Tree bark-tanned leather is utilized for mostly craft-making because of its sturdy feature. Think about how less elasticity works for saddles and the soles of your shoes. You can also create a dog collar out of the same material. In a snap, you will have your pet all buckled up and stylish at that. Here is how to make a leather dog collar.
- Determine the collar size. To determine length, get the circumference of your dog’s neck and put in an additional 3 to 4 inches. To determine width, copy the measurement of the buckle’s interior width. Cut the collar from the leather based on the resulting dimension.
- Shape the tails of the collar. Most collars have edges that are triangularly pointed, curved, or squared like that of a sailor’s. Choose any shape you want. You can actually make something out of scratch. If you have one in mind, trace that style on the leather. Use a razor knife and a straight razor to shape the tails and slice the excess.
- Fold the collar back. Starting 1.5 inches from the collar tails, create a crease by folding the back of the collar. Take a slot punch and let its puncher traverse the middle point of the crease. Position one hand as if to thump the puncher and hit the handle with a sledge hammer or a woodblock. Keep hammering on the slot punch until you penetrate the leather.
- Punch holes for rivets. Puncture two-hole sets that align with the position of the rivets on the buckle. These slots should just be the size of the endpoints of the rivets. On the unfolded side from the crease, place two holes that are ¼ inch away from each end and ¼ away from the longer edge of the collar. Align these holes with another two that are created on the folded side from the crease. Use punch broaches and a mallet to create just the right size of slots
- Color the leather. Smoothen the edges and stamp your leather with design. Dye the leather with any color you desire. Let it dry before you rub it with saddle soap or foot oil. When you are sure it is clean, wipe the lubricant with newspaper.
- Customize the collar. Attach the rivets to their respective slots. Place the rivet caps to hold them in place. Next, position the collar around the neck of your dog to check for comfort. Create more holes that should be one inch part from one another to make allowances for the growth of your pet.
Your material should be kept moist at the course of the procedure. You
can keep it damp by spraying water or rubbing with a wet sponge from
time to time. The leather is easier to work on when it stays in this
condition. It is also best to plan ahead regarding your collar size and
style to help you save resources. You should choose as well an
appropriate buckle for the collar. And if there is one thing you should
not overlook in the process, it is the comfort of your dog while wearing
the leather collar that you made.