WesTexas

I was at the office supply store and noticed that Day Runner had a new style of planner. The X17 Modular Binding System has several smaller booklets that are kept in a journal via elastic bands. Unfortunately the journals are a plastic/vinyl material. But, hey, we all know of a much nicer material and so I bought several of the inserts and began to ponder. I had some 4oz scrap and faux ostrich pig skin. I'd also never done any lacing and figured this would be a nice project to give it a go. So, after measuring and modeling, this is what I came up with. As always, an adventure and I'm please with the results. The inserts are up to 17 sheets folded into a 5X8 booklet. They come in monthly, daily, ruled, graph, blank and tear out note styles. You can mix and match to your needs. I need to chart some specific information on a daily basis so I've already created my own pages that can be photocopied, staple bound and trimmed for easy insertion. If I were to do it again, I'd add something to hold a pen/pencil and pockets on the inside flaps.

I was asked to make some basic working sheaths for a set of knives used by a group that smokes meat for non-profits at no profit. They have a smoker and go to the event a day ahead of time and smoke the meat. They have a new set of knives and would like to keep them from getting banged around. Since they didn't come with any sheathes they asked if I'd help them out. Of course I will and at no charge. They don't want anything fancy, just a working piece of equipment. My question is - Does the leather on the inside of the sheath need to be treated in a special manner to prevent health risks should a greasy knife get slipped into it?

Thanks for your willingness to make a comment. Don't know that I would have mined it out of the archives and you drew it to my attention and as a result helped solve a repair problem I was facing. Any thing ever come of the rivet placement between the toes? Think I'll go for stitching instead.

Found it! - Just picked up a copy of Bruce Grant's Leather Braiding and there it was on page 146, Stairstep Applique of One Thong.

A very clever idea. So much so that I'm going to look at providing materials and instructions to the Diabetes camp my son attends. Last year they could make a wrist band or book mark. Generic stuff with limited instruction. He wears his Medic Alert ID around his neck - less likely of coming off in an accident - but a "cool" wrist wrap would be just the thing for children and youth. Guess I'll have to invest in some skull stamps Thanks!

I'm not sure about the name of the lacing technique. I looked at a couple of sources I have and didn't find it in them. Also, not sure about the hole but the leather around the hole is referred to as the cuff. I tried a couple of stiching techniques and this one allowed me to keep to use the same technique and not make any adjustments. I like it because it looks nice on both sides when both are exposed. Yeah. Yeah. But how did you learn it? Honestly, it might be something I've seen in the past and my leather working past is very, very short (six months), but I just played around with some lace until I saw something that would work and I liked. Anyone know the name of the stitch? Please give us the source if you have it too. The stitch is quite simple. Starting on the inside and leaving plenty of lace to weave back through the stitch, go two holes forward. Stitch back to hole you crossed over, come out and go two holes forward. Repeat. The technique would suggest the name - 2 Steps Forward and 1 Back The key is to always make sure you come out on the same side of the lace that is covering the hole you come back to. Its also easier to leave the crossover stitch a bit loose until you've come back out of the hole. Of course, keep the lacing flat, no twist, etc. Thanks and hope this helps.

Thanks all. The leather is a pebbled grain upholstery leather I got on clearance from a Tandy outlet. I used some Eco dye on it.

After several years of constant wear, my favorite pair of deck shoes gave out. Rather than just pitch them, I decided to deconstruct them to see how they were made. Once I had all the pieces laid out I figured it wouldn't be that hard to create some patterns and make a pair of moccasins. So that's what I did, learning all the way. They fit like the proverbial pair of gloves and wear better than plain socks around the house. Think I'll make another pair for wearing outside.

Very nice. Really like the booking on the darker one. Any chance of getting a look at the back and inside?

I make handle bar wraps for bicycles using unfinished upholstery leather. They are simply 1 1/4 inch strips about 5+ feet long and I dye them natural and primary colors depending on how the individual want to accessorize their bicycle. I've had an inquiry for a silver finish. The owner likes the look of his current synthetic wrap but would like the feel of the leather. And that's the challenge, keeping the feel. I haven't seen this particular bike - full blown custom, hand made - so I'm not in the position to offer alternatives right now. But when I can I'd like to have some suggestions ready. I also haven't asked if he's interested in a Bright or Antique Silver. I'm relatively new to this so "My Answer for Dummies" responses would be most appreciated. Details please. What suggestions and creative ideas do you have? And just to get things started on a "How I'm Not Going To Do It" vein, I'm not going to color them with a silver sharpie. Chuck

I'll be traveling to Austin next week and was wondering if there were any leather craft suppliers in the area besides Tandy? Thanks in advance.

As promised here it is - but, I moved it out of here and into Purses, Wallets, Belts and Miscellaneous Pocket Items.

As promised here is how I build and install a fail proof system for keeping my bicycle bags closed. (Move Left to Right while looking at the photos.) 1 Bag with long slot cut in flap and strap lined up with it and about 1 inch longer than the flap. On this bag the strap and loops for holding the hooks are one. 2 Tools and materials. On this bag I'm using Al welding rod. You can use brass brazing rod, heavy copper wire or even nails. 3 A finished keep ready for installing. This is a jig I made out of 3/4 inch angle iron to bend the keep. NOTE: Al will crack if bent to sharply. It is soft enough to bend with your fingers and then gently tap with a hammer. 4 Fold the flap down and use a piece of the metal to mark where the holes need to be. 5 Because I don't have a satisfactory way to back the leather to punch it, I simply drill it. (I do finish the hole with a touch of edge coat) 6 Keeps pushed into the holes in the bag. (Imagination time! Next four photo are not an actual installation - because I can't get a camera into the bag!) 7 Keep pushed all the way through the bag and a spacer block set between the prongs. 8 Prongs folded over and trimmed. (This does take work on brass and steel! Of course if you able to do it in a larger space . . .) 9 A leather patch is glued over the keep to prevent it from being pushed into the bag. I've use white, contact and Super with success. 10/11 I use a spring clamp and some medium dense foam to hold the patch in place. 12 Bag's ready for some finish touch up and onto the back of a Brooks Saddle. That's it. Simple, inexpensive, functional and if needed, easy to repair along the road. WesTexas

No problem. It will take a couple of days however. I sold the bags and am about ready to sew another one tomorrow. The fastening system would work well on your bags. It's what I have on my panniers - bicycle saddle bags.

Still working on the mechanics of the site. Here's a picture of my four bags to date.

Thanks to everyone for their comments. The fastening system may have come from or was inspired by an early 20th century piece or how we kept a gate closed when I was a kid. I honestly don't remember. I use brass brazing rod and aluminum welding rod to make my own rectangular keeps. A light hammering, a quick buff and some lacquer will give them a nice hand forged look. (This one is plane to match the rivets.) The objective, besides keeping the bag closed, was to eliminate the potential failure that might be found in snaps, buckles, clips, etc. I'd rather ride than fuss with equipment. That being said the clips that fasten to the saddle are used rather than a leather thong because of greater security and ease of getting the bag off and on. Even if one of the springs fails, the hook will hold the bag.

Greeting from Texas or rather - Howdy Ya'll. I'm just starting out because I couldn't find the quality I wanted. I'm a bicyclist and everything is manufactured for racers not touring and site seeing riders like myself. I want some style and a certain English company has provided plenty of it over the past 100+ years but with a limited world wide market they've kept their specialty - bike saddles - and a few other items. All of their old catelogs are in PDF and they've certianly made some great products over the years. Right now I'm making molded all leather seat bags that are designed to attach to the back of a bicycle saddle and custom dyed leather handle bar rap. I created a PVC mold for making the ends, hand stitch the pieces and have experimented with various designs and looks. I'm still playing with tooling. Thanks for any comments or ideas. Tool'n and stitch'n when I'm not rid'n. Chuck WesTexas