Sal

I have been asked to make a pair of western chaps using hair-on elk hide. He wants the elk on just the front of the chaps with chap leather on the back and inner leg of the chaps here the chaps will rub on the saddle. I can not find any info on using hair on-elk hide for making any kind of garments. I have spent hours looking, so any info I can get from this forum will be very much appreciated.

Hello to you too. Thanks for introducing yourself. I'm along the Lake Michigan shoreline in the Holland area.I do visit the Tandy/Leather Factory in GR from time to time but I am not impressed with the quality of leatherwork the employees there do and I have felt for a while now that there must be something better out there. By being on this forum, I have found that there is something better out there, but not much in Michigan--and I'm learning a lot here. You will to. Happy carving. . . . Sally

The basket space on this particular piece is not too big and it will have a border and it will surround the leaf. In general, which comes first?, as I do plan on doing larger pieces where the basket stamp will surround the focal design? Your help is so appreciated.

What is the correct sequence of adding a basket stamp to a project that includes a tooled design---before tooling the design or after tooling the design. Then----how close to the tooled design should the basket stamp be?; And, in what sequence is the backgound added?

Siegle of Ca. sells a line of tools----Crown. Anyone know anything about them or are they the same quality as Craftools?

Thank you all very much. I am clearer on what defines a quality leather-working tool now. I don't know anyone in my area who would have the better tools to try them out (actually, I don't know anyone in my area who does leather work at all), but I feel more confident in paying the extra dollar to try a couple of them. As always, this forum is the best teacher!

I've been reading a lot lately about personal preferences of using tools such as those by Beard, Henley. King, etc., vs. Tandy's Craftools---but I'm not getting the actual reason why Tandy's are inferior to the others. What makes a $100.00 basketweave stamp better than a $5.00 basketweave stamp, or a $120.00 swivel knife/blade better than a $20.00 swivel knife/blade? I've been working with leather for over eight years (not long compared to most of you) and have used only Tandy's tools and I have received very gratifying praise from people I do work for. Am I really going to see a major improvement in my work if I spend more money on tools? If you think I will, whose tools will give me better results? I know I will receive differing opinions, but that's what I need. Thanks. . . .

Thank you everyone. I have concluded that I just need to practice "freehand" more. Using a guide is so stress-free, but cutting boarder lines free-hand makes me very nervous. Thanks again.

Yes, I do have a bead blade. I neglected to add that straight lines are no problem, it's the curved ones that I can't get to look good. Any advice about doing curves? I appreciate you help.

I have tried everthing I can think of to get a nice clean, STRAIGHT bead line--cutting a line and following it with a wing divider,using a stich groover, etc, but it looks horrible after I add the second line as I can't get the second line to follow the first. I have a very smooth edge to follow so the first line looks great but I can't get the bead to be an even width. Very frustrating! As always, you experienced craftsmen are awesome.

What product should I use to re-condition a brown distressed Harley D. jacket, chaps and vest? The leather is really dry. This particular set is a limited edition set (Billings) from a couple of years ago and I sure don't want to ruin it. Thanks for any suggestions.

Try www.klendasaddlery.com. They sell all kinds of patterns. I have used the Chinks pattern--great results.

Hidden Valley--very funny.

Has anyone every covered a motorcycle helmet with leather? How do you go about doing that and what leather do you use? Can you use veg tanned with a carved design on it? Thanks,

My business name is Ranch Dressings. I've been making everything and anything since I was a kid (a long time ago), and a few years ago, my son, who lives in Jackson Hole, WY, asked me to make him a pair of chaps. So that was my first attempt at leather work. They turned out really awesome and now I have made chaps and chinks for a lot of his friends out west. Some of his friends work or live on or own horse ranches--thus the "Ranch" part of the name; and because I am also involved in a lot of garment construction---thus the dress, or "Dressings" part of the name. I do need to get a makers stamp. Any suggestions of who/where to get one made?