pearlheartgtr

No big deal. I kinda figured they were around the 2' length going by other handbags I looked up. Thanks a lot for your help!

Thanks, but I think I may have a good idea on what I need to do. I found a thread here where someone made the bag and posted a few pictures of it. With that and Tandy's bag measurements, I think I have enough to go on. The one alternative tooling pattern (posted above) has a full size picture of one of the sides, so I can take it from there and build off of that. Would you be able to give me a length of the straps? That's the only thing left I would really need. Thanks a lot! I really hope I don't screw this up.

I have those already. I need the pattern to build the bag.

Hey guys! I'm looking to make a Sophia handbag for my mother for Mother's Day. I have everything to make it, but I need a pattern to build it. I emailed Tandy with hopes that they have a pattern for it, but I figured I'd ask here also. https://www.tandyleather.com/en/product/sophia-handbag-kit Thanks!

OK. Thanks. I'll give it a try.

This is what I'm making. The top of the handle is supposed to snap closed.

I was thinking about making a wine tote for my aunt, but it calls for 3 snaps at the top of the handle. All well and good, but the backside of the snap is ugly and really makes the tote look cheap. Are there snaps that have caps on both sides? I had thought about just leaving it be, without a fastener at the top, or sewing a flap of leather with a snap to wrap around the handle. I just wanted to check my options before I proceed.

I decided to give tattooing leather another go this morning at 3am. I used 5-6oz veg tan with a cheapo Swashdrive Whip clone I had laying around and a 5RS for the lining and shading. I set the Whip at 8 with the power supply at 6v. I did start at 4v, but it just wasn't enough umph and speed. First I did 3 coats of Tan-Kote. I set it in front of the a/c each time while I set up my gear. The stencil was applied with homemade Stencil Stuff (I won't be doing this again because the stencil stuck on like nobodies business--I'll be tracing it cased next time). I tried to get the stencil off with alcohol, but that stripped the Tan-Kote and made a mess of the leather from there on out (see: tracing next time). The ink I used was Waverly along with their Blue Bird black. Oh, and lots of Vaseline. I don't think it turned out too bad. It was 3am and just messing around. Now I just have to tweak the process.

Here's a topic I started last year with a file of recipes I found on another site. http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=52879&hl=

Ok. Thanks you for the explanation!

I absolutely do not understand that calculator. I'm looking to cut 1/8-1/4" wide lace.

I'm poking around on ebay and found some roo hides for sale. I was wondering about how much lace can be cut from one hide? This particular one measures 27" x 27". http://www.ebay.com/itm/SHARPENING-STROP-KANGAROO-LEATHER-NATURAL-VEG-TANNED-SKIN-WHOLE-HIDE-not-dyed-/281057838203?pt=AU_Leathercraft&hash=item41705a447b

I'm still working out finishing kinks. At the moment, I'm using either Satin or Super Sheen since I bought a bottle of each a few years ago and figured I might as well use them. I also have a couple of other pruducts I'm playing with for the final finish but I'm going to be making my own version of Montan Pitch Blend.

Thanks! One collar (full 1 1/2" with skulls) has a double center bar and the other is a regular center bar buckle (tapered down to 1"). I'm using 8-9oz leather, if I remember correctly. It could be 7-8oz. I bought it around 3 years ago at Tandy as a full side. I do want to get into doubling up and stitching or just adding a backing liner, especially if I decide to start adding spots and other blingy things. But that costs more money and I'll use what I have now until then.

I want to learn braiding so I can make show leads (and regular ones). For the show leads, what size paracord should I get for a 4 strand round braid? Most show leads I have seen are about 1/4" or smaller. Last night I ordered a few 100' spools of 3-4 mm paracord for practice before I plunge into buying or making leather lace.

I never noticed that before. It's the way the light is hitting her face and it makes her eyes look squinty in the thumbnail.

Thanks!

I've been working on getting things up and going so I can stock my Etsy store with collars made to order. Here are a couple I made already. As modelled by my Pit Bull, the lovely Morticia.

Check youtube. There are a bunch of videos for making your own lace skivers and bevellers for next to nothing.

Ok. I've been searching the web and searching the web for various leather conditioner/dressing recipes because I want to play around and make some for myself. I've already bought a pound of beeswax and a half pound of carnuba wax flakes. So on my travels, I came across this motherlode of beeswax leather and wood polish recipes on a beekeeping forum. Note: There's one recipe that bears a remarkable resemblance to Montana Pitch Blend. I can't take the credit for the post. The poster's name is hedgerow pete. http://www.beekeepin...read.php?t=9167 Have fun! Edit: I copy/pasted both posts he made for the recipes into a text (txt) document. I cleaned it up a little (some formatting and spellcheck) so it would be easier to read. Beeswax Polish Recipes.txt

I know you would and I would put everything in ziplocks but there are a lot of morons out there that wouldn't. Common sense eludes some people like the Loch Ness Monster. That's why I'm pondering a lining. Or I could just make them large enough (for the bigger dogs) to hold a soft sided cooler.

Thanks!

I did spend a lot of time looking up cocobolo wood dowels but, like I had mentioned before, I don't have extra money to blow right now. Eventually, I will get some wood and make a new set for myself. But in the meantime, these will do the trick. I did drill straight through the burnisher pieces. The sanding barrel posts fit perfectly for the smaller of the two and I can get the screw to thread into the post. The larger one is a little too tall for the screw to meet the post, but I'll probably find a longer screw for it. But as it sits, it doesn't turn on the post.

I'm toying with the idea of making saddlebags for dogs. I want to put a waterproof liner inside of them in case something spills inside the bag. Like, let's say you want the dog to haul some beverages for you. Cold bottles and cans sweat and I don't want that to ruin the leather. Any ideas on a cost effective liner? I was thinking Gore-Tex but that can get pricey.

I've been wanting a set of dremel burnishers but since my job cut my hours, funds have been a little too tight to splurge. Going through some of my stuff, I found a brand new hand burnisher I bought from Tandy a couple of years ago, still in the bag. I completely forgotten I had bought it! I cut it down to reasonable sizes to fit the barrel sander posts with a bandsaw and then threw 'em under the drill press with a #34 bit. The bit was a hair undersized from 1/8" but it went in with a couple of taps from my mallet. Mounted on the Dremel, they work great! I played with a piece of scrap and beeswax for a little bit. They did a good job without any bevelling or sanding, but I hit it with a piece of sandpaper really quick and, wow! The posts are a little off center and the ends could use a ride on the belt sander to shore them up level, but hey, it was a $5 Tandy burnisher and I'm out nothing.