Saturday, March 22, 2014

The pliers sheath reviewed after 3 months of use - a success!

Around November 1, 2013 i posted a leather pliers sheath design i had made.

wet formed around my favorite old Cee Tee pliers, i was hopeful to come up with a durable sheath that would be much more dependable and better looking than what can be purchased locally.

as the crap hardware store pliers (on the left) ages, the thin leather stretches and deforms starting at the loop. the poor quality also dries out extremely fast. 
for my holder i purposely chose a thicker 6-8 ounce leather.  the back is two full layers thick with the leather's underside cemented together, never exposed. this has proved very reliable. 
handmade leather pliers sheath vs a poorly made store bought one
image when first made 3 months ago
the wet forming keeps the pliers in place very well and still does. there be no falling out if working on one's side or upside down for that matter.

below is the sheath as of this morning. leather and threading in great condition after three months. 
the handmade leather pliers sheath after 3 months of use

after that last photo i did apply a very light coating of neatsfoot to keep this sheath in its optimal shape. while i was there i gave it a quick polish and buff, too. i want the tool sheath to be as maintenance free as possible, but the fact remains that all leather needs attention.
especially if the leather is a real working leather, exposed and abused (as it should be).
the handmade leather pliers sheath after 3 months of use and a light coating of neatsfoot, then polish & buffed

this has been a very successful project. 
later this spring, i will probably be making some for sale on my Etsy shop.
i have purchased some great quality vintage pliers that i will sell with them, a sort of complete package.

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