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JLSleather

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  1. JLSleather
    HEY.. I started out just to make a light-hearted comment we could get a kick out of. But you make some points here .. Pay upfront is an important part If the "discount" is acceptable to you, that's all that matters. Letting the product speak for itself -- I like it! WAY too much of that 'other crap' these days ... buy my stuff because it's sold at Jeff's, or Walmart, or Cabelas, whatever (which apparently is it's only value). Remember those commercials... "as seen on tv .." I've seen some people who are quite good at graphic design, web programming, "social" media (wake up, people, if they're selling something, it isn't 'social') .. but whose actual product was not good. So, what do you do? Go on about "as seen on Fakebook ..." Yeah, amazing people still fall for that! And there you have it. I've sold houses I had a lot more work in than any bit of leather. If the new owner decides to burn it down, that's up to them -- they can do what they want with it. But if I'm selling, and you're buying, then WHY are we paying the realtor (store owner)?@!# It isn't their house. They didn't do the work. So I'm not paying them. I don't hate 'em, but I'm not paying them.
  2. JLSleather
    I wouldn't. I'm not sure what I said that makes you think I was "mad" about any of it. Generally, I just delete them and ignore. If I get a couple close together in time, perhaps a mild irritation worth joking about on a forum somewhere ..
  3. JLSleather
    Yeah, no 'consignment' either. But, I'm not mad about it. Those people.. I don't hate 'em, just seem to like it better when they aint around
  4. JLSleather
    Well, Ebay is a bit out of control .. looks like about 15% in fees by time it's over. Cutesy is about half of that (right around 7-ish %), and at that rate I can stand to list "standard" items- those which don't involve a lot of time. I write that off as advertising. And I pay for web hosting on a site where I don't even have a store. No trouble, all that all works out for me. No, I'm talking about those people who like that word "wholesale", as in you sell it to us at about 40-50%, and 'make it up' on the volume. Uh.. no thanks-- if getting bent over is bad, then getting bent over a dozen times should theoretically be worse Since I do have some stuff over at etsy and more on the site, then they shouldn't need much "demo" models -- maybe they care to buy a couple and I'll send them 50 business cards? Seems there's just too much disparity between the terms they would like and the ones I would prefer Yes, most (if not all) 'stores' in the US are just that. I'm not aware of any original walmart designs Not a real concern to me --- they can do what they want (in fact, I've actually shopped at Walmart as recently as this year). But I think I'll not put my stuff in the window.
  5. JLSleather
    Well, these are actual places who really do have stores... and strange opinions about what constitutes "earning" a living.
  6. JLSleather
    You mean this?
  7. JLSleather
    Every so often I get contacted by someone "interested in" my work. People I've never heard of before, who want to "partner with" me, or "carry your line", 'n' such. Translation: We want to sell the stuff you make, pay you less than the asking price, and have some of the money go to us instead of you. We'd like you to put in more hours to make the same money, since we'd be keeping the difference ourselves. Seriously -- these people are in the wrong business.. they could have been doing stand-up comedy all this time!
  8. JLSleather
    Tan-Kote has been used to thin antique paste for years, even though Fiebings had it right on the label of the paste -- DO NOT MIX WITH TAN KOTE. People do what they do. It does look like your Saddle-Lac went on pretty heavy. I use it one some belts, in three very light coats, over the course of a day. No problems with cracking or peeling. Note that once I got a can that had "something" wrong with it.. came out heavy, and impossible to apply thin coats. Replaced that can, and back to normal (never did know WHY).
  9. JLSleather
    Some folks really prefer not to have the "sweat shield", and then there are also some foiks who just plain do not want a "reinforcement panel" on it. I generally include both in the patterns, since some look for it. Easy enough to just not use it if a guy don't want it in there (personally, I like the sweat guard but don't care for the panel). If you find you like the idea of a shield, but have some issues you're describing, you might try either "stiffening" the shield itself, widen the shield, so it spreads over more area-- note some think this is better, some say worse; make the back panel from two layers of 4 oz (instead of one 8 oz) - it's a bit more sewing, but firms up the shield which can be molded to angle back a bit. Actually, molded may not be the right word.. I mean actually pull it back (5-10 degrees?) when gluing the layers, so it tends to return to that position.
  10. JLSleather
    Nah --looks good, i was jus' playin'
  11. JLSleather
    Looks like your 'mistake' is that "Ruger Red" is more "mahogany-ish" than this - maybe "rosewood"?
  12. JLSleather
    That stitchin' looks fantastic
  13. JLSleather
    Yeah, see that's what I'm thinkin'.. you mention pants, bodysuits, shirts.. I'm thinkin' post machine, or maybe patcher...
  14. JLSleather
    Yeah, might go on retire that one If it's for a buddy, I might try it... if you can cut the stitches (and i mean CUT, not unravel) and find that it was put together with rubber cement (not permanent bonding glue) then it should come apart fairly well. But then you're still rather obligated to stitch back in the same holes, which may be distorted in shape and spacing. A favor for a buddy with a belt with some sentimental value would be the only situation in which I would consider doing this. If it's just a belt (didn't belong to Grandad, or Elvis, for example) I might just tell my buddy he needs a new belt. Less hours involved in replacing it than repairing it. Course, if it belonged to Grandad, or Elvis, probly worth more if you DON'T restore it
  15. JLSleather
    I had the consew.. solid machine that stitched pretty well (and quick!). But I don't really know how a guy would do an inseam with a flatbed
  16. JLSleather
    HEY.. this looks good, Bruce! Love the color.
  17. JLSleather
    Acrylic paint first. You want the paint to adhere to teh leather, NOT the tan-kote. And let it COMPLETELY dry before using the tan-kote (which,by the way, is also acrylic).
  18. JLSleather
    I'm gonna go on and comment here, in spite of the almost assured fact that at least one person will pop in and say or suggest that I'm trying to talk anybody into anything. I'm not, and that's all I'll say about that. Back to the point, ... Today, I am low on one weight, so I called a supplier and ordered ONE piece of "B" grade H.O. for which I was charged about $14 per foot after shipping. After shipping was $170 for about 12 feet. My last HO order (same weight) was $1850 for 10 backs, around 200 feet with no belly leather. So $9.25 per foot after shipping. And it was 8 "A" grade and 2 "B" grade hides (very nice leather). $185 for about 20 feet. So, I'm just trying to offer something helpful here. I'm not bitchin' about the price I paid this morning, since I chose to pay it (and it wasn't nearly as pricey as the shark I ordered later). Point is -- if you got a few boys within an hour of each other, one guy could buy a "10-pack" and the other two could DRIVE OVER and pick it up, get nearly twice as much leather, and STILL save $50 In my "signature" under the posts, I have included HO's 2017 price list, for anybody who gets interested. I'm fine up here, just thought somebody might want to know.
  19. JLSleather
    It has always seemed rational to me for 2 or 3 fellas to "split" an order from H.O., thus paying $8 per foot instead of $12 per foot. But, mention that and people scatter like there was a landslide comin'
  20. JLSleather
    Wickett/Craig has no minimum order (beyond that they don't cut partial hides), but the cost per sq ft is actually more than HO (by about 60¢ / ft)
  21. JLSleather
    If you knock a quart of black off the bench onto concrete floor, that plastic cap can shatter, blowing the top right off, and 'customizing" a white cinder block wall. So I hear Note: Also a bad idea to use an empty quik trip coffee cup to put oil in your dump truck. I mean, seriously -- don't do that.
  22. JLSleather
    Thanks, Boss - you know we're gonna wanna hear what you used to get that color
  23. JLSleather
    I'm with Big Souix here -- EVEN IF that would work, it's not going to be 'quick n easy' thing. And even if it was 'quick n easy' (it won't be) the real point is here.. you shouldn't HAVE to. If you ordered black, I would be on the phone pointing out that I ordered black and got burgundy (clearly showing that what I got was not what I wanted).
  24. JLSleather
    It's gonna depend on how long and wide the straps need be. I have some here that are 1 1/2" wide H.O. "A" grade.. and also some which are narrower and / or shorter which would make great collars & leads. Send me a message if you like... natural leather and also some drum dyed straps.
  25. JLSleather
    Yeah, mostly No glue included, anda fella gotta git his / her own awl and needle. But there's a price for the "set" of stuff plus pattern, and a separate price for 'hey, i already paid for that pattern once jus gimme the leather stuff" Course, nothin' as fancy as stretching / shrinking / distorting that tooling design from page 18 of Stohlman's "how to make holsters" -- that's not mine to sell and anyway that's been done to death already
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