Shell Cordovan Forming

[scoobydo]

After a lot of waiting and searching, I finally came across some True Shell Cordovan Leather.
Stamped "Horween" on the back.
I have been sitting on it a while and have not decided what to do. I thought about making a sheath for my Busse, but was wondering if anybody has ever worked with the stuff and know if it can be wet formed?
I was not willing to take a risk at ruining it.
Worst comes to worst, perhaps I can just make a strop out of it.
Anybody work with Cordovan?

 

[rayban]

I've tried it just to see how it worked for me.....I found it was good for like a slip sheath type thing....but no molding, it's just not gonna keep a shape...it springs back to flat.
It's pretty however, just have to find the right application for it.

 

[scoobydo]

Rayban:
Yeah, I hear you. It is awesome stuff, but there is no stretch to it whatsoever.
Maybe I will hold on to it until I can find the right use.

 

[stitchawl]

I was lucky enough to get a full shell of Horween's Cordavan. It makes the very finest finishing stop of any leather I've discovered to date. Just don't ruin it by putting compounds on it!


Stitchawl

 

[scoobydo]

I was lucky enough to get a full shell of Horween's Cordavan. It makes the very finest finishing stop of any leather I've discovered to date. Just don't ruin it by putting compounds on it!


Stitchawl

Thanks!
did you mount the strop to anything? (like a mousepad, etc.) or did you make an old school belt strop?

 

[stitchawl]

Thanks!
did you mount the strop to anything? (like a mousepad, etc.) or did you make an old school belt strop?

Having the full shell section I was able to make several strops.
I made a 15"x 3.5" hanging strop with a brass swivel top and a textured leather handle.
As I wanted a few different sizes of bench strops, I picked up some maple at the home center, sanded and smoothed the edges, and made
12"x4", 9"x3", and 6"x3". All are roughly 7/8" thick. The reason for the odd sizes is that I used wood from the scrap bin. I did no wood cutting myself. I also mounted a piece of Cordavan on a 2" half-round dowel and a 1/2" birch dowel for recurves, and a 4"x2 piece of MDF for a portable strop. All the leather was glued to the blocks with contact cement.

I can honestly say that I have found NOTHING that beats this leather as the final step in putting on a ridiculously sharp edge on a knife blade!

Stitchawl