JLSleather

Yet another "plug" for a reliable supplier. These boys delivered - yet again - exactly what I asked for, exactly as described on their site, and did so quickly and easily. 'Dummy' guns, holster hardware, materials... and free shipping on orders over $99. https://www.knifekits.com/vcom/index.php

A good awl blade will MELT through 20 ounces of leather effortlessly. Almost don't notice it. I once sewed 13 - or was it 15 - weight lifting belts for a gym where the boys decided they all "had to" be hand sewn. Think basically rectangles about 4" x 60", so 125-130" of stitching each, at 6 per inch. What is that ... like 700-800 stitches per belt. I might have declined, but the check they were writing for the tooling haunted me into it Only discomfort was my hand shaped around the awl haft for too long. Sadly, that tool disappeared in a burglary, and I have NOT been able to find a suitable QUALITY replacement since. I've purchased and THROWN OUT about 15 others that turned out to be CRAP with a fancy MARKETING STORY attached (you know.. made in the USA, by a veteran, who only drives it on Sunday... blahblah). I don't care about "exotic" wood handles, or speeches about "ferrules".. I just want it to glide through the leather like they are INTENDED to do.

burnished is when I seal and polish the leather slicked is when I git you ta do it fer me

That's how I do it. And that's where I saw it originally. Not hard with a bit of practice. And a decent awl - and the awl is the hard part these days. USED to be, you could get one off the shelf from any of a dozen retailers, but most things got so cheap these days most of it is just junk. I have sewn like this joining multiple layers of 9 oz leather, and also joining 1 1/2 oz calfskin to 3.5 oz cowhide.

https://www.leathercraftlibrary.com/product/1139/pictorial-carving-finesse-by-al-stohlman

And there lies part of the talent... ONE thing to make " a portrait". ANOTHER thing to make an accurate, recognizable representation of a specific person. AB → this looks great.. if I can ask... can we get a picture with some perspective? I think it would help folks 'round here to see the EMBOSSING you did here, maybe make more sense to some folks (plus, for those of us who "get" it and would love to see it anyway). You know -- like a pic taken ACROSS the carving to show the "topography" of it....

Well, not beautiful just YET, but prototypes first and foremost have to FIT.. not like a stitch line SOMEWHERE ON THE PROPERTY

Prototype (finally). Cupple minor rev's... might even trim the thread on the next one.

I use Fiebing's dye reducer, which is made for thinning that dye. But I thin it for lighter shades - it will spray right out of the bottle in most airbrushes. I don't oil BEFORE dye, but I sometimes oil afterward (not always). And drying time will depend on the amount you applied. Normally, I let it set overnight. That isn't necessary unless you applied the dye heavily, but it's a habit I got in to doing just part of streamlining the process. In the morning, everything is ready to go.

"gun" holster

The mold is Duncan's gun for Boberg XR9-S - same gun, new name. Click to enlarge.

No, really did PITCH EM OUT. In fact, the first one I did that didn't look too bad, I RUINED with far too much neatsfoot oil, so after waiting several days for it to clear up I threw it away. The translation is of course what GOOGLE TRANSLATE comes up with, so you decide how accurate that it

If you can paint with a brush (and you can) then you can paint with an airbrush, and probably faster. What brush over there - still red sable?

Some of my early work went directly in the trash, before anyone got to see it. And later I will of course deny writing this post Некоторые из моих ранних работ пошли прямо в мусор, прежде чем кто-нибудь увидел это. И позже я, конечно, откажусь писать это

Absolutely stunning. I always say I can teach any munky to tool/carve leather, but this is genuine art!

Glad I could help in some way. LOVE to see yer pics.

WAIT ... WHAT?@! THis is what you call 'needs improvement'? It may be hand made, but "hand made' is not the same as POORLY made. I did a short article about this a while back, but it's only in English Check it out... I think you apply! http://www.jlsleather.com/hand-made-well-made/ In fact, you got a web site, or pics on FB or any of that? I would not hesitate to link to your work as an example that HAND made can still be WELL made.

Nope, rightey. The flat panel goes on the OUTSIDE, supposed to ruin the footprint of the piece.

Preciatecha, but ABHANDMADE'S portrait makes these look .. well ... less

Sometimes I offer a little experience (even "bad" ones) that might help a fella. If YOU can learn from MY mistakes, this is good. But if I was going to attach a price to it, I would say that up front. Big Souix, your opinion has value at my place.. 'preciatcha keepin' an eye on me To return to normal programming - as in something leather which is profitable, inspiring, or informational -- EVERYBODY should see

LOVE teh subtle coloring! Makes ALL that floral stuff look, ... well.... less.

Title dun sayd it all --- the black is quite dull, it'll buff up once it's all the way dry. Right handed, with removal back piece from 2 layers of 3/4 oz HO (aint put the screws in yet).

Just bookmark the page.. so anybody sending me a beard knife will know to just send on to you. Assuming Bob is a darn decent fella (and he may be, I owuldn't know) in teh end the name don't carry no weight round here. I also don't own any al stohlman brand stuff. If it helps you, or even if it do'nt but you like to have it anyway, have at 'er. I'm not ordering one, so you sure kin have the one that aint mine

Oh, shoot.. maybe another time. I was thinking something more in the 2-4 oz range. 'Preciate the reply, as will others here.