Splitting the light tan bridle leather, From 3.5mm to 2.7mm
Skiving each end avoids a bulky joint. Wrapping masking tape around a hex socket provided the desired diameter for the cylindrical form
Burnishing the dyed edges before glueing around the form
A head knife is perfect for cutting around the socket to make the end pieces
A pricking iron was also used to mark the stitches (at 3.38mm spacing) prior to glueing
The stitch line on the end pieces has a smaller circumference to the cylinder section. Therefore choosing a smaller stitch spacing (2.7mm in this case) brings the number of stitches on each piece nearer to parity and therefore reduces the number of dropped stitches needed
The tricky bit … accurate awl work is needed to angle it at 45 degrees while ensuring the blade enters and exits in the centre of both stitch marks
Lacking suitable curved needles, I had to cut down a couple or normal ones to be able to stitch from inside the end caps
Fettling the joining strap, the aim is to make it just long enough to get the second cap over the lens, once the first is in place
Not having seen the telescopic sights, it’s a case of keeping fingers crossed that the end caps and strap are the right sizes!
Adding the finishing touches with an edge creaser
Genaro kindly sent a photo of the fitted covers