TSII #458: Starting the Breastcollar

As we saw in the last post, I've bitten off an enormous jawbreaker of a mouthful with this saddle.  After the test piece (a cheekstrap), the breastcollar is now my focus.  I'm breaking it up into stages.  After drawing the tooling pattern and executing it in leather, the next stage is cutting and filing the silver flame pieces.  Then engraving, gluing on the pieces, and thirdly the gemstones are set.  The last step would be some kind of finish, like Leather Glow for the leather, and a liner if needed on the underside.

Tuesday afternoon [April 14]:  Somewhat naturally, these posts are behind where progress actually is.  But I'm letting things dry and trying to get my temper back after knocking over the rinse-water jar.  Can't believe I did that,...  Here is where we last saw this breastcollar:  The paper pattern progression shows the addition of borders to the shoulder and chest panels (or shields).  These lighter-colored shield border strips will eventually sport little stamped gold spots.

The breascollar has been tooled and a first wash of dye color and Leather Glow finish brushed on.  The tiny paper pattern shows the start of making the silver flames.

 To get an idea of what it really looks like, I'm laying the first 2 flame pieces, unengraved, in their place.  An hour has gone into each one, cutting and filing by hand.  Yes those are the files that are doing the work.

Below is a scary photo, because it reveals ANOTHER layer of hard work:  That of cutting off the grain of the leather beneath the pieces, trying to set them deeper.  "Sinking" silver into leather has always been one of my greatest tackmaking challenges.  Why should this be any different?  ...  I've really struggled with this.  It takes dang near another hour to carefully carve off the grain without destroying anything else;  and the result is not perfect, but with maybe only an 85- or 90% success feel.  But it helps.

Below we also see the third flame piece.  I made 3 before switching to engraving, preferring to stick to one stage long enough to make notable progress.  "Managing the artist." 

 Here we have a close up of the first 2 engraved flame pieces glued in.  I'm using Ambroid [a model airplane glue].  There will be further fastening steps during the gemstone setting stage;  and who knows, there may be further developments.  My Muse has been blue-skying hard in this arena but I haven't been brave enough to try them out yet,...

 Here's a glimpse of my next stage:  Engraving!  Yes, this is about two-thirds through... you can tell from the many places still not fully cut.

 I may not make the end of the month, but this is progress.