Help!

[davebozell]

I have a small shooting bag that I have had for 15 years.  It seems to be well made, but it's kind of plain and...orange.  I would like to modify it so that it's not so plain and no longer orange.  Any help and/or advise would be greatly appreciated.

[Jerry V Lape]

Some ideas:  Stain it a darker color; put a darker leather binding around the sides and bottom of the flap  and around the opening ; inlay a contrasting colored shape into the flap; replace the strap with a colorful woven strap. 

[davebozell]

What type of stain would you use?  The leather is "sueded". (Not sure if that is a word.)  I was afraid it might absorb unevenly.  I also thought about applying a fox face to the flap.  Not sure if that would be anywhere close to HC.

Thanks,

Dave

[wattlebuster]

Give it a walnut hull bath

[Mark Elliott]

Distress it.     Smear on some soot; throw it in a mud puddle; and drive over it a few times with the car.   It will look a lot more authentic. 

[T.C.Albert]

Well...I would keep it for what it is as it is and maybe consider making a new one?
tc

[Horner75]

Well...I would keep it for what it is as it is and maybe consider making a new one?
tc

X2

[Hungry Horse]

 My only question is how in the devil did you use this bag for all that time and keep it pristine. Mine was a light buff colored buckskin, and now it looks like a grease rag, with powder stains, patch lube stains, and blood stains,and those are just the stains I can identify. You can darken the bag using some of the processes mentioned, or you can darken it by using any type of oil used to weatherproof shoes and boots. You can lighten it by soaking it in Rit dye remover, and then drying it in the sun, and then re-breaking it in the dryer, on air only, with some tennis shoes thrown in to do the breaking.

                  Hungry Horse

[davebozell]

Thanks for all the advise.  (I expected the "make a new one" comment, and am working in that direction.) Since I don't have anything to lose, I'll try to darken it as you all suggested.  It's stayed in nice shape since it never has been used as a hunting bag.  I used it as a place to carry a wallet when I had to demonstrate my treadle lathe in local festivals.  Luckily no major blood was shed doing that.😀

[Levy]

The squirrels that I hunt don't have much of an opinion about my bag.  I'd use it until it looked used or buy a nice one form Tim Albert (shameless plug).

James Levy

[Marcruger]

"Well...I would keep it for what it is as it is and maybe consider making a new one?"

Easy for you to say TC......yea of great talent.   :-)   

[iloco]

"Well...I would keep it for what it is as it is and maybe consider making a new one?"

Easy for you to say TC......yea of great talent.   :-)   

Tim makes a great bag.  I have a double he made for me.  It is first class all the way.

[T.C.Albert]

"Shameless Plug"....that's the brand of tobacco I generally chew...but then for dessert I usually get a big serving of crow and humble pie....but seriously, making a new bag would take just about as much time as experimentally antiquing up a suede one...as has been said, a coat of mink oil or snow seal will give it a different look...but if you decide afterwards you don't like that look, its a little too late...
tim
  

[davebozell]

I can experiment with the strap since it is the same color and material.  If I don't like it, I can always just swap out the strap. Like I said before, I don't have much to lose here.  Thanks again for the advise.  I really enjoy seeing everyone's work.