Tstarsmith

I have contacted you through your craigslist post. Thank you.

Do you still have this machine. I have brothers in Glen Rose that would pick it up if it is available

Hi Sean, I run a custom leather shop in Berlin, MD just outside of Ocean City. If you're down this way, give me a call and stop by the shop. I'd be glad to give you a few pointers on getting started. All my contact info is on my website at www.tstarleather.com I learned a lot from helpful leather workers when I got started and like to pass it along. Brett Smith Hi, My name is Sean, I have recently gotten serious in learning leather craft, I am mostly interested in making belt pouches, notebook cover, small cases eventually working my way up to messenger bag sized items but that is a bit down the road. I started out with a lock stitch awl and trying to make a wallet I could use, which was disappointing, then tried a larger heavier pouch, which was my first attempt at saddle stitching, also disappointing. I have now decided to start off the right way and bought the art of hand sewing leather, and am going to ease into projects this time around, trying to learn the correct way of doing things to make this an enjoyable hobby/obession, instead of just a means to an end. I look forward to your experience and any input you can give me, sadly no completed projects to show, but hopefully soon.

If the leather you are putting the design on has a stitch line or locations for snaps, conchos, or rivets, I use thumbtacks in those places to hold the tracing film in place. The tack holes in the leather are covered with stitches or metal in final assembly. I can't use it on every project, but it works well on the ones I can.

Thanks for all your input. Too much book learning and not enough real doing can get confusing. I'll let you know how it goes for me.

Welcome! Beautiful knives. I collect custom blades and you have some fine looking pieces. I've done a lot of sheath work for a few local blade smiths. Let me know if I can answer any questions for you. There is a lot of info already posted here that can really improve any work you do. I've already learned a lot. P.S. Let me know if you start making Head Knives.

Welcome to the site. I got my start for the same reason. My friends and I wanted better gunleather than I could find on the eastern shore so I started making some. It worked and I got bit by the bug hard. Now I can't stop. This is a great place to get a lot of useful and timesaving info on all aspects of leather work. Ask questions and post pics, everybody is willing to help.

I have used a piece of 2oz. calfskin with skived edges glued across the top inside @ 1" wide on several sheaths with good results. I blend it with the front piece when slicking the top edge. On a bunch of cell phone holsters I contact cemented a 1" circle of lining leather inside the snap with good results. Several of the other suggestions are very workable and clever as well. This recent design you did is well done and adds a detailed look to your piece. Nice work!

Hi Tom, Thanks. I can only take partial credit for that color. It is Wickett and Craig English Bridle leather in tan with a topcoat of pure neatsfoot oil and a coat of Feibings Tan Cote. Along those lines, I achieved much the same color using a heavy coat of extra virgin olive oil on regular tooling leather. Some saddle makers like it over neatsfoot oil. I like Tan Cote for much of my work for the mellow gloss it gives a new project but you can still oil and condition through it. Hope this helps.

working on my 3rd saddle and want to tool the swell but want the border to line up with the seat/front jockey area. I'd appreciate a little advice on this. The primary question seems to be whether to tool them on the tree or line it up, take it off and tool. Advise would be appreciated.

I just heard about this place from a new friend named Otter down in Asheville, NC so I thought I'd check it out. I'm pretty excited by what I've seen so far and look forward to learning and helping others learn. Out here I don't get many opportunities to chat with and bounce ideas off other leather craftsmen. I'll have to post of few pics of some recent projects. I've already been checking out some posted here and have seen some exciting work. I run a small leather and saddle shop here on the eastern shore. For those interested a have a website @ www.tstarleather.com Thanks for providing this resource. Here is a portmanteau I recently finished. I used @1880's style floral and hand stitched the entire piece. It is 24" by a 10"x13" oval.