 by my0771, on Flickr

 

When the dye was almost dry I glued the components together and punched the stitching holes. My process is to start stitching once i reach the top. I make the template for the stitching holes on the flap. I dont really measure anything it is all done with a pair of dividers.

 

2021-08-19_06-01-26 by my0771, on Flickr

 

After a little bit of trimming we have a flap.

 

2021-08-19_06-01-58 by my0771, on Flickr

 

Also on my work bench is a little box. A friend allowed me to purchase some of his stock of Bog Oak. It takes 100's if not 1,000's of years to form and turn dark brown almost black. 

Bog Oak is rare and very expensive so I am thrilled to have it. It is also very hard.

 

 IMG_0938 by my0771, on Flickr

 

After cutting the mitres and a dry fit we added some glue and some tape and clamped everything up. there was a little bit more to it than that but you get the idea.

 

 IMG_1066 by my0771, on Flickr

 

When I make boxes I glue the bottom and top in place then cut the top off with the edge pieces.

 

IMG_1082 by my0771, on Flickr

 

Time to think about the iside there is going to be a matching tray, I needed to make the side panels to get the dimension so I made the top panel at the same time.

 

 IMG_1097 by my0771, on Flickr

 

Please dont ask me to make you a Bog Oak box the wood is rare and very expensive a box this size would be over £500.