A Little Leather Work

[James Combs]

I saw something like this on the IAP site and decided to give it a try for myself. The one on the IAP site must have been new leather because it was not nearly as dark as mine.

I had and old belt that I didn't need that had been hanging without hardware on in my office for years. I can now say that it is no longer without hardware.:rolleyes: It may not be a buckle but the gold tone goes well with it.:cool:

I took the old belt and cut it into 1" squares and stacked them all together in a clamp and then covered them with thin CA. After it was dry I treated it like any other pen blank except that I did have to add more CA after drilling the hole and after turning it to size. It turned well but had a peculiar smell, similar to antlers. In other words it stunk.:( May have been all the sweet that I had left in it over the years (probably 30yrs or so). Needless to say this is a carry pen for me. Wouldn't want my sweet being carried by anyone else.:D

Stats:
Hardware = WC Upgrade Gold Wall Street II with Parker Refill
Barrel Material = Leather
Finish = Thin CA to stabilize then several coats of paste wax.

[Tim Thiebaut]

I think this is very cool! I have seen similar uses of leather on knifes, anyone remember the old K-Bar knifes that had the turned leather handle? I had one years ago, probably still around here somewhere. I know that on another site I visit people do the same thing as this with leather to make handles for firesteels, although I think they layer it with 2 part epoxy but still the same outcome, great use of leather good job!

[Bernie Weishapl]

Cool pen James. Guess that is one way to recycle a old belt.

[alex carey]

very coooool pen.

[Curt Fuller]

That made a great pen!

[Lee Koepke]

Great idea.

How does it 'feel' ??? Does it have a softer touch to it (even with the CA)?

[David E Keller]

That's a great looking pen!

[James Combs]

Great idea.

How does it 'feel' ??? Does it have a softer touch to it (even with the CA)?

Yes it does. After Apply a single coat of CA I sanded it back to reveal a little of the leather and then just used wax as a final coat. The initial application of the CA made the leather very dark almost black.

[Michael James]

interesting! Further proof...if you can get it up on the madrel, you can make a pen out of it!

[Peter Hay in Aus]

James,
Like you I saw that other leather used and was amazed at the light colour of it. The way you did yours was a cinch, bit like a hole in one very satisfying.
Neat application of a common product, even more so when it becomes wearable art with your own history. Like did I show you my belt? Been going hell for leather lately.
I like it when a new plan for me comes together.

Regards Peter.

[Bill Hensley]

Very nice. I like the idea of incorporating a personal item.

You should consider creating the pencil with the leather from the matching shoes or boots!

[James Combs]

Very nice. I like the idea of incorporating a personal item.

You should consider creating the pencil with the leather from the matching shoes or boots!

Great Idea.:D It's a shame that I have already given the boots to Goodwill many moons ago.:( However, I think I will look threw my remaining belts and see if I can find a match;).

[Mark Hubl]

That is cool. Nice reuse of the belt.

[Baxter Smith]

Very interesting pen. Never would have thought of that one!