Leatherwork Question - Cutting Out & Applying Overlay

ddavelarsen

ddavelarsen

Joined
Dec 7, 2000
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I'm getting ready to cut out my first overlay for a sheath. The overlay is 3-4 oz leather. It'll have "lines" about 1/8" wide sewn down to the decorative leather covering the sheath. (If this makes any sense; better nomenclature would probably help, and now you know how ignorant I am of this process - I don't even have the vocabulary to ask a proper question. :rolleyes: Anyhow.)

I have two questions that I know of right now. First, I'm thinking that I will want to stick the overlay leather to a stiffer backing of some kind to hold it steady while I'm cutting it out. Good idea? Dumb idea? Overkill? Assuming it's a good idea, what kind of sticky stuff might I use that will allow me to easily remove it from the backing when it's cut out?

Second, what kind of sticky stuff should I use to lay it over the sheath for stitching? Using contact cement might be difficult because the pattern is pretty involved and I don't know how I'd get the contact cement just where I want it on the decorative part without going "outside the lines." I'm considering just using spray adhesive on the overlay only and hoping that will hold it well enough for sewing. Might that be sufficient?

And who has some good suggestions for this project that I will not have considered? I appreciate any help. Thanks,
 
I am not a good one to answer, but on my last sheath, i used a glue stick (glue in a round tube that came out like deodorant, used for paper stuff in schools i guess, got 3 tubes for $1 at the dollar tree store) to stick them together so i could hand sew them. seemed to work pretty well for me, if i needed to remove them they weren't hard to get apart.
for your otherthing, have you thought about maybe using one of those rolls of sticky paper like for counters?
 
Dang Terry, the shelf paper is a great idea! That's just the right amount of sticky and stiff to do what I had in mind. This place is fantastic, what a bunch of fine problem-solving minds we have around here... :cool:

I may give the glue stick idea a try too, I have one here in my desk. Thanks man!
 
Dave, for those situations I use clear packing tape for cutouts as well as for heavy carving. For glue I use yellow carpenters glue with a fine tip. Dave :)
 
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