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I use a patcher for replacing zippers on riding boots. Before I got a patcher I would sew most of the zipper with a cylinder arm machine, and finish the bottom end by hand sewing with a jerk needle. The patcher does a neater job. Here's a thread that might be useful.

Is the techsew 860 a reliable leather sewing machine, has anybody used it? I will mostly be using it to work on horse riding boots.

……..”back tack lever”…..😊

It’s unusual and a fantastic machine and very pretty 😊 I just smile at looking at it, all the time…….. the location of back tab lever as early as 1960 is a testament of amazing Swedish Design….. Please help with the owners manual. I believe husqvarna still has a Research & Development office currently in Sweden even though the Co is now sold to SVP (singer, Viking, pfaff ) perhaps they might be able to find one in their archives….. Kind regards Ola

Hi wizcrafts, Thank you for your response to my post. I would like to clarify that my Viking 263 is indeed a full size industrial machine 18inches flatbed. Also I’m aware that sewing machine on line in UK have a copy of the PARTS MANUAL but not operating manual. Photo attached (Viking 263) Kind regards Ola

Message incoming….

I made a pair of western holsters and just gave them a coat of neatsfoot oil then rubbed on a coat of wax (tallow/beeswax). That was years ago and other than a few scuffs they still look the same. As for dipping in melted beeswax, it's not something I would recommend for a holster as you could end up with a mess trying to clean off the excess! It's not necessary for holsters.

Lots of practice, good tools, good leather, a quality finish and a good buffing. Easy peasy.

I totally missed that! Thanks. Shipping cost may be brutal though.

lol so do I among other weird things not necessarily leather related.

Laugh if you want, but I've actually got a butter knife on my work bench for the holster I'm finishing. I'm not proud. Larry

Have to agree with the Tippman suggestions. Have used one for a bit over 6 years, very happy with it. Currently about $500 less than the Outlaw as well.

His post says "I’m selling it at $1200, exclude shipping" Note the seller is located in Indonesia.

Maybe you need a better butter knife lol. looks like thin leather and a lot of practice.

Don't laugh . . . but you could move to Ohio . . . I have several leather jackets . . . I keep em all on good hangers . . . in my hall closet . . . knowing that July and August are the only months I may go completely thru and not need one of them. Today is the 22nd of May . . . all afternoon I'll be wearing leather . . . 50 degrees at 10 AM . . . yeah . . . leather May God bless, Dwight

Yes, it is still available. Sorry for the delayed response! Didn't have access to the internet for a bit there

I've found another machine locally, so I'll be passing on this. Larry

For closure you could add a button stud. The closing flap looks a bit rough and unfinished to me, but that's a matter of personal preference. I would suggest to do smaller cuts on the roundings so you don't end up with a sequence of straight cuts in the curves. As for giving the bag more volume, you can try the suggestion made by @toxo or you could vary in leather ticknesses: thinner/more supple leather for the gusset and thicker/sturdier leather (or reinforced leather) for the font and back panels. With thinner gusset leather it will fold closer to the stitching line instead of having a gradual curve over the width of the gusset. And sturdier leather on front and back panels will make them resist curving inwards.

First of all, the Viking 263 is NOT an industrial sewing machine! It is a purely domestic sewing machine. I found a source for the manual, here. They are also in the UK, where you bought the machine.

I would ride it just like it is. I'm just imagining riding it right now through the damp sagebrush gathering cows, what a thought. It's a pretty saddle with nice long pretty taps. There are a lot of working cowboys out there riding a single rigged saddle similar to that one every day. You could probably find some around Pendleton this week roping at a branding all day long with hundreds of catches. I would recommend not to alter it. I'm sure if you ride it for a while and don't like it, you could sell it for about what you paid for it or maybe a little more in the right market. There is someone out there looking for that saddle right now. Just a thought.

I made ONE for a friend, and it took me a couple months to work it out, in my down time. This is a hobby for me. I don’t have enough hours in the day to try and complete orders after finishing a full day at my job.

Leather strap for sure, even if it's left plain it will be more in keeping with the overall look. And watch your stitching, it all looks good except for the piece holding the tongue loop down. It was the first thing that hit me being highly visible. Other than that, what the others said.

If it's mine, I'd burnish all those exposed edges and put some kind of edge decoration on the flap. Definitely a leather strap and not just a plain strap. Maybe some stitching or creasing to match whatever I did to the flap edge. Maybe I'd try my hand at some kind of a rolled strap? And a closure, for sure, the ladies like a secure purse. A mystery braid makes a nice handle, too. Since your strap detaches, you could offer 2 lengths, a regular carry handle and a cross body option. Oh, and pockets. Ladies love nooks and crannies. Nice work so far.

I would use leather that matches the panels on the bag in 6-7 oz. I like the tongue and loop closure you have on the bag maybe you could add a hidden magnet or snap on the end of the tongue. On your gusset if you use a lighter weight leather it will help prevent the rolling in of the panels as the panels would have more rigidity than the gusset. It would also give you the option of using a different color leather for a nice contrast. If you do that make your closure match the gusset color to tie everything together.

Everyone is so set on the boss I decided to try one. So far I've done several leather projects and I've sewn 112' of 4 duck canvas. The stitching looks the same as the outlaw but the pot metal sucks and the bobbin is smaller and more difficult to change out. I like the outlaw better even if it does cost an extra days wages. Just an amateurs prospective. If you decide to get a boss round the edges on the stainless table, it opened me up a couple times today and once yesterday.