Custom Carved Collar- Start to Finish.

If you’re curious about the process of making our custom carved collars, we’ve laid it all out- here’s a permalink to the page.

Information about ordering your own custom carved collar can be found here.

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Here is the process behind making a custom collar.  In this case, it’s for a dog named Gypsy and began when we received the following email:

“Heya, I just couldn’t resist. I’ve oggled your collars for years, lol..offering the hand carving was just too much for me! So I don’t really have an idea of what I want, haha. Just something carved for my girl Gypsy.

Something I haven’t really shared… is that recently she’s had a spate of problems that have more than likely drastically shortened her life. If I’m lucky, she might be with me for another couple of years…and she will only be seven years in September. She is my soul mate, my best friend…I guess with this collar, I want it to represent that. Represent my love for her, our friendship, and the everlasting bond we have.

All of the carvings I’ve seen from you are just jaw dropping gorgeous, and I feel that you are the best person for this. I apologize that I don’t have a more firm grasp in what I want, but I’m really hoping you may have some ideas….. Thank you,”

After asking the owner some specific questions about what she wanted her collar to “feel” like, if there was any imagery she wanted included, how she wanted the end product to look, she responded with the following:

“I think subtle and subdued, with more natural, earthy colors. I do know that I want it to be a buckle collar, 2″ wide tapering to 1.5”. Oh, and brass hardware–I like it the best on Gyps. As for imagery, I have a loose picture of roses and ivy vines, but nothing concrete. I just can’t figure out a way to work love, friendship, and infinity onto a collar 😛

Bear with me, I’m going to type out the image thoughts as they come to me here..hopefully it makes sense, lol…. Maybe climbing roses, so the vines have the thorns. On one subtle spot on the collar, maybe a blue teardrop, or even a drop of blood on one thorn, representing loss and heartache, and on another a full bloom rose, a little brigher than the others, to represent love and life. Vines twined around a golden heart, representing lasting love and friendship.  I don’t know if any of that will work, or make sense, but something along those lines I suppose.”

I drew up a rough sketch and submitted it for her approval.  She loved it so I began work, you’ll notice it’s much like tattoo work.

I cut the collar to shape, then outline and make a sketch onto paper.

once satisfied with the mock up, the leather is dampened and the pattern transferred

the image transferred onto the leather

carving out the outline with a swivel knife

using tools to create depth and texture

tooling is complete, time for color

painting where color is desired

applying antiquing substance to the collar

collar is lined with a thin pigskin suede

sprayed with a protective coat sealant

the finished piece

Gypsy modeling her new collar-

“Paco crew, this is Gypsy speaking. I just wanna let you know that I personally love the collar, but I think maybe you should start including instructions….because…well…my mom…She’s doing it wrong.”