Care and feeding of Snake(skin).

Haha, I gots all of that, sanding blocks (many), spray 77, rubber cement, disk sander, belt sanders, sandpaper and belts/disks. Got some gum trag, beeswax,a #2 edge beveler, and various bone folder/burnishers.

Just need to get the elbow grease greasing. ;)
 
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Oh well heck! Even em out on the disk, then go to the belts for dress up after stitching, then to 3xx grit with dampened edges by hand and you'll end up with a nice smooth edge with very little if no lumps or voids.

Stitching always pooches out the leather in spots, thats where the belt comes in so handy. :)
 
Looking at the pics, I think I need to take some that give you guys more of an idea of how they are.

The edges are pretty even and square. I have to admit that I used eco flo dye on it, and I know some have had good experiences with it, but I won't use it again. I'm sure my order of doing things was way out of order, but I've never (in my admittedly little) experience had bleeding from the dye even remotely as bad as this. I dyed, then wet formed which was a BAD idea using water based dye. At least in this instance. I've done it that way with Fiebings spirit based dye and not had a problem. I was worried about it before I even started so I left it to dry overnight before attempting the wet mold. This is the first sheath that I didn't dye the inside of, and that was because of the same concerns. I'm glad I didn't too. Would have been dye soup. For the wet mold, I only put a little water inside, then let it soak in. Looks pretty ugly around the mouth, so I may go back and dye it inside with Fiebings using a dauber. Even so, the edges are in a good place to burnish correctly for the first time (for me). My first sheath had unevenness and voids, my last had stitching too close to the edge to sand enough leather away to get it even, but this one is good. I think.

I appreciate your comments and I'll post pics after burnishing.
 
True on that dye, it does like to come back and leech around when its dampened, which gives me some ideas for custom dye jobs. Kind of like watercolor! Going to have to do some experimenting, and getting back to my dye thread today I hope!

Its kind of nifty seeing burnishing coming back with so many. I'll burnish single thickness pieces like belt loops, sheath mouths and the shoulders on the sheath body but I rarely burnish the main body of the sheath. The final wet sand normally smooths up everything perfect enough for the dye and tragacanth rub down. There's a bit more work in this process but to me the effect is more natural to my eye rather than the slick burnish. :)
 
Dwayne, what do you mean by main body? I'm burnishing the edges, and around the mouth. On the two that had fold over belt loops, I burnished the flesh side of the loop the best I could, but didn't have gum trag at the time. I also now have a decent bone folder. Am I missing something? I'd like one of those glass stickers too, but they are expensive for what they are.
 
What I mean by main body, is the welt area, sorry about that. Its difficult when there are no concrete names for these different parts. I more often than not see the edge as where I use my edger to knock the sharp bits off. Sand paper takes on the rest of the smoothing. A reversed old used up grinding belt does a pretty darn good job at burnishing an edge that has been lightly wetted with a sponge. Dont lick your leather by the way, no telling whats in that skin, anything from rodent droppings, insect spray, and anti fungal agents could and most likely are on that leather.

I've looked at those glass slickers as well, and yea, not really worth it unless you have a very large area to burnish out.
 
leatherman said:
What I mean by main body, is the welt area, sorry about that. Its difficult when there are no concrete names for these different parts. I more often than not see the edge as where I use my edger to knock the sharp bits off. Sand paper takes on the rest of the smoothing. A reversed old used up grinding belt does a pretty darn good job at burnishing an edge that has been lightly wetted with a sponge. Dont lick your leather by the way, no telling whats in that skin, anything from rodent droppings, insect spray, and anti fungal agents could and most likely are on that leather.

I've looked at those glass slickers as well, and yea, not really worth it unless you have a very large area to burnish out.
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Ah, that makes more sense. ;)

Okay, so I decided that I hate the edge color. I sanded it off. That's one of the things I love most about making my own crap. I can do whatever I want with it and not feel bad.

So this is sanded to 320 (ending lightly in one direction) followed by a light application of beeswax (I'm not that impressed with gum trag yet), then burnished like crazy with a little water and a nylon bone folder, then dry denim.

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I'm not sure that it can be taken up a notch or not, but would love to hear any ideas. I muuuuch prefer the "new" edge, but can't help but think it could be better. The above was taken after a lot of effort, but I'm tenacious and willing to destroy the finish to try something else. It's become painfully clear that my picture taking ability is sorely lacking, but I'm doing my best.

As an aside... I carried the knife and sheath over the weekend at Pismo beach and it was great! My sheaths thus far are not at all suited to tactical use, but that's not why I carry a knife. I also realized a little while ago that I forgot to go over all of the stitches with the overstitcher. That really helped the stitches to lay into the groove that I had cut into the veg tanned under the snakeskin. Looks much better. Backside too. :)

Edit- I guess you can kinda see how the stitching sunk into the groove in this pic. I wasn't aiming to photograph this when I took the picture, so it's the best I have at the moment.

v0Js2vE.jpg
 
Hey Dwayne, or anyone else...

I'm really having trouble figuring out what the shiny black, and dark red skins are. I've been looking at whip snake pics, but these skins look to be much bigger than the skin on the pics I've looked at. Any chance you might be able to narrow it down at all? Part of the problem is that I don't know if any of these have been dyed, but assuming not, I'm struggling anyway.

If you have no idea, are there any resources that you know of that can help identify snakeskins?

The last thing I want to do is give away (or sell eventually) an item and say "I *think* the inlay is xxxx...". Sounds pretty unprofessional! :o
 
I gave it another look and without having it in my hand its difficult at best, but,

They both could very well be some kind of python, especially if they are over six inches wide. I've only had a few whip snakes get that wide, but its possible. Most of my whip snake skins are paper thin, most are under six feet long, and the scales are relatively small and very flexible.

I can all but guarantee that both are dyed, I could be wrong, but I bet I am not. Being an amateur herpetologist most of my life helps a little, but those skins are way off the charts of natural color.

Are those two very thin, like paper thin? or do they have some thickness to them? Do the scales stand prominent, or do they lie flat almost level with the rest of the skin? Are there stamps on the back of the skin stating country of origin?

If all else fails, its whip snake. :p
 
I would classify all as being very thin save the black skin. Not sure if another pic would help.

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Unfortunately, the black skin was the only one with a sticker, but someone removed it before it got to me.

The scales on all of them lay pretty flat, again, the black skin stands out a bit because the scales are thicker, more apparent when brushed the wrong direction.
 
That black does look a bit thicker than a normal whip snake. Whip snake normally is about the thickness of typing paper, that low grade stuff you get at wal mart, some is like tracing paper thickness.

The scales also look rather like a pythons. I dont see too many solid color python skins, but they are out there. Most of them have those stark black and white markings.
 
Thanks brother, I'll call it whython. :D

Seriously though, I appreciate your help. The black one is definitely thicker than light weight printer paper.

While I have your attention, you ever bought from S T Leather? Their prices look to be too good to be true (aside from a few things, including veg tanned), they are faaaar lower than Tandy or SLC. Might place an order just to see what I get. A $5 freehand groover might be junk, but then I'd only be out $5. Those nice big glue pots (you or Paul has one I believe) are like $25... Looks like the same thing too if the picture is to be trusted anyway.

Also, which exotic skins (doesn't have to be snake) do you like most, like working with most, and which do you find is most popular?
 
Ah! I have ST Leather on my computer as we speak. Looks interesting, I'll sniff around and let you know. :)

Glue pot, no, I dont see the need. Have not needed one ever, probably never going to plunk that kind of money down so I can brag that I have an expensive place to keep my glue. :p K.I.S.S.

I have the Tandy freehand groover and use it a LOT. Its really nice for grooving the inside of sheaths where the belt loop stitching goes. I dont know how I got along without one back in the day. Little price, big dividends.

For inlay's, I'm always looking for something different. Monster alligator or croc like I had a few years ago, that beast was estimated over 15 feet long. I'll not likely see one like that again. I have some anaconda that I can dye the color I please or antique, love it but cant find more. I also have some antique anaconda from a 40's era clothier, so cool. Beaver tail is interesting stuff! So is the next thing I've never worked with before. Never pass up the opportunity to dig in that box at an estate sale, you never know what you'll come up with, also make friends with taxidermists, those guys come up with the oddest materials.
 
Yeah, I'd LOVE to get a gator skin that has the big spikes (whatever they're called) running down the middle. That would make a killer inlay or overlay. I like the look of ostrich knee, of course shark and all the other usual exotics. Do you know anything about string ray? Specifically about the "eye"? I'm assuming that's dyed/bleached? I've seen them in Jolly Roger and other shapes that are obviously not natural...

Yeah a freehand groover is something I want a lot. I use my adjustable v gouge for the interior belt loop groove, but a groover would be much more elegant. I'd like a French skiver/edger too. Actually, that store has a lot of tools that are between five and ten bucks that go for way more everywhere else. Might pick up a $10 light box and some stamping tools. Poundo boards are also cheap. I'm not sure about their veg tanned. If it's quality like they claim, it's a good price.

Gonna have to get another shopping list together. I really need leather more than anything at this point, but still not sure where to get it.

Did ya buy anything?
 
Speaking of ostrich and emu, yes! I love that stuff. The emu is much more prominent with those large scales at the toes and shin area while ostrich is rather flat but they both look very dinosaur like eh? :)

Yes, ray skin is most all colored in one way or the other, and its sanded at the eye area. Take any of those colors and sand the surface and you find white calcic nodes. I had the good fortune to work with some rawhide ray skin a while back and its totally different than the finished stuff. The eye actually has a hook like appearance to the nodes, it will rip ya wide open if you rub it wrong. Its an off white color as well. I walked up on some sting rays on our coast one year, these were brownish in color. They were surfing of all things, I could see them inside the waves as they came toward me. Odd feeling.

I am curious about that company as well, the leather looks and is worded a lot like Tandy. Prices are almost too good to be true, I agree. I might have to order something soon as well. :)
 
leatherman said:
Speaking of ostrich and emu, yes! I love that stuff. The emu is much more prominent with those large scales at the toes and shin area while ostrich is rather flat but they both look very dinosaur like eh? :)

Yes, ray skin is most all colored in one way or the other, and its sanded at the eye area. Take any of those colors and sand the surface and you find white calcic nodes. I had the good fortune to work with some rawhide ray skin a while back and its totally different than the finished stuff. The eye actually has a hook like appearance to the nodes, it will rip ya wide open if you rub it wrong. Its an off white color as well. I walked up on some sting rays on our coast one year, these were brownish in color. They were surfing of all things, I could see them inside the waves as they came toward me. Odd feeling.

I am curious about that company as well, the leather looks and is worded a lot like Tandy. Prices are almost too good to be true, I agree. I might have to order something soon as well. :)
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I took the kids to the zoo the other day. Funny how you look at all the critters with a different curiosity when you start using their skin. ;) In particular, I took extra pics of the ostrich and emu, the gators, cobra and other reptiles as well as some furred beasts. The only roo I've ever had is on my race leathers, but they are super supple tanned the way they are. We got to pet a bunch of the ray and small shark. I just love the coarse feel!

Thanks for the explanation on the eye, that makes more sense. Does that mean you could manufacture eyes over small regular pieces of the hide? I think the eyes look cool, but one per hide makes that spot a commodity. Btw, I'm generally not a chicken, but I'd crap myself if I found myself in the water with rays. Something about this traumatic experience I had in Hawaii when I was a kid. :o

Yeah, there are a number of pics on that site that are either the same item that Tandy sells or even ripped right out of their catalog. Mixed in with all the crazy low prices are Osborne stuff and Stohlman mauls and what not. Very weird. Seriously, if they weren't stateside I may not deal with them, but they are. Their website blows. Reminds me of the old ads in the back of magazines, the old black and white ones with the drawings of whatever they were selling. Irritates me that I have to call to order, but it may be well worth the small effort. We'll see.
 
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