Tiffany

That looks marvelous.

I bought one of his "slim" awl blades and it worked great right out of the box for 8 SPI. If I use a pricking iron to accurately mark the exact angle of each hole and push the blade the minimum necessary,it will also work well for 10 SPI. For 12 SPI. I was on a business trip to Atlanta and browsing around the Tandy store when a "professional knife sharpener" pulled up in an old VW van. He took the 2nd awl blade and tapered it down to the right size for 12 SPI and charged me $10..you can barely even see the tip. He said he's been doing this for 35 years. I've used it to effortlessly pierce 2 layers of 15 oz skirting as if it was suede. He made a comment that the steel used in making the Douglass blade was definitely top notch.

Jim Thanks for the reply. That's interesting. A few of the professional saddlers in the UK I've read on various boards use it...maybe that's just what's available?

Like Potsie said, "Funny as a crutch Rich"

Is anyone familiar with this type of thread? I've seen it referenced as standard 3 cord, Polyester, waxed thread...is it a particular brand name? Noone in the States appears to carry it.

Are the edges of this piece creased, fused and burnished or is it a "roll" of material sewn through from top to bottom. I've read several places that "rolled" edges aren't appropriate for leather heavier than 4-5 oz, but most commercial items I've seen (up to and including some "high end" briefcases like the old school, pre-China Mulholland brothers) use it as well. Given that you can literally pull the thread out of most commercial leather products with little effort, I'd venture that "rolled" edges are a distant second to burnished in terms of durability?

I'm looking for some nice sharkskin to make a belt for my boyfriend. I have some Black Elephant and Hippo to trade if anyone is interested.

I was trying to find a source of the original Barbour's hand sewing thread that Al Stohlman uses in his "The Art of Hand-Sewing Leather" but not having any luck except on Ebay.

http://www.bowstock.co.uk/tutorials.html

So being a stickler for historical accuracy and just plain enamored with how things were done in the "good old days", I followed the instructions from an old shoemaker/holster maker in Rhode Island and cooked up some "Coad" over the weekend. 1/2 part Pine Pitch to 1/2 part Pine Resin, a bit of Pine oil and a cake of beeswax, cooked in a pot outside in my backyard then tossed into a bucket of cold water and kneaded into cakes. This stuff sticks like the dickens to the Barbour unwaxed linen thread...and your hands, and your clothes... LOL Anyone else ever try making or using this stuff?

I was talking to a saddler in the UK and he said he's been using Mars oil instead of Neatsfoot..anyone know of a source here in the states?

I have a new briefcase almost done and I wanted to try to sew a nice piece of hippopotamous leather on the front flap. What's the best way to do this? I was thinking I would cut the hippo leather to fit the front of the briefcase, glue it on, then sew a border of bridle around the front to attach the hippo underneath. I saw someone else do it a different way (I think?) where the covering leather is stitched on the back of the front briefcase panel (grain of hippo to flesh of bridle) and it's "pulled" around the front. Is that correct? If I were to do it that way, I'm a little unclear about what to do about the top and bottom? Thanks!

I use the Royalwoodltd waxed Irish linen thread...7 and 12 cord depending on how heavy the leather is. It's top notch. Lots of colors too, but a little hard on the pocketbook if you want to stock a lot of colors.

I'm on a business trip in Atlanta this week and was wondering if there are any exotic skin dealers in the area? (shark, alligator, etc.)

Hi Ed, I'm ordering from Siegals right now until I can find something better. That Tandy stuff just didn't cut it at all. BTW, what are you using for thread in your Walden bags? Waxed Irish Linen or synthetic? My husband had some Kevlar thread floating around that I used to sew up the high stress points on one of my document cases. I used a thin strip of sole bend with elephant on the outside and didn't notice the thread cutting through the leather. I'd be a little wary of using it for thinner leather. I saw one of your posts where you considered using it as well. Yours looks like about 4-5 oz leather...did you have a problem with the Kevlar slicing through?