Nice video. Why do you just mark the holes with the chisels then hit it with the awl instead of punching the chisels the whole way through? Now questioning your technique, just wondering if there's a benefit to it.
I do it differently depending on the leather thickness and the project. If it's relatively thin, I will mark it and then use the awl to push through, if it's thick I may drive the punch all the way through. The hole the punches make are larger than the awl, and the awl makes a smaller and cleaner hole on exit.
Did you ever consider using the plastic from milk containers to line leather craft items? I do it all the time especially for knife sheaths. I am about to build my own deep sea divers weight harness. I need tips on threads for leather that gets wet and saturated everyday. Some days not. Do you ever need to consider expansion and contraction of leather?
Interesting idea with the milk carton. Sounds like a good idea in certain applications. I can't speak to underwater applications. The thread seems like it would not be an issue, but water and leather do not mix in my experience. Leather doesn't do much expanding, more likely to just dry out over time if not conditioned periodically.
MakerDad leather diver harnesses have been used since the diving industry began. It holds up quite well if allowed to dry properly then as you stated reconditioned with non petroleum oils. However; the selection of your oil must not become an attractant to predatory fish; as the oil will be leaching out and where ever it goes will lead right back to you. So an animal or fish oil isn’t a good idea. I guess I’ll use a nylon thread and machine stitch some parts and hand stitch Most parts too thick to sew. Instead of using 4 or 5 wide leather I’m thinking about using 1.5” wide double laminated cow hide and shoe sole leather to hold the weights vertically instead of horizontally. I can add more weight to the belt this way. The shoe soles will keep the belt from twisting over from all the hanging weights. This belt will weigh in at 64+ pounds. The harness material will also be heavy gauge 1.5” wide belting material sewn and riveted. This harness is designed to lift me from the water should I become incapable of leaving the water on my own strength and a billy hoist and winch is used. Do you know where I can find brass buckles and eyelets for the buckle holes and heavy duty brass D rings? I don’t want to have to founder these items myself.
MakerDad the milk carton is a great strong plastic. I use it in lining my machete sheath, my OLD HICKORY KNIFE SHEATH AND MY NECK KNIFE SHEATH. I’ll probably use it in the lamination of my diving harness. It will add the desired stiffness to the leather and increase the tensile strength significantly. I’ll cut the container in a 1.5” spiral and I think I can get enough to make a 42” overall length. The plastic also retards the expansion contraction of the leather which would wear on the threads. I might laminate the shoulder straps too. That thing will be around for a hundred years or more.
Oh my gosh is beautiful!!!
THANK YOU! Exactly what I wanted to learn. 🎉
How much did you add for seam allowance?
1/4" I believe 😊
Nice video. Why do you just mark the holes with the chisels then hit it with the awl instead of punching the chisels the whole way through? Now questioning your technique, just wondering if there's a benefit to it.
I do it differently depending on the leather thickness and the project. If it's relatively thin, I will mark it and then use the awl to push through, if it's thick I may drive the punch all the way through. The hole the punches make are larger than the awl, and the awl makes a smaller and cleaner hole on exit.
Hi WW: What a great and practical project! Beautiful work. What thickness of leather are using, and what is the thread size? Thx.
Did you ever consider using the plastic from milk containers to line leather craft items? I do it all the time especially for knife sheaths.
I am about to build my own deep sea divers weight harness. I need tips on threads for leather that gets wet and saturated everyday. Some days not.
Do you ever need to consider expansion and contraction of leather?
Interesting idea with the milk carton. Sounds like a good idea in certain applications.
I can't speak to underwater applications. The thread seems like it would not be an issue, but water and leather do not mix in my experience.
Leather doesn't do much expanding, more likely to just dry out over time if not conditioned periodically.
MakerDad leather diver harnesses have been used since the diving industry began. It holds up quite well if allowed to dry properly then as you stated reconditioned with non petroleum oils.
However; the selection of your oil must not become an attractant to predatory fish; as the oil will be leaching out and where ever it goes will lead right back to you. So an animal or fish oil isn’t a good idea.
I guess I’ll use a nylon thread and machine stitch some parts and hand stitch Most parts too thick to sew.
Instead of using 4 or 5 wide leather I’m thinking about using 1.5” wide double laminated cow hide and shoe sole leather to hold the weights vertically instead of horizontally. I can add more weight to the belt this way.
The shoe soles will keep the belt from twisting over from all the hanging weights. This belt will weigh in at 64+ pounds. The harness material will also be heavy gauge 1.5” wide belting material sewn and riveted. This harness is designed to lift me from the water should I become incapable of leaving the water on my own strength and a billy hoist and winch is used.
Do you know where I can find brass buckles and eyelets for the buckle holes and heavy duty brass D rings?
I don’t want to have to founder these items myself.
MakerDad the milk carton is a great strong plastic. I use it in lining my machete sheath, my OLD HICKORY KNIFE SHEATH AND MY NECK KNIFE SHEATH.
I’ll probably use it in the lamination of my diving harness. It will add the desired stiffness to the leather and increase the tensile strength significantly. I’ll cut the container in a 1.5” spiral and I think I can get enough to make a 42” overall length.
The plastic also retards the expansion contraction of the leather which would wear on the threads.
I might laminate the shoulder straps too. That thing will be around for a hundred years or more.
Nice blue thread, I like it a lot.
Beautiful craftsmanship
Great video . Thank you..
nice job
Thank you!