JLSleather

I try to get over some of it ... though I admit that I have taken EVERY stitch out of a project and re-sewn the thing when I saw a stitch looked different than the rest. And I do - though not often - still infrequently just pitch one in the trash and start over due to something unplanned.

normally changing COLOR would not affect tension, though changing TYPE of thread might (nylon to poly, or to linen, etc). You do have to make sure it's threaded right, and since that's the only thing you changed that does sound suspect. I say "normally" because I HAVE seen changing thread colors "booger up" the works .. moving from a natural thread that was quite lubed to a black thread that was the same size but stiffer and drier ... that DID affect the game. If you got Bob's thread in both, it's likely not the problem.

You can use pig (I personally do not), cow, goat (tough, and nice - I like goat), or a number of other options. Whatever you choose, get the VEGETABLE TANNED version if you intend to hope it will BURNISH

Better start looking in to this soon. Bout that time to re-up the web site, and I do get a bit tired of those messages about how you folks crashed me again due to high traffic (627 times in a month). So, change the site, change the host, or ditch you folks Problem is, I've done web design, though only for a couple of years and I let the tech pass me up - didn't keep up with it. Other hand, I know something about that, so it's much more difficult for pseudo-designers to con me into extravagant payments for simple stuff. I expect a guy to get paid, but some of them have lost all sense of TRUE worth Think I'm good 'til after the new year, but I should check ...

Has 20-ton shop press on sale currently for $139 US. Which is good. Found it when I found out that they don't list the chuck size on their drill press, which is less good. Not sure why you would list the spindle taper before the chuck size, but we'll figger it out.

Well, I admit that crossed my mind But, I'm not a prostitute .. so a fella kaint just give me money and then I do whatever he thinks I should do

SHOOT .. that didn't work out at all! Who would have guessed I'm better with leather than diplomacy Somehow, "not at the present time, but thank you for your consideration" came out more like "I can make you a very nice belt, but not that commercial stuff --- acrylic paints, antique paste caked in the low areas, and "fuzzy" edges. Perhaps you should contact the original maker?" Drat. Foiled again.

Got a pic in the mail this morning, somebody wanna know kin i do this by Christmas ... with a pic of a "tooled" belt, splotchy background dye, ant-streak smeared all over it, and that gaudy turquoise paint that for reasons unknown you sometimes see these days. Or was it the frayed edges they were wanting me to recreate? I hate turning these down, since tooled belts are probably my favorite part of doing leather work. But, .. that's a bit insulting. You find one of my listings, you like the way I do this, and then you want me to do that?@! uh. no -- maybe have a coffee, calm down, come up with relatively polite way to pass on this one ... Sad part is, tough to get someone to refer them to. EDIT: Oh, yeah, that actually felt better. Now be able to just say no and let it go

I like your use of color. Natural tones, understated, not GAUDY like some "painted" leather you might find. And your use of multiple shades gives it a natural feel. Did I already say I like it ?

SOunds like you might benefit from a template and a knife. My preference, template and a sharp knife trumps a punch. Or if you're doing 10+ per week consistently, certainly would warrant purchasing a die, which would incorporate "wings" to line up the piece to the strap.

Yeah, prolly IS python.. but it's cut down teh back. I always thought it was much nicer looking cut down the belly... preserves the natural python "pattern". But, I don't like snake for belts. Durn things got scales that are made to only go ONE direction .... and pulling it the wrong way through belt loops can really booger the snake (flake the scales). You can minimize this by either LACING THE EDGES (gives a bit of a buffer) or by making the snake an INLAY so the scales are set in and not (almost not) subjected to the scraping / raking action.

I'm eating steaks and burgers in an attempt to reduce the carbon emissions caused by large bovine herds. Having consumed the meat, it seems wasteful and irresponsible to NOT use the hide and bone for useful purposes. I'm all for doing it in the most eco-friendly manner possible, but to let it rot while you "produce" other materials is just ignorant. But then, these days Oprah flies over a few thousand homeless CA people in her private jet burning jet fuel to tell people in GA that she cares about people and is all for clean air... so, what do I know?@!

Good picture! I'm with ya -- embossing doesn't go EVERYwhere.. some products should stay slim. But this pic SHOULD BE a good illustration of the effect of tooling in the leather, what with the consistent burnish of the design in the BACK SIDE of the tooling leather, showing the use of moisture content. That's the English (ish) version. Translated to Russian below:

Well, that was weird. BY DEFINITION (no, really - literally THE definition) leather is "a material made from the skin of an animal by tanning or a similar process." EDIT: No, serioously. Really. "Vegan" leather may have originated with one of those "men" who .. you know what -- nevermind.

Progress!

Yeah, I've heard the old line -- giving us MORE information makes you MORE secure. Sure.

Yup, me neither. I think I did get invited to a "closed" group years back, but ran into this, didn't join, and then forgot about it. So when somebody asked me to check out this other group, I had completely forgotten about this foolishness. I really do not think anybody can give a VALID reason why you would need to provide name, date of birth, and phone so you can buy/sell tooling. I make a call and spend a couple thousand dollars at a time and have NEVER been asked my date of birth. In fact, that credit card reads 'JLS Leather', but I generally don't get asked that either. Just what I want, where to ship it, and the card number ... The CARD ISSUER knows my date of birth, but not the vendor, not the vendor's employee, not the switchboard operator at the company .... People running all over the world, and particularly in this country, talking about identity theft. But git right down to it, most people simply don't "believe' it can happen to them. You'll see them on occasion -- "all i did is enter my name, date of birth, at least one of my phone numbers (and by default my i.p. address and location)-- to people who may or may not be who they say they are - so using my identity is being a meany". Not surprising, the people asking you for this information havent provided THEIRS to you.

There's nothing to guess ... there it is. Well, not vertically. The keeper is "painted" along with the belt, so the look is contiguous -- not a couple of stripes painted ACROSS, in ONE spot on the whole belt. OH, and yes, theres a crease on each side of the keeper (though it would also work with NO creases on the keeper) but the other side isn't showing due to the angle.

It's a buy / sell /trade "group" supposed to be about some leather equipment. Whatever -- they don't want to sell the stuff, guess they welcome to keep it. Not the only rodeo in town.

Yeah, some folks don't do cash -- tough to find me with more than coffee money most days. PayPal will give you a free card reader, and they certainly arent' the only one. They got some empty tables in the back.. was it not filled up with vendors? And, did you get the phone number of that girl at the table next to yours?

Sorry -- I must have said something in a manner that could be construed as trying to convince you of ... something. I'm not. I'm not joining, and neither you or I will care. So we're good.