JLSleather

Sorta, yeah. If you were embossing this, you would depress the petals and RAISE the pod. Since you're not raising it, just don't bop it down. So bevel firmly (not necessarily "deep") and then "fade" away from there gradually. Some folks didn't like my banana, but I think it's a pretty good NATURAL illustration. Basically, it's a "leaf" coming off a "stem".... So, don't 'shade' or 'thumbprint" the banana... you want to leave that in the forefront. Be a little light beveling of the banana in the front in the middle (between the red arrows at the bottom) just like you did on your piece. Then the rest of the banana is NOT tooled, and the area ALL THE WAY AROUND it is 'set back'. I wrote "no bevel ridges". Might have been more clear had I said "THERE ARE NO bevel ridges" (that "halo" you get around tooling that so many think is okay to leave there cuz it catches antstreak). And by "deepest tooling at the protrusion" I mean it's "heavy" beveled (or shaded, or what you use) where it protrudes, and then "fades" from there. There is NO TOOLING on the 'back end" of the arrows -- that is the HIGHER part. BTW I think you're background looks pretty darn good. You got a little chop on the water at the 6 0'clock position for a minute, but it's not severe and still the piece looks nice. Toss on some lace or thread in "sheridan tan" or something close and that's a nice lookin' article fer somebody. Seriously, yours is some of the smoothest floral tooling I've seen on this site in a while (I might have used a 'vein' tool around the scrolls, but I rather like what YOU did here).

Overall, I still think it looks purdy goody. But you can gain a LOT of sharpness - "realism" - with very little added effort. Red arrows → ya missed a spot with the cam tool. The top section you covered much more evenlly (no bald spot). Blue arrows → DON"T shade here. Leave the pods "round" (i think) Green arrows → Maybe heavy on the antstreak... puddly Yellow arrows → Maybe light on the anstreak... it's very light where it should be deep. I like to really drive this deep here. Or maybe even this ? Again, I think it looks pretty good.

Wallet? Notebook cover?

That looks purdy good -- but you still didn't tell us the size

me too. I'll likely quit that when people can tell what I used

So... WHAT was the issue?

Exactly the point of using 'craftaids' -- get a fella right into the carving.

I LOVE craftaids. Granted, they're limiting because you're locked into that design, but I CERTAINLY recommend them for the new guy. Lets a 'rookie' spend practice time CARVING instead of TRACING and DRAWING. And, seriously, I STILL get asked to make those goods shown in photos from the 50's - 80's, many of which became "craftaids". Last month I did a wallet of a Stohlman pattern from the 80's for a gal's husband, and yesterday there's an email for a belt with a design from the 50's. A guy making them today could make a MINT. Not the imitation, seen everywhere, standardized "templates" you see everywhere due to the falling cost of laser tech. But like clicker dies, where a guy could get his own design put in a 'craftaid'... Your carving looks good - quite smooth. Only suggestion ... modeling spoon over the long beveled lines/curves. Round the edges, adds a LOT of realism in the finished look for very little trouble. Where you used a 'cam' tool along the scrolls appears more 'round' because the tool depressed the edge, "rounded" it. A spoon do the same thing on the stems where cam not used. ANd the seed 'pods', or whatever we're calling those thingies in the flowers.

Wood stuff to hold the leather tools and leather stuff to hold the wood tools. You been keepin' busy

Now that i see the pics, I'm even more sure that's all it is. Line up edges, lace, form, ... dunn.

I think that's Joey Smith. How big is the design?

By the way it's cut, I'd say it was made just as you said.... somebody laced it "traditionally", and over time it "rotated" out.

ALREADY looks great, but I WILL be back to see the color

They're waiting for breakfast.

This 'information sharing' is out of control. Nobody needs to know my location to tell me the web site for Hermann Oak. I've been in about half the states in this country, and ordered stuff from most of those places... didn't matter where I was when ordering - none of those sellers needed my address until it was time to ship something to me. If they aren't shipping me something, then they don't need my address. I have shipped leather all over the world [almost] and my patterns are pretty much everywhere. ZERO need for me to know where they were until it was time to calculate shipping charges. Bob ships sewing machines, parts, and consumable "accessories" (thread 'n' needles 'n' stuff). I can give ANYBODY his web site address without knowing ANYTHING about them. IF they make a purchase, then BOB needs to know their location where they want it... but JEFF has no need (and no business) to know that. While back, I took one of the boys for a hair cut. Gal wanted to "register" us - needs our name and phone number. FOR WHAT? You gonna call us when you're ready? Cuz the boy will be sitting right over there where you can see him! Gal says "it's how we put you in the computer". WHY do I want to be in your computer? Gal says so we can look you up next time you come in. IF there's a next time, which isn't guaranteed because we seem to be having trouble getting to THIS time, then he would again be STANDING RIGHT THERE. You said you do "walk in- no appt needed".. so was that true or not? You don't need my phone, my address - you don't even need his name - to cut his hair. So only question is - do you want the job, or NOT? When faced with that choice, gal decided she'd just cut his hair in exchange for money.. really no need to "register" his information. SO THEN... when somebody asks "where do you get good leather" or "my sewing machine is weird".... DO YOU REALLY need to know where they are?

You didn't get any of that?@! Did you see ANY of that up there ↑ Ah, no matter. Next time I know. I get thread at thethreadexchange.com, superiorthreads.com, and Bob (red link below)

NONE of the splitters I've seen for under $500 (granted I haven't seen that many) arrive sharp and ready to cut. I'm pretty stuck on that.. I know I have to sharpen cutting tools, but it irritates me to no end when I have to sharpen a NEW tool before I can use it. Unless you're doing lap skives, I don't think splitters are worth the cost. Granted, if you're one who likes to buy tools so you can say you have 'em, there's that. Each his own. But ... $500 NOT spent on a bench splitter will get you enough leather already wallet weight to make about 200 wallets. $2500-3k for a "powered" stationery blade splitter costs the same as FIFTEEN SIDES of leather. And for "billfold" style wallet backs, figure 60-70 of them per side, or roughly 1000 wallet backs. So the question then, would I be willing to trade roughly 1000 wallet backs to have a "splitter", but still need leather? Again, there is a place for them. Maybe a benefit to some to reduce inventory - you could just buy ONE weight and split what you need from that. I'm not that guy, personally... doesn't pay to save that space and a few extra minutes of inventory counting/ordering but then have to split something every time you start a project, provide space to keep and use the splitter, sharpen the splitter (or have it sharpened), .... It is nice to be able to cut a belt strip from say 8 oz leather, then cut the keeper loop from the same leather for the color/texture match, then split to about 4/4.5 oz for function.

Welcome to LW.net where "Where's the good thread?" returns links to pictures of sides vs backs 'n' bellies, discussion of various types of needles, and a suggestion to search elsewhere Actually, I don't know the answer to your question, EITHER. I use bonded thread, even when I hand stitch, and it's already dyed. But you sound much like me, and I simply wasn't passing the opportunity to throw in a "told ya so" Sadly, much of what you'll find here is the same "information" parroted over and over again, often by people who didn't understand or have no experience in what they're repeating (I have been told more than once about the great quality of a particular sewing machine... by people who have never used one). I'm with ya -- simple question should result in simple answer, and I'm never offended when the guy who doesn't know just doesn't reply. So I'll return you to your question without further...stuff. good luck!

Use tax is not the same - there has "always" been a use tax, separate and distinct from sales tax.

Looks like it otta werk good. Is there a safety on that litle gun? I can never decide if a guy should cover it or expose it.

I don't think you understood what he's telling you. But... Including the web page. And NOT doing it particularly well -- I'm aware that I have forgotten more than some were ever aware of. But it does work (for the moment). I just can't seem to bring myself to pay somebody else to set it up (though I did look into that) when in the end I have to supply and approve the content anyway!

Yeah, I think that's about right. Stohlman didn't invent holsters, or even that style holster. Just that ART WORK IS HIS. I'd have to dig out my copy but I think the copyright belongs to Tandy, or is it Craftool, since he was in essence working for them. So to sell it, a guy would either have to not be aware that's a violation, or doesn't think it will be enforced. And if you advertise with a paragraph about "your" material being "protected" by copyright - after you took it from somebody else --well, nobody sane needs that explained to 'em For those making holsters... I will tell you that Glock is quite jealous of their name. You can make all the holsters you want, and you're free to say it fits or is made for Glock 27, or G43, or whatever. But if your listing says "Glock holster" or "Glock 19 holster"... don't be surprised when you get a letter from one of Glock's JILLION lawyers, reminding you that you don't have the right to EVEN IMPLY that your item is a Glock product. Most sites selling dummy guns, holsters, or even parts generally now say "not affiliated with Glock..." If you've been "getting away with it", I don't recommend assuming that you're "in the clear"... could be they just haven't got to you yet. From my standpoint, people will do what they do -- the only "property" rights I have are concerning my OWN Though I admit I was amused when that GOOF tried to sell me a "hand crafted holster designed right here in our shop", with MY design (I DID ask him what I should think his warranty is really worth). Agreed. I think we did that, since we still get asked to make them even though we haven't done one in over two years. But of course, EVERYBODY says they have the bestest wonderfullest, greatest greaty great greateninst leather and done by the smartiest smart smarty that ever was born. People arent confused... if they were happy with the one for $200 they would have bought it - wouldnt' be emailing or calling me. But since we haven't been doing them, there's no "listing" showing a price and time frame for completion (why WOULD there be?@!) so some have appeared to think that if 3 of them show up in the same search as ours and are priced for $150-200 then ours must be the same. I say "appears" because they WANT to appear to have that impression. Yet when viewed side by side, they contact US. But you don't get the US work for the THEY price. Holsters are very simple. But pretty much EVERY DAY I see holsters listed for sale that really don't look too bad in that first, front view picture. But flip it over, and you see they have WRINKLES where the holster doesn't actually fit (they've "fudged" it to look right in the front, disregarding the back). And wrinkles that they've actually CAUSED by [ what they call ] wet forming. And stitch lines 1/4" or more away from the firearm (though they claim it "fits", and may link to a video showing that they can "click" it in place - which is a whole other deception). I'd show some examples here, but I'd have to use somebody ELSE"S work since we dont' do that and we don't have that. Then I suppose I'D be the "bad guy" .. right? POINT BEING... we eliminate ALL of that... so if the next person doesn't, that SHOULD BE a price difference FOR US. IF the next guy gets by selling something LESS for the SAME AMOUNT.. I don't sweat it - that aint my money he's spending. If a guy is okay with wrinkled leather, poorly designed stitch lines, defects in the leather, bad tooling, etc... then Im certainly okay with them getting it. Just not from us. HIGHLY INSANELY POLISHED BURNISHED EDGES do not "make up for" bad leather or bad art. So the idea was not to drag up what some pinhead does or doesn't do. I just need to sit down and make a rational and clear listing for those "charge book" things that clearly shows the price range and time frame to expect. I see more and more people using lasers on leather these days, but we wont be doing that -- that's a whole market you can do WITHOUT us Because IF what you do is something that ANYBODY can do, then don't be surprised when ANYBODY does. Anything you put out, the next guy can push a button and duplicate. And if people want these in TOOLED LEATHER, I think we'll be just fine

Okay, okay... after about a JILLION emails asking about these 'charge books', I'm going to list them as available for purchase/ordering again. Many DON'T order them due to cost. There are many people making and selling "charge books" for under $200 - I am not among them. Part of why we cut those out was due to multiple people finding google searches of "charge book' in leather for under $200 ... and then wanting OURS for that amount. I'll say it (not the first time I was not "politically correct") -- those under $200 charge books largely look like they were made by a child (I say largely because, to be fair, I have not seen ALL of them). I'm apparently not the only one who noticed that, or the people contacting us would have just bought the one they previously found at a price they are willing to pay. I don't anticipate a big upswing in the number of orders for these. Actually, I suspect that I'll simply be replying to far less emails once the cost and time frame is clearly displayed. Just a matter of getting to a clean, clear listing on the web page (which, I apparently will also do myself). Still, we will not be offering - in any way or any place - to sell this pattern. Not to worry - you can download it free of charge at https://www.leathercraftlibrary.com/product/1119/how-to-make-holsters-by-al-stohlman

Well, go ahead. I ainta fraid ta learn sumthin'

Uh, okay. I have in the past received a tax bill for 3 years back. I don't recommend NOT paying that, but each his own. Just saying there's a curve ahead, up to you if you take the turn or not. Would be very simple if it was just one set amount. Would even be bearable if it was 43 rates - one for each state. But it's way beyond that.... breaks down by city, county, even zip code (and one city might have a dozen or so zip codes). It's not impossible, but it IS a pain. There are "services" to take care of all of that for you, but in the end it's YOU liable anyway, and I really don't like being responsible for it while allowing somebody else to do it.