spooky

not sure if this will work. This is the type of splitter/skiver I have. This is NOT a photo of the one I got from Bruce... that was in much better condition! http://www.toolexchange.com.au/images3/P1090675.JPG

I bought an old manual Osborne from Bruce Johnson a while back... cannot remember the model, and I have to,admit I was beyond surprise when (a) he knew could identify exactly the model of the splitter I was looking for from a photo ( he was able to find one for me and © it was very reasonably priced, even with shipping (since we get fleeced for any leather tools in Australia. Basically, this is my round about way of saying contact Bruce Johnson, and see if he can help. He was also extremely patient with a newbie leather worker.

try... https://www.standardrivet.com/spots/designer-spots/26-ring-spot.php

photos too, please. ssqueak68@yahoo.com.au

any chance of an indication of price, please?

dumb newbie suggestion... use two layers of the thinner leather for inner layers, glued, stitched and burnished.

That's also why us Aussies trawl ebay (as well as Bruce!) for plough gauges amongst other leather tools. I was lucky enough to pick up to plou gauges at Christmas, from ebay for around $180 each. Only wanted one, threw in what I thought was a cheeky bid on the first (from the UK) and would have no hope. Spotted a second, nicer one, so put in another cheeky bid. Second auction finished before the first... and to my surprise, I won it. Waited for the first auction to finish... expecting to be outbid, as here, most plough gauges on ebay sell for between $400-$600++... so you can imagne my surprise when I won it too! Not complaining. Still need to clean them up and get confident with using them... but for that price, it made sense to grab them. guess what I am tryigto say, that ebay/antique prices can sometimes be a very good deal.

For what it is worth from a newbie... who is slowly being taught by a saddlemaker. Neck measurement will be the distance from your centre of the hole for the buckle to the centre hole (allow 5 holes for adjustment). Holes will generally be 1 inch apart and start 2.5 inches from the point. Allow about two inches for the turn back over the buckle. Hope this helps. Interested to see how other people do it.

can you give an idea of price pls?

try ebay http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Leatherworkers-Pricking-Iron-/170992092115?pt=UK_Collectable_ToolsHasdware_RL&hash=item27cfec43d3&_uhb=1#ht_1760wt_922

Me too. I thought i must have been doing something wrong!

did he say why he wouldn't use vegtan?

not sure about this... http://www.asfasaddlefitters.com.au/asfa-courses.html

feel like a trip to tassie? came across this when i was searching http://mobilesaddler.com/tasmanian-saddlery-school-courses/

Yipee-yii-ya!!!!! I think I got it! One of the slots was so narrow you could barely see it, so struggled to get the blade in, but now in. Once you have the instructions, not that hard. Off to try cutting some scraps then watch that video. Thank you sooooooo much for helping out a newbie. You may now return to splerking your coffee

Thank you! I've manages to get the two wooden pieces back ogether... yay! So much easier when you have the orientation right and they fit! I assume that the divot thing on the metal thingy sits facing the screw? Also, does the blade go across both the skinny wooden bits? Off to find a screw driver.

Okay, doofus newbie question. I boight a wooden strap cutter before Christmas, but life got busy and it got put aside. I know that it came with instuctions on how to put a blade in (didn't come with a blade in), but i've managed to "file" the instructions in a very safe place.. ie I cannot find them! I have managet to pull the strap cutter apart (perhaps I shouldn't have!!!!), so know I have two separate wooden pieces, and a round metal disc thingy, that fell out, that should go "somewhere"! I'm sure it is the sort of thing that once you have done it once, it's easy, but I cannot figure it out. So, once you have all finished laughing and splerking into your coffee, this newbie would be very grateful for some simple, clear instructions.

It's the layout and metallic colouring of the stamps that I like. The conchos aren't a problem, as I have seen them a fair bit. To help me learn, may I ask why you are uni,pressed by their use of the stamps?

Thanks Cyber. If you have a look around at the rest of their website, they do a lot more than that. Everything from dragonflys to bats to celtic knots. Just racking my brain now on how to make something different and unique.

http://www.celtichound.co.uk/leather-straight-collars.php Thank you all for your opinions, it has been very valuable. These are the collars that I am talking. It is not the physical design of the collar that I'm talking about, but rather the painted metallic tooling/stamps that I haven't seen before. Like Cheryl, I thought that ther must be other people out there doing similar things, but despite searching, I haven't been able to find anything. Until I do, I will have to assume that this is an original design. If I could find multiple people doing something similar, like there are with crystals and conchos, that woild be different. But I still have to admit that they ate gorgeous and stunning, but will just admire them for the time being.

Okay, in the process of seeing what is out there before starting a small business, I have found that someone has a unique metallic painted dog collar. It is simple, yet elegant. I've looked, and as far as I can tell, they are the only one's creating this work. First of all, please understand that I truly believe that it is wrong to copy someone's work, and not something that I would normally even consider doing. I have been toying with the idea of contacting the person we made these divine creations and asking for permission to copy them, but on some level that also feels wrong. I would not copy these without permission, unless the design or idea became commonplace. I guess I am asking two questions.. would you contact the creator and ask for permission? And if you were the creator, what would your reaction be if someone contacted you?

Thanks Winter Bear, I went to bed and forgot aboutnit until this morning. Okay, newbie question... how do I polish it up? I don't have access to any mechanical tools, so is it down to steel wool and elbow grease? Or is steel wool too harsh. Sorry, very, very much a newbie, who sometimes feels like they know zip!

Can I butt in and get an opinion on a recent Ebay buy? I bought this plough gauge for abou $125 Australian. Any good, and if so, how do I clean it up? Blade seems reasonably sharp. Thanks. http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?VISuperSize&item=350659300546

Make a set of runes? http://www.runesdivination.com/ Add a very fine chain and make wine/port labels???

No idea, just throwing out random thoughts... how about a messenger bag with tooling on the front that has the person's initials, but very subtlety. Or, if the family is inclined, how about a bible cover??? Or a cover for book that friends can write messages at the funeral??? Not sure if any of this helps.