Kate

I think it's BEAUTIFUL! very nice work.

Mike, if it is indeed a patcher, you won't be doing any heavy stitching with it. Even in great shape a patcher is still doing good to handle two layers of 8 ounce leather. They were built for lighter work, boot tops etc - that long skinny arm and the function of turning the foot (it's a top feed, the foot should turn 360 degrees) were to get inside shoes and boots to sew in patches - hence" the name. I finally sold my Singer 29-4, and some days am sorry I don't still have it, as there are some things it was just plumb handy for (replacing blown out zippers in spendy a leather duffle bag comes to mind) but it was definitely a limited use machine. For HARNESS, you will need a heavy stitcher. See MISTER Landis http://forums.quiltropolis.net/photos/photo-thumbnails.asp?albumid=780 My new Cobra will handle a pretty heavy stack of leather, but I prefer to leave it set up for medium to medium heavy work - for BIG stuff, I walk over to the Landis. I'd still sell it if someone would buy it, though - could sure use the shop space! Kate

Hey Ryan, How DO you take out the anvil of my oldie Rex Riveter? It appears to be the type that the anvil screws into that press block part the handle actually pushes on. At least, when I gently tried to unwind it using pump pliers, it *did* wind down a bit - must be a pretty fine thread, it took a few turns to see daylight. I am not seeing an obvious way to get this taken apart - the pivot rod the handle works on is not a bolt or pinned rod, it looks to be peened over on both ends. I could just grind it off, I suppose, but then would have to do the punch-setting thing to keep it in there after reassembly... assuming the NEW Rex riveter splash anvil will fit this OLD one. Weaver's Heritage riveter appears to be a copy of the old style Rex tool, the new Rex is way different. Oh, and the wall mounted critter is in middle of fab work. Making it a set of bushings and a drive cap to use it as a press punch with the old Tandy Maxi Punch set. Decided to not destroy the original ram by grinding out a punch clearing slot.

I'll dig out the manual and get copies made. PM me your mailing address and we'll settle up off-list. Will also take a few pics tomorrow (better light!) of mine to let you know what it's "supposed" to have there - Mine has an altered foot, but the rest is pretty stock. Later!

Are you talking about the needle bushings? They are made of brass (bronze) and are all the same size OD - it's the internal diameter that matches the needle size that keeps things going well on the Landis #1. So far as I know, unless somebody has a secret stash someplace, these are now made of unobtainium. I think they would be a snap to get made, though. Brass barstock in the correct diameter, slice off a 1/4 inch chunk and center drill the correct size hole. My favorite little old man machinist has gone over the great divide, but I'm sure you can stir up someone who can do this for you. You will need to provide him/her with the outside diameter (do you have even ONE intact bushing?) and then the needle size you need the bushing for. I'd have to dig out my one spare bushing and put a micrometer on it to be able to tell you what the OD is - and am not machinist enough to do anything but guess at clearance to actual needle diameter to make it run right. Do you have the manual for your machine?

Looks like it's for pre-punching slots to set decorative spots (think draft horse harness) - note that the angle of the cutters is not set to cut a circle as a gasket cutter would be. The centering pin would help with alignment. Just a guess! BUT if you will send it over here I will be able to play with it and then have a better idea

A good source to network with other shoe and bootmakers http://www.thehcc.org/cgi-bin/discus/discus.cgi There are several forums, and while there is not direct selling allowed, you may mention that you are looking to buy or sell, and will get good responses. I am NOT a boot or shoemaker, just found this resource fascinating, as many of the techniques carry through to other leathercrafting disciplines. VERY nice people there, too! Kate

Resurrecting the thread to go in another direction - I have figured out something ELSE for the wall mounted riveter to do as a second career. BUT, I need to figure out an oddball thread pattern first. In looking for a more efficient way to punch a LOT of holes (nearly 900 of them, to be accurate - centered on straps and evenly spaced, no less - big commission job) I have gone from A: OMG, this is going to make me CRAZY doing this much - and I'll waste a lot of leather in the process to B: WOW!!! look at that cranked automatic hole puncher in Weaver's equipment list! works just like a sewing machine, and man is it cool - but it's $1500 all told. NOT gonna happen..... to C: OK there is the foot press too, that could be ordered up with stuff to do the job - still be eyeballing spacing, but a finger jig would solve most of that, strap guide is an easy thing to do - BUT that's still coming in at over $500 to get set up. THEN I had a brainstorm (well, OK, tempest in a teacup is more like it, with my brain, but whatever. The wall mounted press - anvil will screw down to accept either a half-inch dia. brass anvil, OR a hard leather pad, AND the gap at bottom of stroke is "just about right" to accept the punch tubes from my little Maxi Punch set (ooollldie, Tandy part #1770, back when they were made in JAPAN out of pretty decent steel). Now the fun part - thread on the punch tubes seemingly specs out as 10mm x 1.0 mm - NOT standard metric. It does seem to be kinda standard for bicycles (axle and chainstack nuts) and some brakeline nuts on ebay GB. I have an old junker bike, tried that axle nut from it last night - nope, only runs about two threads in and sticks - NOT a 1.0mm pitch. Can't find doggone micrometer to measure diameter for certain. Looked again at thread pitch under strong light/strong glass with the thread gauge, and yes, that part IS 1.0mm. Need to find micrometer.... What I'd love to know (before ordering in this size nut to attach to the ram of the press) is if I am actually REALLY looking at a 10mm x 1.0 mm thread on the punch tubes. Are there any machinist types out there who have one of these little MAxi Punch sets to check it out? If I can just stick one of those big axle nuts onto the tip of the press ram, I am home to glory. Well, sort of Kate

The blade in mine is definitely hollow ground, and on an almighty big wheel, too. It needs a good stropping and polishing, for which I need to buy a set of buffs for the bench grinder. I know where that one teensie chip on one side is and I just ignore it and use the other side of the machine! Kate

WOOHOO!!!! Vinegaroon it is! OK, so it took a WEEK for the vinegar to eat up that darn steel wool pad (heck, it took over an hour for the denatured alcohol to burn off...... grumbling....) but the gooky looking tea stuff sure does a fine job of blacking the bridle leather's edges. Fairly quick, too. Nice buff up too! I'm now happy with the bridle leather job. One oddity. I was whacking off a proof of my maker's stamp (as I MUST get a new one made). Had done a quickie case job on a chunk of veg tan scrap, dipped it into my always-made jug of case solution, water and ProCarve, let it set up a few minutes, then stamped it. Let it dry a bit while doing other things, then on a lark dipped it into the vinegaroon. Darn thing came out GRAY. I'm not kidding, a nice dark gunmetal gray. So, was this because it was still damp, OR is it the ProCarve stuff? While I love the fast casing results that ProCarve gives, I am NOT fond of the way my steel (not plated) tools and stamps leave black marks on pro-carve cased leather. Have gone back to straight water when using non-plated stamps for this very reason! Anybody else out there having funky results from the ProCarve?

Siegel of California had that leather a couple of years ago, I got three sides of it - GORGEOUS stuff, really nice. you will have to call them to see if they still have it, (800) 862-8956. Kate

Dang, but that is a good lookin' grey horse in your avatar, JW. I got a Cobra class 3 from Steve, and am VERY!!!! happy with it. It replaced a Landis #1 that is still in the shop - and once in a while if I have something really heavy I'll turn up the old Landis, just so I don't have to change out threads and needles etc on the Cobra. There is no contest, though - the Cobra does everything I throw at it, stitch quality is really good for a threaded needle machine, and it's dead easy to operate. Customer service is SUPERB from Steve, which of itself is worth the price of admission. If the OP is new to heavy stitchers, I'd advise going with a Cobra. A needle and awl machine takes a person who understands the machine to keep them happy - there's a learning curve to them, as with most things worth learning. If I could afford one, I'd have one though! Kate

YEah, it happens. Best to put her up and try again next day. It's bad enough when your hand-eye thing is rusty, but having the machine croak just adds insult to injury! I find that unless I do something at LEAST every week, I just lose my feel for where/when/how and my quality suffers. I've begun to just burn off some thread on practice pieces of about what I'll be making BEFORE I get to the actual work - cheaper of time, material and frustration in the long run! Hope you get back to where you were, Kate

I have a wonderful saddle made by Billy Joe Rogers, out of Wylie Texas. Got it on ebay, one of those things where a russian (really!) bought a lot from a storage unit and the saddle was in it. This is one of the drop dead gorgeous full-carved silver laced show saddles from back in the late 60s, when I was a dreamy eyed kid wishbooking through the Ryon's Ranch catalog at THOSE saddles. Turns out, I got this one for a song. I then went looking for the maker, Mr. Billy Joe Rogers. Turns out that he was one of the saddlers making those Ryon saddles in those days, and his own on the side. He was kind enough to exchange a couple of letters with me about the approximate age etc. Saddle is unmarked as to age or a serial number - it was also missing the flank cinch. I finally made another one for it this past week, and carved the tunnel loops to match the scrollwork on the flank billets. Was going to send a photo to Mr. Rogers, went to look him up again - and it seems that he passed over the great divide last year. I have a pic I took to show a girlfriend who lives on the other side of the country - not a great pic, but you can see the detail a little bit.

Well, could be, except that where the leather is scuffed badly (hide scarf knocked clean off it) the hair cell pattern is still pretty clear - and in spots does appear to run clear on through to the leveled back of the hide. So, I think it just may be actual pig leather - I'm told by people who know more than I do that it was pretty commonly used for sidesaddles, for some oddball reason. Hey, I did find this http://www.sbearstradingpost.com/tooling-leather-veg-tan-leather.html scroll way on down to the bottom if the page - yep, there it is. NOW to come up with the money..... got to buy a bunch of medical supplies, my freshly injured baby brother is coming to stay with us while his foot heals up some. Kate

Yeah, I was talking with Steve about that - am eager to get some of it and see how it does. He and his family have such a long history in the business, there's a lot of knowledge I think that has been taken for granted. Since his Dad has been so sick, I think Steve's realizing he'd better pay attention to the knowledge while it's still there! Big sigh on the vinegaroon - guess I better get a jug set to rust up. Barra, what the heck is "stencil ink"? I am not familiar with the term. Bottom line, I'm thinking if I ever run through the two sides I have now I will look hard for dye-struck leather next time! Thanks to all, Kate

That's something I have never seen - or at least, never noticed! You might try asking around at some of the smaller outfits - Brettuns Village in Maine has some unusual things, they might have an idea. I'd love to find some heavier (8-9 ounce at least) vegetable tan pig, as I have an antique sidesaddle stripped down to rebuild that was originally made of heavy veg tan pig. KAte

I have tried the Fiebings black oil dye... it does NOT penetrate the waxy bridle leather. I got the sides of leather from Zack White and am pleased with them otherwise, beautiful hand, superb burnishing of the edges, but I am having fits trying to get the cut edges BLACK. Don't really want to go to a solvent stripper just to get the edges dyed, or why spend the bucks on the stuffed bridle leather in the first place. Not really hot on the idea of an acrylic "coating" product either, and am about out of ideas. This commission (not just a project!) is for bridle browbands for the Irish team at World Equestrian Games, so the work MUST be of high quality. Any advice on this would be greatly appreciated - I need to get going on the work! Kate

Now, that's great info Ryano, THANK YOU! I'll have to play around with that riveter a bit and see how it works. The post mount tool for brake linings - did the top part (ram) have a collared insert that clipped on via the (bent) through pin? I'd love to have this thing have a real job, other than looking novel - don't need any more bookends. Bruce, I found the splash parts as a hand tool at Brettuns Village site http://www.brettunsvillage.com/leather/tools/tools.html#rivetsetters Those are pretty darn cute! and not badly priced at all. Thanks for all the valuable info, again, Kate

I have a GOOD old Landis #1 stitcher, on the cast iron treadle (two pedals) stand, for sale. It has two shuttles (one brazed at the spring but still sews well) several bobbins, original bobbin winder, several sizes of needles, and an original operators manual, as well as a cigar box of oddball bits and pieces. Wax boiler is missing, it's been modified to use ONE foot (originally you had to change the foot to change stitch length) and runs very well in heavy leathers. Good old heavy stitcher that still lays down a beautiful line of stitching if you treat him nice. Oil the right parts and keep the right parts dry (carb cleaner, trust me on this) and you will have a good time with it. I have a couple of pics here and can get some more if anyone is really interested. I can crate the head and palletize the stand for shipping, at material cost. I do know how to pack and ship heavy iron. Price is $1500 PLUS shipping, or bring your horse trailer or truck and we can load it up for you! I really need the shop space. Kate

Well, I sent Alan (Mister Needlebar) a kinda snippy offended note regarding his co-option of MY photos of MY machines on there, and lo and behold, he said he'd benevolently reinstate my LAPSED AND DELETED membership. However, the provided login password doesn't work, so..... There's always ISMACS, http://www.ismacs.net/home.html but they are not necessarily involved much with heavies - though GRaham has an encyclopedic knowledge of most things sewing machine and may likely be able to point you in a good direction. Your loving wife would likely enjoy Treadleon, especially if she QUILTS. Seriously, there are people right here who know as much as you are likely to find about the old heavies you are looking at working on - Henry in Canada has a depth of knowledge of restoration on leather stitchers, Bob Kovar (sewmun) is a treasure trove of minutiae and parts knowledge, and I'm sure there are others. Best of luck in your journey - and have fun at it! Kate

Dave when you go looking for a treadle stand, try to find a real industrial treadle - mine is (unfortunately) a regular high speed stand for a 16 class industrial head, but the old 42-5 doesn't seem to mind much - I thought the big wheel would lug me down, but it hasn't so far. They originally came with a dual-diameter drive wheel on the treadle, same as a 29 class patcher has - and if I ever find one..... I have the oil pot on mine, if you want to make me such a deal, PM me off list. I don't ever plan on running anything but poly thread in my lifetime Or, I think Weavers have a little oil jug thingy that has wipers that most likely work better than the old leather flapper thing in mine! Kate

Has anybody used a deadblow (mechanics) hammer for punching? Been thinking about trying one - but have to buy one to do that, so putting it off. I have a little ol' blacksmith's (horsehoer's) rounding hammer, likely about 28 ounces or so, that is just nice to use. I know, not supposed to use a steel hammer on punches, but it works, balanced nice, and I'm not mushrooming anything (so far). I guess if I have better punches some day I'll worry a bit more. I do use one of Bob Beard's nice mallets for my stamping tools, but don't want to hack it up with heavy pounding! KAte

Well, that's gonna have to be a long rivet, and there's going to be about a half inch of rivet stem between the leather and the cap - because that little anvil bar on the top that the handle actuates does NOT fit inside the tube - no way, no how. SOMETHING has to have been in the tube to space it up to the depth of a rivet's cap, if that's how it was working...... OK, second iron critter pics. This one is supposed to be wall or post mounted, and evidently had some sort of fitting on the ram - the splash anvil is threaded and screws up to adjust from the bottom for depth. No markings of any kind on the casting, machining is fair, casting is only so-so as to finishing. It was really REALLY cruddy and oily and rusty, so I steel brushed heck out of it and shot it with some paint to stop the rust down a little bit. That way it won't get my coat yucky if I use it for a hat rack So, Ryano, got any ideas on this one? I'm clueless Kate

Yeah, I am not coming up with any brilliant visions of making a foot press work from an air supply either. They are still sold new, and not all that expensive compared to other production leather machines. They do a LOT of different jobs, basically you can set up to rivet, punch, set snaps/eyelets/spots.... on and on. Kate