fivewayswelshcobs

Sorry not to have replied earlier I keep getting distracted. A chape is a smaller piece of leather sewn onto either other bits of leather or other materials , for example on a traditional cavesson noseband on an english bridle a chape is used to attach the buckle and loops onto the noseband in which case it is laid onto the leather . For the collar it would mean a piece of leather with a crew hole for the tongue of the buckle punched usually in the middle of the length and this is then sewn onto the end of the strap so the buckle butts upto the end of the biothane and the leather is stitched making a sandwich of the biothane with the biothane as the filler, a similar piece with holes punched in it can be used at the other end, this would create a slightly weaker part of the collar which would break more easily than the biothane if needed. The chape is often pointed in shape with a leaf point (english point) both ends tend to be shaped so the stitching matches both sides. Loops,D's can be added between the leather and the biothane as required. I hope this explains chapes from an english saddler's point of view, I expect other members in different areas have alternative names for the same thing and have the same translation hiccups as I have had from time to time as I keep learning from others on this site.

What about using orange biothane (or a similar product) either as a complete collar or with leather chapes for the fittings so if the hound gets caught up the leather is just as likely to give releasing the hound, as a leather collar would. As much as I dislike working with the stuff it would be a practical working collar with easily replaced chapes if water and dirt gets too bad but the main would be easily cleaned to keep the colour bright, I've been thinking of a collar like this for dogs attracted to water and or mud like our Patterdale x Springer Spaniel is as he acts before he thinks !

I`d check which fits your clams the best first as my metal loop clamps do not fit my stitching pony which I use at shows but fit my clams at home because of the rounded shape. The best loop clamps I have used were made from sprung steel bent back on itself around a round bar and had small stops fastened on the outside to stop them slipping down the clamps (like the notches on the pictured wooden clamps) one day I will get some made but it`s not at the top of the to do list yet.

Try Axminster tools they sell lots of stuff for sharpening tools, I get all my supplies for that from them as they sell a lot of wood working tools.

Their web address is www.jfjbaker.co.uk

I would use harness leather but I would buy a harness back not a butt because most butts are only 60 inches long and many harness straps need the extra length that a back gives. Harness reins are traditionally made from brown leather with no edge stain as the black in the past would shed dye so staining the coachmans/drivers gloves. The best oak tanned harness leather in my mind comes from Bakers in Colyton Devon uk

Hi Spooky I get mine from Abbey England if the this is any help.

Hi Adam, There are quite a few but some sell to trade only ie Abbey England , but there is also Midgeleys, Metropolitan, Marcus Gear, Sedgewicks, Claytons, Bakers, Grade, Pittards, Batchelors it depends what sort of leather you are after and no doubt there are more that I have forgotten at the moment. Most have web sites so are easy to find.

Hi, Chris Taylor at Saddlers Den in Southport Merseyside does leather courses (saddlersden.co.uk) as does Valerie Michael in Tetbury Glos (leathercourses.co.uk) but I don't know of anyone who specifically does machining or tooling . Hope this is of some help.

Hi I bought a 8/1" portmanteau stitch marker last year from Dixon Tools in Walsall Uk, I wouldn't have thought their price would add up to $300 as mine was about the £50- £60 area, their tools are some of the best I have used. I think they have been on this forum in the past.

The best way to find out about how bags go together is from an out of print book by W C Double called The Design and Construction of Handbags it shows all the basic construction forms and shapes so almost all bags can be made , it also gives some information on the making of patterns. It is possible to buy it but does cost a lot (have seen for £400) but easier and cheaper to put a request in at your local library and have fun reading it without the cost. Good luck with making your bag.

If you are looking for a local supplier of leather you could try Midgley's at Cheddar as that probably isn't too far. I have looked around the warehouse but haven't bought from them yet.

I wish we could get $750 for re-seating a saddle -last one I did was £140 , they can be a pain in the rear end but satisfying when finished. The time taken depends on the hide used. As for someone doing it without training I wouldn't touch it as everything needs to be put together in the right place and pulled on straight as it can affect the way a saddle rides and can also affect the horse and its back. It can be patched but personally I dislke the way it would look but for a cheap job it can be done. I know if someone came to me and asked me to do more than a basic repair on a western saddle I would tell them to find a saddler who knows about that type of saddle as I am only trained in english saddles.(master saddler)

Try Abbey saddlery (trade only) , Le Prevo, or closer to home JT Batchelor in London

Hi the flap or chape is to stop the buckle rubbing and is often used in bridlework and harness. The flap is normally solid and stitched to the rest of the strap at the same time with the end of the fold back on the strap being feathered so a large lump is not formed when the two layers at the back end, for neatness. I have never found any weakness using this method as the weakest point is normally where the crew hole is punched for the buckle tongue and I never rivet anything as this its self weakens the leather in the same way as punching the crew hole. The centre row os stitching can help to keep the back piece flat on wider straps or if extra strength as in english stirrup leathers. I hope this is of some help.

Try using a higher seat, I have found a draughtmans chair the best height for my clams as my arms are at a more normal angle but I remember when I started it took a while to find what suited me. With practice the tension in your arms and back will reduce as you relax also the stitching will improve as tension knocks the stitches out of line. If the clams are fastened it is one less thing to worry about. even now if I get tense for whatever reason my stitching is not always as good as I want.

Hi I also use clams with a stirrup to keep the pressure on the leather being stitched but mine are normally fastened to a bench with 2 straps (one on each side) just so they do not move about and they are easier to lean to the left so you can see the stitch marks. In theory the stitcher shouldn`t look at the back but I think everyone does. We were also told to sit with the legs on the left with the right foot in the stirrup (do not know if this is the same for both sexes?) but I never got the hang of that so I use the left foot in the stirrup. The advantage of fastening the clams is that when you get up the angle is much easier to find again- but everyone has their own preference and it gets easier with practice. You will need to match the seat to the clams as you need to find a comfortable height for your arms to avoid too much strain. For shows I take a stitching pony/horse as the stitching feel is very similar but at a lower height and I do not need to take my bench with me !

Abbey have both these locks in the current catalogue and on the website

Over here (UK) the correct way to stitch by hand in the saddlery trade is to use clamps and we stitch towards the body and this, when using the double hand method, give the same pattern as the Hermes stitch you are talking about with the stitch marker angled ///// . This marker can be used for single hand stitching but the marker \\\\ can not be used for double hand stitching only single hand stitching (it gives untidy stitching) unless when used for stitching things when the two edges are butted together and then one line of stitching is marked one way and the other marked the other so once stitched both lines of stitching look correct. The way I was taught in Walsall (heart of the saddlery trade) is the awl in the right hand one needle in each hand, the awl is used to make the hole through the stitch mark with one of the flatter edges of the diamond awl following the same angle as the top of leather strap the left needle through first and is pulled slightly downwards and the right needle put above the left, the thread loop on the left side is then put over the right needle and both pulled out and tightened as required, this gives the hermes pattern. The angle of the awl will determine the angle of the stitch, if the awl is put down whilst stitching the angle of the stitching will often alter as the awl in the hand will change position however careful the stitcher is. When talking saddles yes most are machined today but some of us have and do stitch them entirely by hand but as this is not commercially viable my horses are the only ones to benefit from my hand stitched saddles, I also hand stitch all the bridlework and leather harness I make.

Try Metropolitan Leather Co Ltd at Thrapston Northhamptonshire, I`ve just bought some pink and orange shoulder from them , don`t know what hides they do but colour is no problem.