A Lion Passant, also called a leopard (Wikipedia).

[Dennis]

Each term, at the college I attend, we are set a project and I have learned to make something with a person in mind so as not to add to my stash of useless dust collectors. This time we were asked to make an object inspired by our summer reading.

During the summer I had read ‘The Leopard’ by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa, a story about the civil war and unification of Italy. The protagonist is the Prince of Salina, whose heraldic emblem is the leopard.

I chose this Lion passant more for its looks than authenticity, to make a new buckle for belt of natural hide and for economy decided to use brass.

The lion is made of four layers, the top three formed in my hydraulic press, to give height. For contrast the tongue was added in copper as were two silver fangs. Dennis.

[CheekyLemur]

Wow, I love your lion and the way you built it up in several layers. It looks great! btw, bit of a heavy read for your hols!!

[mizgeorge]

I like that a lot Dennis. I liked the book too. Now I want to re-read it!

[caroleallen]

Lovely work Dennis.

[ps_bond]

I do like the buckle, Dennis. If you're open to suggestions on the belt, running an edger along the length of it will change the appearance drastically - it blunts the edge and evens it up. Best to lightly damp the edges of leather before you do as it improves the finish of the cut.

But then, I've been known to over-egg things

[Dennis]

Thank you all for your comments.
George I enjoyed the book, particularly how the old prince decides not to oppose the revolution, but simply to ignore it. His favourite, also his adopted son and heir, actually joins Garibaldi’s troops and so his inheritance is saved. I also like the biscuits...

Peter, you’re right I should do more to the leather edges. Because I only make a few buckles in the year, I have generally just bought inexpensive men’s belts at M&S and used the straps. When I finally bought straps from Le Prevo, which come in various colours, I asked them about this and they just sent me some gunk to apply which did little but leave tide marks. I guess you have to use the edging tool first and then re-measure, for fear of having the buckle too loose.

Regards, Dennis

[ps_bond]

The edging tool just takes off the corner of the cut strap, making it a little rounder/softer edged, it doesn't change the width of the belt. I usually use gum tragacanth on belt edges, allow it to dry a bit and then burnish to set the fibres. A bone knife handle makes a good burnisher, but I've used plastic pens in the past too.

One of these is what I have in mind - http://www.tandyleatherfactory.co.uk...s/8076-02.aspx - Le Prevo almost certainly sell them too (although a length of silver steel round with a short polished curve one side and a notch cut in the other side with a separating disc to form a blade edge at the notch would do quite well).

[Dennis]

Following Peter’s advice above, I sent for an edge beveller, which is rather like a two pronged fork with a sharp cutter between the prongs. My photo shows the heap of thongs from bevelling first the outside and then the inside edges

I also bought a slicker, which is rather like a wooden pulley (back right), to polish the edges, but it has a tendency to mark the surface unless you hold it just right. Given that this is an old, used strap and that they are all interchangeable, I did not mind too much for my first effort. I soon realised as Peter said, that the barrel of a plastic pen was safer to use and just as effective.

All these operations were best carried out with the leather dampened. Finally I applied clear Edge Cote, but rather than use the traditional dauber I found that a painting sponge (bottom left) was much more precise. Much of this I learned from a slim book: Leathercraft tools by Al Stohlman. The book, tools and materials came from Le Prevo Leather.

The second image is my home grown Santa, to wish you all a happy Christmas. Dennis.

[Kathryn Harrison]

Hehe I like the santa!

[ps_bond]

That looks nicely finished Dennis! I've not tried clear Edge Kote -I've used the coloured ones a couple of times but found the result looked too artificial for my liking (hence the traditional approach on burnishing). Stohlman is very good, particularly his Hand Sewing booklet; there are a couple of good UK books around too, including Valerie Michael's Leatherworking Handbook (if you can find it for a not-stupid price nowadays). Keith Savory's books are also very good, but rather more focussed on bridlework & similar.

The Santa is fun - having brought my chillis indoors to over-Winter, the daft things are continuing to flower.