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I moved this to Saddle and Tack Accessory Items. @Northmount or somebody more knowledgeable than I may want to refine it further. But at least it's headed in the right direction. Welcome to the forum.

I was thinking, just 'Leather professional' sounds good. After that, it is the quality of work that defines the person. I, for one, would not call myself that unless I took it up as a profession and consider myself good enough to do so. Until then, I am fine with leatherworker or leather hobbyist. The word 'professional' might prevent that. It is used everywhere and means something specific. 'Worker' and crafter' mean something specific as well, Unfortunately, 'worker' is associated with workers that we find everywhere who do valuable work but are not experts as yet in that field. And 'crafters' is as you describe above, @BlackDragon But the word 'professional' still has some esteem, however long it remains.

Hi folks, I was hoping someone from the group might explain or show in pictures how to hang Buena Vista stirrup leathers. I thought it was pretty straightforward initially, but evidently it’s not.The way they are rigged is kind of backwards and upside down. Thank you.

have you tested this problem with some scrap material to see how it looks? Why would one side of your stitches look bad?

One problem with coming up with another name is eventually it'll become co-opted by someone that wants to seem like a professional. Leathercrafter was a professional name but now it sounds like you may do it like a hobby and make knick knacks. If I had a shop in an expensive area and wanted to bring in people that had plenty of money to spend I would probably call myself a Leather Artisan. I don't do anything different but it sounds more high end so it may attract more high end customers.

Thanks!

Thanks all. I add a welt because it allows for a snug fit without over stressing or warping the leather. There is also less stress on the stitching when drawing and reholstering.

Nice looking work !! yeah 12 oz is pretty thick unless it's a tool or work belt. your buckle isn't made for that thickness; you can see it doesn't have a big enough bend on the bar end. I'll add a longer buckle would also help the bend problem or a hook and loop type buckle might even get you back to the middle hole.

Cool build indeed, I've never used a welt on a holster myself and never understood the purpose?

Like that and a nice welt

Not sure if I understand your question. You can make the narrow end of the strap as a separate chape that wraps around the front and back of the wider part of the strap. The wider strap would be sandwiched between 2 layers of the chape with the grain side showing on both sides of the strap. The wider strap could be lined.

I agree with all you said. The way I see it is if you are in this country legally, making an honest living, you already have my respect. IMHO

I remember on the Jackie Gleason show, Jackie was trying to get a new job. He said to Norton I can't seem to get a job Norton said Let me see that application Norton looked at it and said, " No wonder you can't get a job. You put in that you're just a bus driver, Norton now said. I could get that job, Jackie said, you work in a sewer. Norton said Yeah, but I'm what you call a 'Subterraneal Sanitational Engineer', so it's all in your job title.

Very sharp. Great call on the color!!

That buckle has quite a bend where it comes out of the belt. That may be causing some of it.

This is a couple of photo's of the bobbin assembly from a fellow member who recently bought a 341 machine from them. Yours looks like a Juki style. kgg

The majority of the people here are experts and professionals. Professional leatherwork - there should be a proper noun for that. I mean, farmers call themselves 'agriculturists', I discovered some time ago. I don't blame them. When we say 'farmer' the layman sees someone in overalls standing in a field, but an agriculturist brings a different vision to mind. Farmers are as expert in their field as doctors in medicine. So they deserve that respect. As do leatherworkers. So a name that commands that respect is long overdue, maybe. In medicine, everyone is a doctor but individuals specialize - neurologist, surgeon, ophthalmologist etc. So a leather professional, who is a saddler, cordwainer, etc. That would command the respect that is deserved. My two bits.

Here you go dikman. Hope it helps. The anti cut gloves are recommended.

Two months ago I made another belt incorporating the advice given here. These photos are after two months of wear. Here I used strips of 6 oz leather cut from a half hide, starting from the back. The belt has a strip of 0.6 mm reinforcement sheet sandwiched in the middle with a margin of about 5mm from the edges. I hand stitched the belt (in addition to glueing). Overall I am not dissatisfied with the end result. It is, at the very least, a functional belt. There is none of the bunching up from my first post, only some deforming of the tongue where the buckle sits. Eventually I intend to make a simple belt single layer belt out of a piece of 8/9 oz side to see how that works out. The thickness seems to be the cause of me misjudging the belt's length a little. As you can see my standard wear hole is the second one instead of the (ideal) third out of five. For this buckle this 12 oz thickness is a bit too much I feel, so my next attempt will use two 4 oz strips.

Today's effort. Reinforced underneath and drilled two 1/2" holes through, then made another toolbit with a different piece of angle iron, this one has minimal radius inside. Made a knife edge to push into the corner and tried that. As expected, and like Toxo said, the inherent springiness of the band stops it from staying at 90*. I'll have to weld up a piece less than 90*, only a minor problem. I'm going to sharpen the toolbit in the second photo and try quenching it, I'm pretty sure it's from an old mower blade so should be hardenable. Overall though I'm pretty happy with it as it can bend the strap without much effort.

Mercadolibre Hi, I'm trying to buy the hand press machine that you input the dies, however when I lived in Mexico I used the one that has diameter of 6mm X 11mm (inferior X superior) but on Amazon or on the internet that I can find is from China with diameter 6.3mm X 12mm and my dies just don't fit in. What's my option... do I just have to reach Mexico or do you guys know a website that have what I need ? it's the third one I'm buying... I just don't want to replace all the dies I already have bought ... what are your thoughts?

I do have a 4 needle chain stitch with approx. 5/8 spacing. if interested let me know . Price under $1,ooo. for head. using needle 1 and 3 will give about 1 1/4" If interested let me know. Not sure about spacing will check. tx Lynn

you have to pull out the foot bar. You have to loosen / remove theses 3 screws too - see rec circel. Alos make sure you removed the return spring that pulls back the presser foot (not meaning foot pressure spring)

to me it looks like a Juki 555 fabric / tailoring machine of some kind

Where are you located in Tennessee? I live in Molino, not Molina.