Tooled Leather Seat

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OCD

OCD

Joined
Nov 21, 2009
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Nanaimo, BC, Canada
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To keep busy while waiting for the spokes to arrive for my current project, I thought I'd try my hand at a tooled leather seat for a previously completed one. My plans for the newest build include a leather seat too.

Leather molded to shape of seat pan, note paper pattern in background, design traced onto leather
patterntraced.jpg


Progress as the carving and stamping begin
beginningstamping.jpg
 
I believe the thickness of leather is referred to as being 6 ounce, it's roughly 1/8" thick. If you soak the leather and mold it around the seat pan, it will retain the shape until you soak it again. The seat pan is still inside the leather so I can use it as a base for carving/tooling. Here's the bike I'm making the seat for, that little stock sized one just looks out of place with the proportions of the bike. I was rapidly approaching the deadline for a bicycle build off, so along the paint I needed something quick and easy. The pattern I've chosen is meant to tie-in with the shifter knob I carved.
newwheel1.jpg

Img_6028.jpg
 
8) Love the bike and the celtic seat. My wife love's everything celtic I my have to steal that idea but I do it with love. :oops: :wink:
 
You might say I have an affinity for Celtic motifs, I was born in Scotland and am Irish on Mum's side, Welsh on Dad's side. My eyes are really going crossed trying to carve this seat. I believe the design is about 1500 years old and from an illuminated manuscript known as 'The Book of Kells'. The shifter handle was originally carved for a non-bicycle project but I believe it will guide the rest of the build.
drink.gif
Slainte!
 
that is sick i need to get a tooling kit and learn how that is just neat. and i dont know how i missed that bike that is neat too
 
i dont know how i missed that bike that is neat too
Click to expand...
Don't worry, I never posted it here before. I built it for a build-off over on CBN (Rip). Don't be afraid, go out, buy tools, learn a new skill (I did) :wink:
 
:shock: :shock: :shock:
I got to learn how to do that!
Great frame design, man you are on fire!!!
 
Here it is with a bit of colour, a few touch-ups to do then seal, mount and ride. It's far from perfect, but I'm learning lots. Painting with dye is a whole new experience for me. Next I'll have to redo my scratched & chipped paint work :roll:

colour4.jpg
 
Thanks for your positive comments. Yes, it's a stock seat pan that I centre punched and drilled all the way around. Starting with a ripped up old cruiser seat, I reused the pan/foam/liner and laced the seat on. I redrilled the mounts to fit the existing suspension seat frame from the bike and welded 1/4" nuts on the inside to ease mounting. I would likely use thinner leather if done the same way next time as it bunched up and was a bit difficult to get smooth around the nose of the pan even though I soaked the leather well before molding to shape. I've only done a few simple designs before, this is the most adventurous pattern I've ever carved, so I learned a lot about the use of a swivel knife and stamping tools.
 

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