Moore Leather

MAY be able to help you out, just depends on time frames and quantity of belts per order, etc. Let me know more details & we can meet up so I can show you samples and discuss ideas Jon

Hi Looking to buy a manually operated clicker press (not got 3 phase electric or space for a bigger one) Been considering the Lucris MA series press, or the small Tippman Air press (not quite manual, but of a similar size) I'd also be happy with an old manual press, BUSM Co or similar Please let me know what you have. Used condition is ok as long as fully working.

Sorry, forgot to bookmark this page & just noticed your reply!! weighs about 1 1/2lb unwrapped Asking £75 plus shipping

Interesting I live just outside Edinburgh in Haddington...not too bad a place (only been here a year or so...) Lived in the Scottish Borders for a few years & had a workshop in Coldstream for a couple of years or so. Off to visit a mate tomorrow in Pencaitland so will drive past the Glenkinchie distillery to his house

Nice find Will see about scanning the catalogue in a better resolution & will try to find time to scan the No.6 manuals too IF the planets were better aligned I'd be typing this from the Ch-Ch area so we'd almost be neighbours!!

I get a lot of leather from Le Prevo in Newcastle in the North-East of England I have been a customer for over 25 years & they are a very helpful & friendly group of people I get some other supplies & certain saddlery hides from Abbey Saddlery - Knutsford Hope this helps if you are still looking Jon As an aside, I keep trying to order from Kappey.de, but never have had them send me what I e-mail them about yet! (just a couple of tools & some questions about thier hand-awls as they do some very interestingly shaped handles that look as if they'd be very comfortable to use)

Quite useful here in Scotland too - thin brush, cut firewood, etc. Sheath holds a British Army Golock-Machete & the sheath design is inspired by WW2 Dutch machete scabbards Hope you like it

Is this still available?

I agree totally - but sadly it's a false economy IF you decide to use punches, you WILL need one of each size The Stohlman brand seem good BUT - there IS a way to make the same shape on the belt end by hand - difficult to describe in text PM me if you want to know more & I'll try to do some pics or diagrams to explain Jon

Not really possible The style of holsters has come on quite a lot since the WW1 leather generic-fit Sam Browne revolver holster & the other early 20th Century types Most holsters now are wet fit to the actual gun (or the above mantioned Blue Gun - itself an identically sized copy of the parent gun - but made from as a one piece injection so it is 100% safe & NOT a gun) I'm building up my stock of Blue Guns - but not got that model - sorry I cannot assist further! Jon

Hi Barra What years were you in from/until? There are still a few saddlers in the British Army - but just for the ceremonial units - though they are kept quite busy doing this !! I see the 1st image has them using the old type clam - not a piece of kit I am anywhere near a fan of... Jon

Hi Yes - I make them for most sniper rifles. The Swede m/41B is unique in that I make 3 leather accessories for it - as per my previous post. I normally just make slings & lense-caps for most rifles, but the m/41B also uses the leather cheekrest Jon

Hi I have a Osborne Rein Rounder spare that I can sell It's the version that mounts into a normal vice (the other type was screwed onto the worktop) It's in excellent condition, and is only missing the locking pin that clamps the two halfs together I can take pics if that'll help Jon

Hi Jim Glad you liked the postings - that's why I put them on here: I did have a LOT of scanned images from both the BUSM cataloge & the No.6 machine handbook (5th ed.) on a previous PC - but when it died I lost them. I'd burned them onto CD & supplied the Leather Museum in Walsall, West Midlands with a copy. More than happy to do likewise for your organisation. I just bought a scanner which I hope to collect this weekend... Funny thing is - when I was last in the Walsall museum I was taking LOADS of pics of the No.6 machines & their 45k's too. A member of staff noticed & was surprised to hear that I not only owned both types but also used them....turns out they used to employ someone on weekends to stand & use the No.6 - but he was too old to do it & none of the staff had much knowledge of the No.6 & how it goes. I'm down to one No.6 now - which is a pity...love to hear the "click-clack" as they sew. One I bought had been used with a motor: braver man than I was, given the size of needles the No.6 uses... Anyway - I can sort out scans once I have picked up the machine - I'll update these postings to reflect that they're now done. Jon

Thanks for the update. I never knew the details of what the stamped marking meant. DID know about the 3-crowns, as I make Kindstod, gevarsrem & linsskydd for the Swedish Mauser

As I am adding more images - here is a scan of the pre-WW1 US Army postcard I just got... Plan to make a better scan so I can study the image details more.

Ah - THE very one It has an issue stamp to a Navy base though - as for some reason my friend did some of his saddler training at a Naval base. Just found pics of it - so I will attach them Nice to see another Swedish leatherworker. I was supposed to have been trading at an event in Stockholm last weekend but missed the plane due to traffic congestion after a road accident... Thanks for the response Jon

As I mainly make reproductions of military items, plus have a Military History degree, I am interested in the history of leatherwork & leatherworkers in the various branches of the military - regardless of country of origin... I have a really nice 1916 dated German saddler manual that also covers dimensions (& full-size plans) for normal saddlery items AND all the soldier issue items that young Wilhelm would have needed at the front (belt, straps, tornister, frog, etc.) I have most of the various US Army Technical & Field Manuals about Saddlers, Leather Inspection, etc. Most recent purchase was a 1914 postcard of an army saddler in his tent, sewing using a pony...the early basic type (just the seat/jaws type) Got lucky & bought a "Saddler Tool Chest for Battery Wagon" a while ago - it's an early one (been told WW1) & it's in daily use as I only really hand-sew. It's in need of a re-paint in places but I am loathe to do such a thing. Its been dragged the length & breadth of the UK over the last 5 years or so as I make items on my stall when I trade at shows & its also a great crowd stopper IF I can find a spare clam for the above I will retire it to my collection & use the other one I have for sewing instead: bought about 2 weeks after the first, but this 2nd one is stripped of paint so I can happily re-do this one with a clear conscience IF I get lucky & get a clam. I also do WW2 re-enacting events & portray a US Army saddler at these. Doing on the spot repairs is good for the other guys too, as they have quite a habit of breaking things. Got one of the saddler tool rolls & the canvas tool bag too. I have a few British army marked tools; some of these marked tools came from the widow of an ex-cavalry soldier who retired after 20 years then joined the police doing more or less the same job...most of his tools were marked with the letter "I" next to the broad-arrow - meaning that they were of Indian Army vintage (pre-1947) Not got any British manuals - but have most of the LoC's & a few of the newer spec. sheets for such things as the Sam Browne sets. I also have a British Army clam. I am also in contact with ONE ex-army saddler. He joined the army before WW2 & served a few years, though WW2 was quiet for him - as he is Swedish & was in the Swedish Army - a neutral country. He has very kindly given me his stitching clam - an unusual design which hinges at mid-point to save space. MUCH better designed than the British one & a lot less tiring to use. May try to see if he wants to sell any of his tools someday. He has a few pics of himself in uniform "back in the day" which he is going to pass on to me sometime (once he's found them) IF anyone else has a similar collection/interest I'd like to hear from them...as I feel that sadldlers, riggers, etc. have been quite overlooked in the history books & given how widespread they once were it's surprising how little information there is out there on them Jon

Just posted a new sub-topic in the "Leather History" section - quite a lot of images of BUSM Co products from an old company catalogue. I also have a couple of BUSM Co. No.6 Machine manuals, a 5th ed. & a 21st ed. I have LOTS of manuals from other makers - will get around to scanning them as soon as I get time (Adamson, Adler, Dearborn, Pfaff, etc.) plus a Japanese text brochure for a wide range of makes/machines Hope the BUSM Co. stuff I have put on is of interest/use

Have had these a few years now - and having discovered the site I thought I'd share brielfy some details & images. The No. 6 machine manuals I have are 2 versions: 5th Edition & 2st Edition. As can be seen from the pics I attach, they are quite different externally. The second batch of attached pics are of similar period manuals to the latter No.6 machine manuals...no idea at all about the machines they are for, just posted them on here for reference Third batch of pics - a FULL catalogue (less title page, unfortunately!!!) of the complete range of products available from BUSM Co. Some of these will probably be of news to a lot of folk on here - just goes to show the wide-range of what they had available. Not having a title page means I am not able to date the cataloge...the only way to do this would be by the prices: and not done this yet, sorry... The big plan is, if there is enough interest in the No.6 catalogues, that I can either scan them properly & upload them/transfer to disc OR I can use a couple of contacts & have a facsimile copy printed up Same applies for the catalogue - may even do all 3 items in one little booklet/brochure Just waiting delivery of my new scanner. Happy to answer questions...

Hi Ryano Er, not guilty on that one - not my drawing.... The drawing I attached is THE in-house spec. sheet from Stimpson themselves The thickness or gauge is not really my 1st concern - the correct shape IS I'll be happy to find ANY P455's (or close approximations) Jon