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I would recommend that all queries go through this site, whether as posts, or via the message option. Using email puts your email address out there for all the spam bots to pickup and start harassing you. If you prefer, we can completely remove your email address from your post. There are routines that can quickly rebuild your email address, even though I obfuscated your address.

Great job. That belt turned out really nice.

If selling is your priority you must think like a seller. Regardless of what you choose to make, your target audience is about to walk past your stall in seconds not minutes. Your job is to catch their eye and get their attention. Bright colours rather than classic brown. Most won't give a toss if you stitches are nice and neat or did you use Tokenole on those edges. Once you have their attention the next thing they'll look at is price. Most won't start the day with buying in mind and might not have a lot of cash in their pocket. Of course if you are able to take card payments. that a whole different ball game and product range.

Has anything changed about your setup (needle size, thread size, leather thickness)? Have you rethreaded the top thread to verify that the path is correct? Would you be willing to measure the top and bottom tensions and report back?

Did you buy this from a reseller or direct from the tannery? Is this supposed to be normal vegtan tooling leather - not milled, dyed, jacked, rolled or otherwise treated? Does it look way different in color or feel than the other sides? It just appears a little glossy in the picture. The three evenly spaced vertical crease lines looks like it was almost folded or flattened. How long did you have it before you found this side was subpar? What do you use to measure thickness and where on the side?

Maybe a strap saying: Daytona beach 2025. Just a small strip of leather with either stamped or branded onto it. Make a hole and a cut in one end, so it can be attached to a regular button on a vest or a denim jacket. You could make the same strap as a keyfob. But like @chuck123wapati said, what are your own ideas? You could make custom chaps, or belts or leatherwrapped locking chains (for keeping your motorcycle locked and still looking good), but it is easier to give hints/help if we know sort of what you'd like to bring yourself. Brgds Jonas

Trash!! looks like someone rolled it up backwards a few dozen times. Yea I had a similar problem. You know what, i didn't call them out until I called them back and was given a sorry, ship it back on your dime, and we will re-sell it to some other shmuck conversation. Those middleman suppliers need to learn to send the crap back to the tanners when they receive it, not pass it on. However, so many folks now just don't know what 'good' leather is supposed to look like that they take the easy way out.

Give you advice or do it for you? What are your thoughts and ideas, and I'll help expand on those.

Awesome!!! I am glad, folks don't always think about how and why buckles are shaped the way they are but they are designed for certain size belt straps and are overlooked quite often in the belt making process.

No, not fully yet. I made that one for myself several years ago I don't think its a meerschaum. Its just a pipe I keep and use to show the pipe rest 'in action' I got ye. But I think the leather is too lite weight to hold a phone, It wud just fall over

Put a couple of notches on that strap, about 1/3 to 1/2 the width of the leather, at an angle, and somewhere around where the widest part of the pipe bowl is, and it could probably also serve as a cellphone holder. I hope that description is good enough!! I can see it in my head, but putting into words is not so easy. - Bill

I would like to make a deerskin vest or jacket. For that I need deerskin, which I need to purchase. The thing is, I received free deerskins some time ago and used one of them to make moccasins, which I have been using daily. They get dirty and I wash them, saddle soap and a scrub and rinse under the kitchen tap, then squeeze gently and allow to dry. Then wear again. They don't shrink or wrinkle or dry out. I conditioned them once with the Chemical guy conditioner and never since then. They are soft and comfortable and going strong. They are clearly chrome-tanned, the gold color one sees so much of. I want similar deerskins for my jacket. When I look online though, all I see is that deerskin should not be washed, certainly not like I wash my moccasins, and then loads of information on how to clean buckskin and deerskin, all saying, "DON"T WASH". I got another deer-skin, also clearly chrome tanned - it is a light mocha in color, in another lot, and that does not take to water well. It does what everyone says happens - darkens, stiffens and the color change is permanent. Luckily I tried it on a small cut-out piece, so the entire thing is not damaged. So my question is, can anyone guide me on how to select deerskins that are like those of my moccasins and not the mocha one? I have been searching online and cannot find information on that. Deerskin is too expensive to do a 'trial and error'.

The fact that a simple sewing machine carries traces of the casino fast lane—the glitz, the chaos, and even the little sequins hiding in its corners—is wild.

That was spot on. I replaced the buckle, and that basically fixed this belt.

Looks like you got your workshop sorted out. 🙂 I like that pipe rest. So practical. Plenty of other uses for that pattern too, it is so simple and versatile. Incidentally, is that a new meerschaum?

Hi all, I just got a 491 (I think.. there’s no model number on it, but I was given an e-manual for the pfaff 491). how do I increase the pressure of the top roller foot?

Selling due to health reasons. Machine has less than 6-8 hours total use time. It is in excellent condition. New price is $3922.00 according to The Leather Machine Company. Google the machine for more information. I am asking $3500.00. Must pickup I live in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Machine is too heavy to ship it would cost $400-500. You can email me at rickgstaves at yahoo dot com with any questions or if interested in buying. No low ball offers please this is a excellent machine in very great condition. Had Accessories with it.

Have a look at what I just posted up Here;

Here's a wee item youse can whip up from a bit of scrap. Got an odd piece from cutting a belt to length? A portable pipe rest for pipe smokers. Sell it at fairs, stalls or where ever, or even give them away with your brand stamped on it This one is about 19cm long x 3cm high and 2.5mm thick - cos that was wot I had. One snap, and one cover piece. Stamped and dyed Keep to using a snap or such to keep the pipe rest thin so it can be carried in a pocket or baccy pouch. I tried a Sam Brown stud but that sticks out too much 19cm long + or - 1cm is about the right length. 3cm high is about right too

Panhandle Leather

I'm having an issue with the tension on my cobra 4 that I've never had before. Suddenly no matter what I do or how I adjust the tension my top thread is still showing on the bottom of the leather. Does anyone know how to fix this? I've tried adjusting the top tensions amd the bobbin tension many Manu times now. I ca t seem to get it it change at all. Thanks so much. Brian Merrick

That is not a Grade A hide.

@Bird Lady Very nice birdies Hope we helped you in some way

That piece is garbage in my eyes. I think the seller should be divulged so others don’t make this mistake. I recently made my first purchase of a side directly from Wickett and Craig it it was near perfect. Best side of leather I’ve ever bought in twenty five years. If you think naming them isn’t right, do you think that they thought it was right to look at that then send it to you?

Things that help to stiffen the leather... Dunk the leather in very warm water. Not hotter than 120°. If it burns your hand, its' too hot. Leave the leather submerged until bubbles stop surfacing, maybe 30 seconds or so. Remove and blot off any excess water. Lay the leather on a rack to dry. Such a rack as the air can circulate all the way around the leather. Like an oven rack. When the leather starts to return to its' original color, squeeze it in a press or use a rolling pin to compress the fibers. This is akin to a tannery process called "holstering" the leather, packing the fibers and making denser. If the leather is too wet or too dry, it will not work. It should be to a point that when you bend the leather, it somewhat retains its' shape. After compressing, cut the pieces to shape and mold them the way you want. To go a step further, force dry them with 120° heat and a fan. In the beginning, check them every couple of minutes to make sure that they are holding the shape you want. Reshape them as necessary. Get them very dry but do not let them burn. You don't want grill marks on your finished pieces. If you are worried about burning them, lower the heat to 80° or 90° and when they are 90% dry, finish them by air drying at room temp. If edges start curling, bend them back as soon as you notice and maybe cut back on heat but even with air drying there will be some curling because the edges dry faster than the center. This is the general process. Use your own judgement. Figure out your own methods. If you live in the desert, setting the leather in a hot garage works pretty good in the summer. If you put it in the sun, it will brown. That could be a plus or a minus.