Modifying my pouches

[JB]

I purchased some pouches (2 tall, 1 wide) from Steve Austin of Austin Leatherworks at Comic Con this year and received them earlier this month.


Front (2nd tall pouch not pictured)


Back


Side

Problem is, they turned out to be way too thick (3" wide). I am currently working on trying to make them thinner. So far, I haven't had any problems cutting down the sides and re-punching the holes. However, I have to add new snaps (line 24) because I had to cut up the excess leather.

Can somebody instruct me on how to remove an existing snap?

Also, how do you set a new one? I already have the snaps (front and back) as well as the anvil and setter.

Lastly, I'm having some trouble fitting the wide pouch on my belt (seems like he made it too tight). Would you guys suggest taking out the back leather straps and replacing them with metal belt clip attachments?

Thanks

[LoreenShadowchaser]

One side of the line 24 snap has a hollow "post" that the setting tool sort of makes a "flange" on that bends around the other part of the snap to hold the 2 pieces together.



Sometimes when I sent a snap like that, I mess it up. So I then take a pair of needle nose pliers and gently pull and pry off the inside part of the snap.

Did your snap setter not come with instructions? Mine did. I got the Snap-All Snap Setter Kit #8108-00, because I do different kinds of leather projects.



I hope you got the right one, it should look like this:


You just set the outside part of the snap on the anvil, the "top" of the snap goes on the convave side, the "bottom" part on the flat side. These parts have the hollow "post" on them. And then put your leather piece over that.

Then you put the other part of the snap over that and use a hammer (a hammer with a metal head will ruin your punches and other tools, if you use punches setting tools a lot, other types of mallets are recommended for the leather worker, like ones with a plastic or rawhide head) on the setting tool to open the end of the post and make a flange that will bend around the other part of the snap and hold the two pieces together.

Make sure the "flange" you've just created looks even all the way around the post and the snap parts feel locked together or the snap could fail at a later time, with use. I sometimes have to redo a snap, which is why I always have extra ones, just in case.

Spring clips like this can work on a pouch, but I would drill another hole in it near the bend.

[JB]

Thanks for your help. I'll try that later today.

No, I did not get instructions with mine since I just bought the anvil and setter seperately. I have the right setter, but mostly I have problems punching the post part of the snap through the leather. Is there some sort of hole punch I need?

[LoreenShadowchaser]

You don't have a hole punch? You should get a set. I have this one:



There is also one like this.


Don't use a nail for something like this, it just tears a hole in the leather.

A hole punch cuts a nice whole with clean edges.

You can get them at Michael's, where I got my set, or go to Tandy Leather, if you are close to Fountain Valley.

What part of Orange County are you in?

[Olos Nay]

I myself used my dremel to punch holes... I had no tool and the dremel prooved to be better then nothing and I needed the belt.

I would have gotten proper tools, but didn't find any. Next time I have to work leather, I will, as the end result is nicer.
I have been suggested a place near my work that should have leather and tools, I'll start working on my pouches soon :-)

Thanks Loreen for all this info, I will also use it preciously when times come!

[JB]

I knew I was missing something, I have a Michaels nearby my house (I live in Mission Viejo).
Loreen, do you know if they carry the spring clips there? If not I might have to drive up to Fountain Valley...again.

I did practice making a snap using a normal punch and it took forever. I had some trouble making the flange part, it doesn't lay completely flat like the previous ones.

Is there some sort of technique to get it flat, like angling the setter as I hammer it?

I stayed up till 1:00 am hand stitching my pouch together again (I just had to finish it) and I'm pretty proud of my work. Take a look.

[LoreenShadowchaser]

Wow, you made that one pouch about half the depth that it originally was. What are you going to be able to put in it, now?

Did you use an awl to punch the holes (I can hear you thinking, "not another tool!" lol ), or did you just force the needle through the leather? Good job, especially if you just used the needle!

You don't want to angle the setter when you hammer on it, keep it vertical. The tip of the setter should do all your forming correctly for you.

Hmm, I don't know if Michael's has those spring clips or not. I don't remember seeing them, but then, I've never looked for them there. They usually have a limited amount of very basic leather working tools and supplies there.

Sorry I can't help you more in that respect.

[Theyrenotdolls (Den Dragonson)]

very nice work on the pouch mods....i do hope it's not too small, though. if you can do all of that work, you can start with blank leather and build pouches yourself. well done.

TND

[JB]

I based my dimensions from the pouches from MPP productions. He said on his site that the new Episode III pouches are 1.5" wide. Plus I can still fit my commlink in the tall pouch.

I plan on making my wide pouch 2" thick. Do you guys think that is appropriate?

thanks again

[Olos Nay]

Well, as long as you can put what you need in, its appropriate.
I know I'd like to carry my wallet, keys, commlind, badges, some spare materials, batteries.
Therefore 2 to 2.5 inch seams OK on the wide pouch.

[LoreenShadowchaser]

Depends on what you want to carry in it.

My pouches are typically 1 1/2-2" deep, so that sounds good to me!

[Jauhzmynn Enz]

I bet the Cell Phone motorrola Razer model would fit nicly. Nice pouches too.

[Leda EmBorr]

I have a set of pouches that are about the same dimentions as the first pics you posted, Baja. I thought about remaking them to be smaller, but I decided that I might as well just get leather and make smaller ones to fit what I needed to put in them, like my camera, my wallet, and my phone. But I've found that I still need the deeper ones on occasion, like at Dragon-Con, and other conventions where I need to carry more stuff. I'm glad to have the variety.

[JB]

Thanks for all the input.

I was only able to finish the one pouch I posted earlier in time for halloween because I had to narrow down my "synthetic" leather tabbords and make a new obi.

Since I'm kinda skinny, I'm not sure that I'll be able to wear all 3 of my pouches. So I'll probably just modify the wide pouch to 2" (thickness) and keep my 2nd tall pouch at 3" for now.

Here is the finished pouch.


Closed


Open

As you can see, I had a little trouble cutting a perfect curve on the front flap. It was my first time so it'll have to do.

[Leda EmBorr]

Here's a suggestion--- take a brown sharpie marker and run it along the edges to darken them to match the pouch.

But it's a great job!