terrymac

Clearlac is an excellent finish for antique paste,as well as a resist. It will stop the splotcchy effect you can get with the paste on some leathers. Terry

The key is getting good cover with your resist(Wyosheen or Clealac). Both products are one in the same. I use antique paste without Tankote, and get all the antique off by using wool pads to wipe. Just keep getting new pads until you have removed all the paste. I use the synthetic wool pads from Tandy, and cut them in half. Tankote will remove some the color and can be used to thin the paste. Never liked the resulting color as a result of thinning. If you are using a different resist, then all bets are off Terry

It will eventually come apart. Terry

Could not tell you, have never used the stuff. Strictly a Clearlac user. Terry

Dremel tool with a sanding drum will feather edges nicely. Just be gentle. It appears the edges have been folded over. The raised effect is done by gluing some kind of thin material under the alligator. Terry

Use Clearlac as a resist before applying antique paste. Never experienced problem using wool. Terry

Looks to me like fist example the background was dyed and then finished with something like Clearlac and second example simply finished with Clearlac. Leather may have oiled applied before finish. Terry

Watch the Nigel Armitage videos. He is also left handed and does not seem to bother him at all. Terry

It must really a trade secret as I have no clue to what you are talking about. Tallow??? Terry

Finish with Neatlac ( Clearlac) That is what Hidepounder uses on all of goods. Terry

Springfield Leather sells the Barge Thinner. Advertise on this site Terry

For larger sized punches, I use my Dremel with a cone shaped grinding stone and lightly insert into the drive punch. For smaller, Barry King sells round, tapered diamond stone that works well. The strop as explained above. Hope this helps, Terry

Get a pair of smooth jaw pliers, I use them all the time. When you get to the point you have to do some backstitching, pliers are the only way I can get the thread pulled. Watch some of Nigel Armitage's videos, he uses pliers extensively. Hope this helps, Terry

SK3 from Leather Wrangler gets my vote. Paul has come up with metal alloy that stays sharper longer than anything I have ever used. If you are just starting, I don't think an angle blade is the way to go. Flat blades are a lot easier the use, and angle blades present their own problems with sharpening. Regardless of brand you choose, having a sharp blade is the most important consideration you have. Most people don't have a clue what a sharp blade is, and the Leather Wrangler comes sharp and ready to go to work. Hope this helps, Terry

Isn't is amazing how the old, tried and proven products work better than others. Maybe those old time saddle makers knew what they were doing after all. It is good to know about the Waterstains as I have just started playing with them.. I tried Clearlac with the Ecoflo antiques and ended up with a mess, bunch of the ugliest colors I have ever seen. I threw them all away. Clearlac is also available from Sheridan Leathers except they label it "Wyosheen" Terry

Saddlelac is a Fiebings product. I will add that Clearlac works as a finish over the Ecoflo products. I agree with Nev, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Terry

Sorry gang, Saddlelac and Neatlac are two different animals, unless Saddlelac has changed their product. I only use Clearlac in the pourable form. Neatlac used to be available as a spray, but people had problems. When the Eco antiques firts came out, I tried using them along with Clearlac as a resist. Got the ugliest bunch of colors you ever saw. Ended up throwing them all away. Fiebing antique pastes work well with Clearly. Terry

Appears to me to be the a moisture issue. The deepest part of your cut should also burning the darkest when beveled. Camino is probably right in that your moisture is not deep enough. Terry

You can do the same with dying the background, it just a matter of how much contrast you want between the various elements. I recently finished a belt where I dyed everything except the floral elements, applied Clearlac over everything, and then applied antique over the whole thing. Even if you apply the resist with a brush, the cuts will still be highlighted by the antique. One thing I will advise is to use wool when removing the excess, or you will never get it all and will end up with the mud puddle look. Terry

A brush will work fine. The question, what are you using for a resist? I antique all of my work, but only use Clearlac as the resist, and Findings antique paste. I tried the Ecoflo stuff and threw it all away. Same with the resist which I was told would work as well as the Clearlac. I use a pointed brush on the tooling leaving the background alone, or alot of times dying the background, and using the antique to highlight the cuts and bookmarks as you are wanting to do. Look at some of Hidepounder' work, and you will see what I am talking about. Hope this helps, Terry

The EZE LAP diamond stone set works great. Just remember you have to set the clamp on one side and sharpen the opposite, both sides. When you go finish this side, then move clamp to the other side. The clamp has a 15 degree option that will get a round knife scary sharp. If you do not move the clamp, the angle will be wrong for the side it is attached. Just keep a band aid handy. Terry

Get yourself a bottle of "Bee's Saddle Oil w/fungicide". I use their natural saddle oil all the time as it doesn't darken the leather as neatsfoot oil will. Good stuff and they advertise it for just the kind of problem you are having. Terry

Thanks guys, that is what I was looking for. No, I don't have a book for the splitter. Thanks again, Terry

I have a 8" Heritage splitter. According to the "book" what is the ideal placement of the blade edge in relation to the roller? Should it be top dead center of the roller or slightly forward or behind the center of the roller? Thanks for the help! Terry

To keep your leather from stretching, get some 3M reinforced shipping tape and stick to the back. No glue mess when you pull it off and your leather will not stretch. To hold the project down while you tool, I use a zip lock storage bag filled with BBs. Terry