JLSleather

Thanks, Troy. I remember the evil clown thing you did recently, and I love the lacing you did on that. Keep thinking I want to learn some more of that type of stuff. Then I lace 6-8 wallets in a day and that idea goes away for a while

I got one of their 4/5 oz double shoulders a couple of weeks ago, wasn't too bad. Supposedly their "B" grade, but came out in a flyer so I got one. Tools pretty well and dyes evenly. Under $5/ft and good color. Depending on how many projects your going to make, should be big enough (you can ask, and they'll send you one closer to 9 feet or closer to 14 feet). I got it for a couple of small handbags, which I'm going to line with a 2 1/2 oz fairly firm chrome tanned, so the 4/5 oz was plenty heavy enough. They said to expect "some range markings" but I didn't have any ... all good clean leather. Now that I've said something nice about Tandy, I'm gonna go brush my teeth again (ugghhh... those "kits").

Too kind .... these are the "factory seconds" actually, but I like the glue lid idea!

I've been at it pretty much all day. Maybe I should stop more often to catch them up so I don't need to do so many at a time, and end up basically sick of lacing. Anybody selling a "lacer" machine? Anyway, here's the first couple ... I'll get some pictures of the rest when the kids aren't asleep...

I use Ebay nearly every day, if only for a couple of minutes. Just getting some good deals from time to time. I paid $100 for 100 ft of really nice 2 1/2 oz calf. And then there's the occasional search for those old patterns I used to have before somebody decided they needed them worse than I did. Which is fine, long as I don't ever buy a "vintage" craftaid that shows up with my initials on it But, I couldn't help the other day ... still choking ... One guy appears to be doing well enough ... selling $20-30 items that couldn't have cost more than $8-10 to make, and involving almost no labor. Looks pretty rough to me, but people are buying it, so I guess that's the interest. Not for me, but sometimes I'm almost in awe what people will spend their money on.

That'll be sweet, I think. Maybe need to figger a way to tool the flower centers. Too many times I see folks tooling flowers all "laid back" like this, then they bash a big seeder that was intended to be viewed straight down, throws the whole carving out, makes an otherwise perfectly good carving look unnatural.

Okay, not gonna happen. I don't have any white. Forgot, I don't use white Not a total loss, though .. in the scrounge I found enough red to do this ...

Yep, you won't be alone . Hundreds of dollars on a web site proclaiming from the rooftops "one of a kind item", then we go buy a craftaid .. There's a couple in this post you could just as well use ...

Actually, Storm will tell you that a dogwood can have 4, 5 or 6 petals (and a bunch of other stuff I kaint pronounce ). He's got quite a discussion on it somewhere around here. But, in the end I'm going with this one ...

Kain't really say what the next fella will do. For me, ... I landed here on LW selfishly trying to find a pattern and save drawing one (re-inventing the wheel). I am my own worst critic (wife says I'll never be satisfied) and, while we all love to hear others' praise, in the end it's my opinion of my own work that counts. I never did find the pattern, but stayed for the company of other leather nuts (no offense, that's a compliment). There's some work around here that I personally think is VERY nice, and some not so much. Just my opinion. But I don't take someone else's idea without their permission, and if I did use something from another crafter I would have no problem stating -- to the site, to the customer, whoever -- that I got the idea (or style...) from [insert your name here]. If in my honest opinion the guy did it better than me, I would have no problem sending a note to ask that person if they want the order. What I originally thought was just common courtesy turns out to also be good business. Oh, I know wha t you mean about the posts ... sometimes I think it's a contest to see how quick we can disintegrate a topic ...

That's beautiful! Just an oil finish????

House won't warm that much ... now that's fun-NY ... Love the moose, though, AND the frame. I've never done a moose, and probably should. About the time I started, Stohlman did a "doodle page" with a moose and EVERYbody was doing them, so I didn't. Dare to be different .... which is not the same as slothful ... NICE art ...

Just stumbled across this old post by SouthPaw. Nice looking project, from a guy who wasn't on this site at the time. The colors are a bit bold for my taste, but who doesn't love that left-handed lacing (amazing nobody commented on it). New. Different. Nice.

Okay, somebody know what these flowers are? I want to use the natural color, and don't know what they are ...

Now that's realism ... when the bull is mad about that guy smakin' im in na head with a stamp ...

Looks great so far!! Sure to post when you color it...

Yep, the lifters will work on belts. I never use the things myself. Had a couple of them when I first started, mostly used just on handbags. Someone stole that set (and quite a bit of other stuff) and I have never replaced them.

If you want to spray a finish, I would go with the aerosol can. Fiebing's Saddle Lac is very good, though it should be put on over Tan-Kote (sprayed on by itself it can "burn" the leather). About $25 should get you both, the Tan-Kote and the 13 oz aerosol. The Tan-Kote is a more subtle finish, but not water-repellent. The other will shed water (and stains), but is more shiny, just so you know. You could spray a top-coat ... but I wouldn't use the airbrush. Some of that stuff does a real number on the seals, and at the least is a pain to clean out. If you want to use the compressor, get a cheap automotive "touch up" gun and save it just for finishing. Your "lifting" will be fine in a purse, I just don't put it on a wallet where it's going to be sat on repeatedly. Once the leather is completely dry it shouldn't be an issue. Not trying to recommend a particular product OR brand, but I use both of those and never had any problems. Lots of people who use antique finish thin it with tan-kote, so if you've already done that I wouldn't bother to do it again. For some other options/opinions, you might read what some of the folks said in this thread.

But you're not done... the FIFTH one is really fun (though there's the odd chance your wife won't agree at the moment). Congratulations!

Up here, you'd need to contact the county recorder to make sure no one else has registered that business name. There are income limits (forget what they are) but under "so much" is a "hobby" and not required to register. Then, you'll have a sole proprietorship, a partnership, an LLC, an S corporation, a couple kinds of C corporation.... Most of which is aimed at you getting a pretty name to make you not feel so bad about Uncle Sam getting his cut OH, yeah ... business names ... there's a fella here in town, pretty good carpenter from what I hear. Used his last name for the business. I've never said anything, but "Doolittle Constructon" just doesn't inspire a lot of confidence. Plus, gettin' socked inna eye kinda sucks ...

They used to sell them as Pro Petal. Sort of a pic here. I'm not so big on them myself, but the one fella has one made from grinding an angle on a screwdriver (that way you have a handle that fits your palm). Since it's not plated, put a coat of laquer on the steel tip so it doesn't oxidize from the wet leather and stain your project.

If that signature is a stamp, she has either a hydraulic press or 20" biceps

I like it, though I'm a bit upset. I have never had a project tell me how to build it (and more than once I coulda used that ).

Sweet, thumb indexed, even Tooling looks pretty good. Neat and clean ... love the open space. Only difference I would make is to use "natural' thread (match the color of your work) and maybe knock down the edges of the design with a modeling spoon (just enough to take off the hard edge). Nice...

Does the maker stamp guy charge by the letter? You can't get it absolutely right ... that's the only rule. JLS Leather gets calls, they want to talk to JL (who doesn't exist). Apparently, that looked to someone like JL's Leather (?).