JLSleather

I don't even use a double toe foot. Like, ever. Drop down edge guide is a BIG plus, but I don't believe your link is the right one. Maybe more like this one. https://www.ebay.com/itm/1SET-KG867A-guide-fit-for-Durkopp-Adler-69-205-267-867-Pfaff-335-1245-Consew206/152426203411 Maybe they close enough to use either.

'Attaboy Looks good, Kid.

Yeah, been like that around this site for YEARS. You can show 'em decent work done with leather FROM TANDY, won't make any difference. Some just feel the NEED to repeat what the other guy said, even with evidence to the contrary right beside them. I was at a Tandy yesterday - only one in Iowa. New manager, and that gal certainly does know what she's talking about. We talked 'leather' far too long, and she showed us a very nice bag she's in the process of making. Perhaps she'll see this and give us a pic ... This is UNtooled - dyed only - leather from Tandy. Seemed to take the dye just fine. And this was tooled in a double shoulder I picked up at Tandy (same store). Seems to hold shape pretty well.

By contrast, THIS is what "B" leather FROM HERMANN OAK looks like (not what some retailer claimed was "B" leather). This is the top (neck) end of a side of "B". Note the 'wrinkles' in the shoulder area (this piece would be called a "single shoulder). The next pic would be the other end (butt) of the side (not teh same side, but it's a pic I had already uploaded for other purposes). Note virtually NO wrinkles from butt to shoulder. And, the final pic is a close-up shot of the grain, which is smooth, consistent, and CLEAN. CLICK PICS to enlarge if desired.

Leather is a 'natural' product. But too often that is used as an excuse to sell POO. All leather is natural, but not all leather is acceptable. "Marks", brands, scratches, bites, wrinkles.... [supposedly] "add charm" and "character" to the finished goods? Yeah... maybe you like dents in your car too? How about hail damage to your home? That's "natural".. should make your home "worth more" right? Makes it look "natural" and gives it that "lived in " charm, right? That's ridiculous, of course. That's why tanneries charge more for leather that DOESN'T have these DEFECTS and FLAWS. I don't think you can find a side of veg cow that doesn't have some wrinkling in the shoulder area (where a cow person might call "withers"). This is natural to the build of the cow. But those wrinkles are not the same as "wrinkles" from loose grain, distortion, back bending, etc. Want to see some acceptable wrinkles incorporated into the design of projects, check out work here by fgabesz - note he's making holsters with it, which wouldn't be subjected to a lot of stretch and tension. THIS, however, was sent to me by one supplier who advertised and sold it as "hermann oak B grade". I'm willing to believe that it came from HO, but this is NOT "B" leather... totally unacceptable. Pathetic even. I do not see where a guy could cut even a single belt without those 'wrinkles' running across it. They cut their own throat with this ... they'll never sell me leather again.

I don't price buy the hour, and I also do not shop by the hour. Some guy show me a poorly done carving in low rent leather, and tell me he wants $150 because it took him all day... WAIT>>>WHAT?@ So you want me to pay you for what... being slow?@! Nope, I'm buying the item, and I'll consider the price accordingly. This is also why we have no employees (and may never again). We've seen SO many who 'clock in' at 7A, 'clock out' at 4P, and think they should be paid for 9 hours whether they actually DID anything or not. But time does get considered, within a range. I've had people tell me they spend DAYS making a tooled belt. But I don't see that as my fault and don't feel that I should pay for that. Our 'tooled belt' page is getting a re-work right now, and time is a factor in that. Without considering the layout - just the carving .... one design is largely bold strokes and takes an hour and change to carve. Another design is a bit more ornate and requires 2 1/2 hours to do correctly. If I know the designs I"m using, I can carve multiple belts in a long day. Idea here is to maximize the time in the planning stage. But by the time it's over, people will be able to get a custom belt, OR they can click-n-pick from some popular designs which do NOT all cost the same to carve. In the drawing / layout stage, I've hit on something I liked "first try" and been done in half an hour. Other times, I've obsessed - basically- over details to the point it took far longer. But I don't charge based on that (that's MY responsibility) and the carving always goes smoother (and usually quicker) where I'm comfortable with the design so it usually all works out. Your design, assuming the layout was done and it's just a matter of putting it on the leather and carving, could be carved in a couple of hours. You didn't post a pic of the finished color of this one, but IF it was done in the same monochrome effect as the other then the color time is minimal and can be figured into the carve time. OF course, you already know that in leather, actual "work' time is not the same as "completion time". In a project that size, I would have far more time in DRYING than anything else. Of note, your background - particularly around the fairy, or angel, or whatever - is pretty 'choppy'. While this isn't "textbook form", in this case i actually LIKE it - almost hints at a 'halo' around the figure, and gel or antique or whatever will likely enhance that further. This one the left takes considerably longer than this on the right (assuming you've matted away any "halo", rounded all edges with a spoon, etc). Far more tool changes, textures, surfaces to mat, round, ... This book took longer to COLOR than it did to carve. Obviously the CG emblem was already designed, and the carving only required 7 or 8 tools... so not much time burned in switching tools. And the last could actually be called 'fast', since the lady sent us the bottom strap and asked us to make 2 straps with that design 26" x 2" (I think). Translation.. very little layout, about 5 tools (er was it 6), one-color color, .... So in teh end, it's really not possible to say "how much is a tooled belt?" or .. such.

STEP 1: Never rely on the answer to a question like that from the internet. STEP 2: Consider whether you should even ask a question like that on the internet. Now, that out of the way Lobo's answer above has some information that has to be considered, but it's the TIP of the iceberg. I don't think any of us here are actually qualified to answer that question for you, certainly not completely. But, a few points to consider: First point ... MOST (near all) people you'll find on this site are NOT business people. Some of them have registered a business and are "doing it right". Some are registered, but blindly stumbling through the day to day and will likely have a reckoning coming when they find what they were REALLY supposed to be doing and paying. Some call themself a 'business', but aren't in any real sense of the word. Next, Lobo hit on one big one here recently. Nearly every state now collects sales tax on purchases made in other states. And it's not just states.. often taxes have different rates for counties or cities within the same state. Used to be fairly simple.. Iowa has a 6% sales tax, and all but a couple of the 99 counties added 1% to that. Now, I think it's 43 states we collect sales tax in. I say THINK because i am a LONG way from figuring out all this new stuff. Even the IRS states that they don't expect businesses to get it right for possibly first couple of years. Ignorance won't "save' you of course... just means a lot of businesses will be getting notices 2 or 3 years from now saying you owe more than you thought. I could go on and on, but in the end you HAVE TO have a tax person (at least one). Intelligent people could learn the tax law themselves, but by the time you got if 'figgered' it will change. No substitute for a guy who just does that. Similarly, I could probably tan my own leather.. but I wouldn't' get anything ELSE done. INVENTORY is an issue for the vast majority of the honest ones (the others, I'll leave to themselves). Do you know how much you currently have? Raw materials, hardware, tools/tooling, vehicle(s), stock (if offered), .... any assets owned by the business. Do you know the age and/or value of these things? Any of it already depreciated, or is it all new? Each his own, right? But I assure you this is the wrong place to look for the information you need.

I might want a tad heavier leather for that one myself, mostly due to the broad piece you have as a sweat guard. Those single-layer flaps tend to get ... flappy. Ya always hear that. But seems nobody wants to discuss the "possibility of accidentally pushing it" if it's NOT covered

From a not-expert-sewing-guy .... I"m gonna say the CB3200 is more than enough. The 4500 will sew up to about an inch thick veg tanned leather... how often do you see yourself using that?@! You can buy a Porsche to go to the grocery store.. it WILL work for that, but you're spending way more money than you need to. The 3200 drops about a grand from the price of the 4500 you say you won't need. Disclaimer: I do not have a 3200 - I'm simply repeating that everybody I know who bought one has been happy with it (and they make holsters and belts mostly).

That's not a terribly outlandish price IF the leather looks like the picture. Does cause me concern that on that same page it shows H.O. "B" grade side at $234 .. which is about $40 above what it costs at H.O. But, maybe not related.

You can get both buckles and blanks in about any width you want. It's true that some SAY 1.5" wont fit 1.5" strap, but some will. Different buckle makers make em different. For a 38" waist, you need about a 50" strap. Tha's 38" for the waist, 3.5" for the fold, 6" for the tip end, and a tad for the thickness of the clothing and the leather itself. That assumes that you ACTUALLY MEASURE 38" -- I have "34" jeans that I can't get in and I have "34" jeans that fall off... BOTH say 34. To the heart of your question - we don't know where to get GOOD belt blanks. Without fail, when we have bought them (which I admit is not often) the leather has never been as nice as the picture on the web site. And they tend to be priced quite high as well.

Congratulations. YOu've answered the question [ for those who forgot, the question was what is hand made ].

Agreed. WELL made is more important than "hand" made. Agreed again. BETTER is better. The METHOD is immaterial. But somebody just SHOOT ME if I ever even discuss (much less buy) a "hand crafted" piece of firewood, since I would clearly have lost the good sense to SHOOT MYSELF. _____________________________ The VALUE in handmade (go on debate the definition without me) is that it's BETTER because INDIVIDUAL CARE was given to EACH ITEM. I've heard people ignorant enough to say that you can tell it's "handmade" because of the FLAWS :@:!@! WAIT.. WHAT.. ?@! I would expect a "flaw" of a "misfeed" or crooked cut from an assembly line or row of presses stamping out 1000 parts per hour, with some unskilled person standig there to hit the "emerg" button when something blows. I would NOT EXPECT FLAWS in the piece that somebody claims to be making ONE AT A TIME and with any skill at all. In fact, [what is called] "handmade" is generally more expensive. So the question must be asked, IF it's NOT BETTER, then WHY would I PAY MORE?@!

Yup - but, not 5/32" Must be my age showing - used to be everybody carried this stuff. Guess a guy could get something WIDER, then cut it down and bevel the edges (WHY is lace not beveled any more?@!) but that seems to almost defeat the purpose of buying lace. Some new enough they've never used beveled-edge lace probably won't understand.

Well, that IS the tannery Yeah - he "gits" it.

NICE! I love that clean look.

Well, for me, even if I didn't sell what I made, I'd still want it made WELL. And well means quality materials.

From H.O. (the way it REALLY is graded, meaning minus the retailer "spin" on it). http://www.hermannoakleather.com/about/grading/grading-20140524202323

I've bought leather from multiple retail locations. After considerable 'research' and at considerable expense, I have concluded what I suspected from the start -- really the only rational place to buy leather is from the tannery. I'd say "i should have known", but truth is I DID know and tried it anyway. By mail order, I have personally killed too much time and effort ordering, getting, returning obviously unacceptable leather. If you're able to physically go to the retail store and pick out the leather, that's a step in the right direction and may produce better results. From my location, were I to travel to shop leather, Hermann Oak tannery is about as close as anybody! These 'retail' places buy the lower grades of H.0. and W/C leathers and jack the price beyond what the tannery charges for the best grades. Just from a standpoint of cost per foot the decision is obvious. But even beyond that... this whole 'politically correct' BS about "customer service" is out of control. If you're selling me lower grades for more money, then a pretty speech about it doesn't make it better. I don't see sending me something OTHER than what you said it was is "service". For the hobby maker, who is not on a schedule and where the final look isn't critical (I myself dont care if my fishin' belt has a tick mark in the leather) some of this crap shoot might be acceptable. But if you're in business, hoping to meet deadlines and / or have satisfied customers - time is money. It should go without saying that if you got bad leather, the retailer should replace it - and replace it without additional cost to you (you shouldn't be paying a penalty, 'restock fee', or even shipping for returning something other than what you asked for). But even if they replace the piece, you're still "out". You took the time to find them, to call or click there, and order what they described. And you waited for it to arrive. All of that is unavoidable. But the viewing of leather that isn't acceptable, the call or click to contact the retailer, the time to package and return to shipper, the wait time for replacement, and any time you had to spend explaining to customers or altering schedules -- WHO PAYS for that? Think that's NOT a legit expense? I bet they're paying that girl you talked to on the phone when you ordered it in the first place. And the person who packaged and shipped it to you. And they're paying the person you talked to about the return. Maybe suggest that they pay YOU the same wage while you organize returning something other than what you were led to believe you were getting. Still wouldn't be "service", but at least would be reimbursing you for your loss they caused. Some of this 'research' I did just because I wanted to be able to answer people who ask - "where should I buy leather?' or "have you ever bought from ...?". So I ordered 4 sides last 2 weeks, one from each of 4 different retailers. I explained that I'm not going to be a "volume" buyer - but I might want a side or two per month from them, to fill in what weight is running low. And they were each asked to send me the piece that shows what I can expect from ordering there. Of the four - ALL advertised as "Hermann Oak, bestestest in the world blahblahblah...". (you know the line) - ONE was acceptable leather. I'm not returning these, going through all of that. But I won't be ordering again - just a few more on the "no fly" list. Worth noting, though -- the prices charged were about 50% higher than you'd pay at the tannery for the same grades. So, FYI - H.O. charges $7.81 per foot for A GRADE sides. That's graded based on percentage of actual clean square footage of leather - NOT "the best of what we happen to have on hand at the moment" as some retailers do. Didnt' catch that? Here's an example: a FOOT is 12" long. You don't take 4 rulers which are 10", 8", 7", and 5", and say the 10" is the longest one we have, so that's a foot. It's not a foot. Calling it a foot doesn't make it a foot. Likewise, taking 3 "C" grade hides and a "D", you can't LEGITIMATELY take the one with the least damage and say that's a "A" (it's not, it's still a "C"). But that's basically what some retailers do. From their web site today, HO pricing is UNDER $8 per foot ($9.25 for backs- no belly leather). Wickett-Craig charges me just over $10/ft for drum dyed skirting leather in backs (no belly leather). My 'testing and research' is over - I have no desire to throw away time and /or money. Just don't say I didn't tell you.

SOunds like a time burner. Probably faster and easier (and likely cleaner) to just use a very sharp knife, cut down between the glued layers. If you get off just a tad, doesn't matter. As long as you don't cut through, it'll glue back together as before, and sew.

Yup Yup.

I don't know. But if you buy me one, I'll make you a holster pattern fer free