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Did you realize that thread has no activity for 13 years. The OP (original poster) hasn't been on the site since Feb 2012. I'll tag the member to see if they are still active/alive/connected/interested. @corinowalk long time since you've been around. You have some interest in your saddle from 13 years ago.

I moved your post to Saddle and Tack Accessory Items

That's the approach I've been taking, along with some gentle taps with the hammer. I'm going to try some diesel therapy today. How much is a new stitch length cam? I've never had a main shaft out...is that straightforward to do?

Turn it all the way one way,run it ,then turn it all the way the other,it should eventually go more & more each time.

Well, you bring up a very good point! I would be making small to medium holsters with veg-tan ranging from 6/8 to 8/10. Again, thanks for your insight CH. Nick

@SUP looks like it works great. They dont take long to make. It takes longer to finish the edges and everything than it did to stirch together. There's a bunch of ways to make them which can be fun too.

Across the posts I've seen a ton of different organizer solutions. Most of them are home grown. I'm always looking for the next better mouse trap, so show me your tool organizer. Here's my current solution, but show me yours. Uses a 3 foot section of 2 x 4 cut in 2. One of the boards is slimmed down to create an opening that does 2 things. Keeps the dirt, leather plugs, etc. out of the bottom of the hole and lets me see the color marks on the back end of my stamps. For stamps that look similar I mark the back ends with some colored electrical tape. I've never seen anyone else do this, but it just makes sense to me. Easy to spot the low angle beveler vs the standard angle beveler when I inevitably take both out and leave them on the stone as I tool. Biggest shortfall I have is that the capacity is limited. I punch columns 1" on center to allow finger space to either side, but the tool density could definitely be increased.

Dang lot of good work and really good materials. I like the bag!!!!! But heres your problem, I can buy a duffle bag for 17 bucks online. I can see you are new to leather work and selling your work. Here is a thought on making a success out of your endeavors. Think about it this way: what type of person would want your product. Does that type of person have a reason to buy your product over others on the shelf. A guy who wants a mil spec type duffle bag usually has a reason for a well-made rugged bag to hold some sort of crap. hes not really looking to spend big bucks especially when he can get one made for an army for under a 20 spot. Now if you change your pattern, colors and hype, you can sell a gym bag or a traveling bag to a guy with a few more bucks in his pocket and one who may be wanting to show off a bit in public, you know a guy who doesnt want to look like he is carrying a 17 dollar duffle bag to the gym every day. Bikers also use these types of bags and want something a little cooler on their custom Harleys. Good luck to you and I wish you all the best. you have a good idea but maybe the wrong customer base for high quality products

Pretty sharp! I agree with @DieselTech that it's worth what someone is willing to pay. Unfortunately, customers set the price, either by buying an item, or passing on it. It will, no doubt, last longer than anything you can buy on TEMU, but one can get something similar from TEMU for less than $20 that may only hold up for a couple of years, then one could buy another if desired. What do your customers want and expect? What have you sold to date that your customers are clamoring for? Who is your client base? They will determine the price. Most of the items I sell are based on demand. Yes, I have made several items that are still sitting around my shop, unsold. There will always be trial and error to find out what those fickle consumers want. But now that I have a customer base built, I have a lot of repeat business on items that could be purchased anywhere. I always try to make my customers feel like they are the most important person in the world. Sometimes it means having long conversations in my shop. Not necessarily about leatherwork. Those talks may be about the grief they're experiencing from a loss of a loved one. Or it may be about their wayward kids. I view my craft as a ministry and truly build lifelong relationships with the clientele that comes through the shop. Even the classes I have with the school aged kids is about getting to know them and pray over them at the beginning of the class and spending time talking with the parents. I have found that building relationships builds trust and should they need some leatherwork, they will remember fondly our interaction and come back to me, knowing they could probably get it elsewhere cheaper...but they are willing to pay for the pleasant customer interaction.

Harbor Freight has some small hydraulic presses. Find them a lot used in yard sales and Facebook Marketplace. I have been known to weld one up.

heck yea you have a nice summer coming up to enjoy some good eats. Dont get me going on that corned beef, I love me some hash, and eggs for breakfast. I usually corn a couple of elk roasts every year if I have enough but they don't last long lol. We have one on St. Patrick's day. I've gotta start wrenching on the burb, summer is about over, and the mornings are getting brisk. The hummingbirds are starting to thin out last week we had about a dozen at the feeders now we only have one or two. They were eating over a pint of nectar every day its crazy how much they eat getting ready for thier adventure.

I was thinking bag sized panels. A bonus if you have another pair of hands to hold it

I assume the UK is too dear also? I did a post a while back about this where I posted a link to Partwell. Usually sold in packs of 60/100 so heavy. Better off looking for die makers who might sell you some.

Haven't used it yet. I've been trying to find where to buy the steel rule to make my own dies, no success yet. All the searches point me to either the US or China (alibaba), neither of which is feasible. I've found someone selling hoop (banding) steel pretty cheap so might give that a try. It's the same size as 2pt steel rule so it's worth a try. I also have to make a device for bending/shaping the stuff. But the Vevor is a nicely made tool, built like a tank!

You get soft plastic mallets specifically for this, these days. Amazon.com: barenx Leather Craft Puzzle Mold Punch Stick Cylinder Rod Hammer DIY Handicraft Just holding it in place works for me because I can see where I need to hit the soft mallet and am not working blind like when the die is placed cutting side down.

Well done! Wonderful work. Even more so it being your first time out!

I made one of these when I first started leatherwork 2 1/2 years ago. Used scrap embossed leather because it was firm enough. Just rivets, no stitching, one of the reasons why I made it! Still in use today and family swears by it. Got the pattern from Etsy. I was an absolute newbie, so needed a pattern then. The wrapping lace is also scrap but soft upholstery leather. It is supposed to have a stiff tip to insert into the cross piece after wrapping around the case but never got around to it. It stays in place tucked in and family says that that is easier. Even for a newbie, it took all of half an hour to make it. Incidentally, nice to hear someone else call it a spectacles case. Everyone here insists it is an eyeglasses case. Eye glasses, for some reason, makes me think of monocles and lorgnettes and pince nez. 😄

I drafted a pattern myself. I took inspiration from an early USAAF B-3 flight jacket. I will warn you that It is a production cutters pattern and I have not drawn up a tech pack or instructions, no order of operations, just the bare bones pattern. It does have seam allowance included and the seam line is marked as well. Notches and markings for hardware placement are on the pattern as well. I think it even includes the patterns for the rolled edge belts and straps. If this is something that might interest you feel free to reach out. I would just post it attached to this posting but it was initially intended for my use so I’m pretty sure I would need an hour or two to clean it all up a bit so someone else could more clearly understand it. I’d be happy to do so if there is interest. The size of this pattern is for a 46” chest. I’m 6’, 220 lbs. Here is a of a jacket I built based off the pattern.

You can make headstalls out of all the leathers you referenced. There are many different types of headstalls. Tooled, untooled, lined unlined, wide, narrow, single ear, split ear, western, English, browband with throat latch and multiple variations of all of them. The leather you choose can depend what type you want to make.

Thank you. Looks uncomfortable but I have never worn one that way, always worn one on the outside. kgg

I don't have experience making headstalls, but a Google search of this site using the syntax "site leatherworker.net headstall" turned up quite a bit of information. Seems folks use bridle, harness, and latigo for headstalls and some recommend doubling the leather or lining with latigo. I've been very happy with Hermann Oak bridle, harness and latigo leathers for making tack. Their bridle leather has a firmer hand than the bridle I ordered from Wickett & Craig. Beiler's Manufacturing in Ronks PA sells HO bridle and harness leathers at good prices, and a variety of unnamed bridle, harness, and latigo leathers that I haven't tried. I've been very happy with the quality of Beiler's merchandise and their service. No website - call for a catalog. There are a number of other retailers that sell HO leather and many are listed on the website of the Hermann Oak Leather Co. You can buy directly from the tannery if you order a roll (5 sides) or if you're purchasing item(s) that aren't stocked by their retailers. For example, I buy sides of chocolate harness leather in "rein selection" (big cow size) directly from the tannery. They fill orders (finish the hides) as they are received and that takes 5-8 weeks in my experience.

Hi I'm wanting to make a couple of headstalls for some friends. And I'm wondering what everyone likes to use for leather Bridle, Harness, Latigo,lined or not lined,what oz and where you usually order it from? They are going to really get used so I want them to last. Thanks

I've been making stitches with the lock screw removed. And after every 50 stitches or so I see if I can move the adjuster. It does seem to move a little. But has not let go like I would prefer. Saw your comment about heat, so I tried some heat on the adjuster with one of those butane torches sold for kitchen use. I didn't get it all that hot, though. Still about the same.

Whilst I can take or leave spam as is, I'm quite partial to a spam fritter.

Placing leather on an upturned die and tapping around with a soft plastic mallet is perfectly feasible but the leather will move around unless you can find a way to stabilise it. Perhaps spray gluing on to a soft cutting board or some MDF might hold it. As dikman says, an arbor press and a soft board will work for smaller dies.