casaerwin

That is very nice work. Since you stitched that with artificial sinew, maybe you could answer a question for me. I have been hand stitching for many years using waxed thread, but it seems that all of it seems to start to unravel after about 15 to 20 stitches. So, I have been searching the internet, with no results, for how to attach needles to artificial sinew. Think you could help me?

Wow! That Hackbarth starter set still selling for $145!! That's the same price I paid for mine nearly 10 years ago.

Tinker Tailor said: "Look up "buttonhole leather punch" on amazon, craftool. They are listed with an image that shows which hole size works for which stud, and approx how long the slot should be. " Man I wish that were true. I have found no place that tells which size punch to use for which size stud. I finally just sat down at my bench, installed a stud on one piece of scrap and began punching buttonholes until I found one that fit. Want to know what the result was? Well, I found that I don't have a 1/4" round punch, and that is probably the size I will need for the 3/8" studs I am trying to use. I thought I had a 1/4" punch, but it turned out to be an oblong punch and I need a round one.

Here it is 4.5 years later and I still don't know what kind of leather to use for those mocs. I'm think oil tanned.

I cannot for the life of me remember the brand name of my swivel knife. I was looking to buy a new blade and can't remember the name. I have had it for about ten years, have never sharpened the blade, just stropped, and it cuts like butter. Plus, it's the only one I could find at the time with a 5/8" barrel. I can't find a single mark on it which might identify it. Does anyone know how to contact Cathy Schlim? She is the one who placed the order. Just in case you are wondering, there is nothing wrong with the blade I have, but it is a 3/8" straight blade and I wanted to buy a 1/4" angle blade.

Not really. Just remember that anything over 1-1/2 inches is not going to fit in the belt loops of most dress slacks. Jeans are a bit wider, but even then, 2 inches is about the widest . I personally stick to 1-1/4 inch, 1 inch and sometimes 3/4 inch. Also remember that it will have to fit the buckle you buy (unless you make your own buckles)/

I've been making lots of moccasins lately. I found out long ago that moccasins, as they are usually designed, with a soft leather sole, wear out in a very short period of time. So I have been putting a hard sole on the bottom of the moccasins I make. I make the sole out of the heaviest veg-tanned tooling leather I have on hand, preferably 8 oz. or thicker. But that creates another problem, because veg-tanned leather is very slippery. So I have been covering the leather sole with neoprene or similar. The leather sole is stitched to the bottom of the moccasin, but the neoprene is only cemented. When I was living in Peru, I used a contact cement that I bought down there and it worked pretty good. The moccasins I'm using now I made 7 years ago and the neoprene is just now beginning to separate. So my question is, what is the best adhesive to use to bond the veg-tanned leather with the neoprene?

They do come in nickel (plated). I just bought 5 nickel and 5 gold and I too am having trouble figuring out how to install them.

It's been so long you've probably already sold it, but I just wanted to comment that I felt the same way when I first got mine. However, it's now several years later and I find that except for are a couple of setters I've never had a need for, I have put all of these tools to use... plus quite a few more I've had to buy along the way. I paid less than $500 for mine when they had a special sale on it. It was either $399 or $349. P.S. I have to say, though, that there is no way I would ever pay the full price of $999 for it.

Thanks for posting this, Bruce. I'd sure like to see it in person, but that's not likely to happen.

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You're sure right about practice. That's the most important part of learning how to work with leather. BUT, there are some things you can familiarize yourself with while you don't have access to your tools. There are some yahoo groups that have pictorial lessons you can read and familiarize yourself with what each one of the tools is used for. You can read about different kinds and thicknesses of leather and how they measure leather thickness in ounces. You can even visit the Tandy Leather Factory website and watch a bunch of their videos on how to do it. That's what I did while I was waiting for my tools to be shipped to me from the US to Peru where I've been living since I retired.

I can't believe I've been on this forum for about two years now and haven't introduced myself. I began carving leather when I was a teenager just out of high school in Grand Prairie, Texas. I dabbled in it, not very seriously, for probably 15 years. I enjoyed it, but it was just a pastime and I had other things going on. Once I started my computer programming career and eventually my own consultancy, I just had no time for leather work so all my tools got stuck away in a closet somewhere and eventually lost. My wife is Peruvian and after I retired we moved to Peru and I began to think I'd like to take up my old hobby again. It was not an easy undertaking. There are leather artisans here in Peru and saddlemakers for the famous Peruvian Paso horses, but it is completely another world and the tools are very primitive. And there's only a handful of tools that they use. Eventually, I gave up looking for tools here in Peru and began to import what I needed from the US. With shipping and customs it turned out to be a very expensive project. But I eventually collected enough tools and equipment to put together a somewhat respectable workshop... but there are still times when I need something and just have to resign myself to the fact that I can't get it without waiting a long time for it. Like right now, I'm searching for a round knife or a head knife. I've been working at it for right around two years now, and I have made three times as many things as I made in the 15 years I worked at it before. And I'd venture to say that I'm better at it now than I ever was back then. And I believe that the main reason that is true is because of the internet and all the help I have gotten through it. I've also been able to look at the work of some very talented artists by means of the internet, and that has been as big a help, not to mention inspiration, as the hints I get from them. I'm 76 years old now, but I expect to be pounding leather until they plant me. Here are just a few of the things I've done lately:

This is a handbag I made for my sister. Colors are spirit dyes finished with Eco-Flo Saddle Tan antique gel. I used 1/8" tan lace with double loop stitch in the places with just two thicknesses and triple-loop stitch in the places with four thicknesses.

Say, Henry, who should I contact about acquiring one of these clickers to be shipped to Peru?