Matt S

Well I mostly use bridle, which is a specific type of dyed veg-tan. Compared with russet tooling leather (what most of us mean when we say 'veg tan leather') it does behave quite different. As well as dying the piece has been pressed through a big roller to compress it, the back slicked with a gum solution, and it's been heavily treated with dubbin (wax, tallow and oil) for suppleness and water resistance. Most bridle has been through a tumbling process and is fairly supple before it gets to me. Baker's, on the other hand, is pit-tanned and as far as I know isn't tumbled, which means it's a bit stiffer (though of course it becomes supple soon enough in use if it's a flexing piece like a dog lead or shoulder strap). As to practical differences... well it's a tad more difficult to burnish the edges because of the tallow content. The Italian bridle is quite greasy so it is a bit of a bugger to burnish, but I have a motorised burnisher so I don't have too much of a problem. Baker's is easy because the core of the leather is fairly dry. Sedgwick is somewhere in the middle. Can't remember about Metropolitan since I've only ever bought one butt off them and that was a few years ago now. All stitch, cut and skive about the same as any other moderately dense veg-tan. One other practical advantage over certain veg tannages is that the back is always finished, meaning you don't have to line your items.

That looks great. Out of interest did you are the leather yourself? Where did you get it from? I ask because I made a great leap forward when I realised that predyed leather is better and faster than any dye job I can do myself. Fewer odd coloured fingers too.

It was a No6 winder but looks like this one has pins in the recesses where the pins of the No6 bobbin fits. Also looks like the sprung plate which keeps the thread neat on the No6 bobbin has been cut down and its lug moved along. There is now an extension spring between the plate and the hole where the gas jet once was.

That's some very salient points on the Boss. I'd be tempted to get one myself if it weren't for having a Pearson #6 next to my bench. It'll do 3/4" all day and 9/10" if I ask it very nicely. I'm very fortunate to have the space for some beautiful old iron. Need to get rid of the flatbed 45K soon though, it takes too much houseroom. (It'll do 1/2" if anyone is interested.)

Those tools look great, and the results are fantastic. I started out with tools I made myself and have no hesitation modifying something to suit my needs or save a bit of hard-earned.

I have average size palms but stubby fingers, and struggle to use most round knife handles, or I do until I take 3/4" off the length with a saw, then reprofile the handle with a rasp.

That looks fantastic. Good job everyone in bringing a fine machine back to life. I'll bet it can do another few decades of work now.

No just four. The black layer is a few inches longer than the brown (difficult to see with my photography) and has the tongue slot. I'll upload a video tonight when I get some time.

It's not as pretty as yours but here is the belt I made myself a couple years ago. The snaps worked well, I'd be happy to sell a similar belt and put my name on it. Chicago screws would be excessively fiddly and slow imo. Of course I don't carry any weight on this belt so if it's intended to hold up a Bowie knife, a Coonan 357 and a six-pack as well as a pair of trousers I think the snaps might have trouble.

Saw this on fleabay, looks like a Champion wide throat. Starting bid is $100 so looks like a good deal for those nearer Idaho than I am. http://www.ebay.com/itm/LEATHER-SEWING-MACHINE/182603998025?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D41375%26meid%3D8f1cbac186f940398e460a1ae7648767%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D6%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D222395394576

The Pearson 6 has what I would describe as a semi-cylinder bed, which is about 2" square. However because it uses a bullet shuttle there is about 3" between the left edge of the arm and the needle. This makes it awkward to sew certain objects, and I essentially have to treat it as a flat bed. No particular fault of this machine, it is a product of its time and was designed for sewing traces and other long, tedious parts of harness. There are also some issues getting spare parts and consumables, since most of these are proprietary to the no6, of which only 10,000 were ever made, and production stopped decades ago. I have an adequate supply of spares for my own use and can have more made up if I feel the need, but it would be handy to be able to just order, say, a new presser foot and a dozen bobbins. The Classic/9, as you know, uses a shuttle assembly of the Singer 45k type which means that parts are very readily available and you only have a few mm distance between the edge of the arm and the needle, which helps access to certain jobs.

I would very much like to have one of those (I have its ancestor, the Pearson No 6). However I don't know of a single one this side of the pond, and they aren't very common even on yours. Congratulations on your purchase.

Singermania sells new made reproductions from Australia. Search this forum for details.

I use a standard buckle, held in place like your idea #2. The 3" of reverse colour is hidden by the 'spare' end.

Chinese hot foil presses can be got on eBay as little as £130 if you are willing to wait a month for shipping, and to run the risk on their... Creative electrical safety standards. Used ones come up even in the UK. Prices vary depending on size, condition and location (a lot refuse to ship, which reduces sale value). £500 will get you a decent size new press. Tooling is extra, and not easy to change quickly. I'm working on a DIY solution to emboss names without the faff of setting up a plate of moving type. Ian Atkinson has a couple videos on hot stamping, using a magnesium die with wooden backer and an arbour press. This is, I think, the least expensive method that does not require specialist tools. Looks pretty quick. I used to do the same using a fly press I used to have access to. Works well and can ba fast when you get your process right. I'm working on an inexpensive solution that will allow me to emboss my logo using one of my existing small presses. Runs off 12v for safety and portability (car jump start battery). K type thermocouple controller for fast and accurate temperature setting. Just waiting for the die to arrive. I'll write it up for this forum when I've got it chooching.

Jonathan, do you want leather of any origin sold in the UK, hides tanned abroad but curried in the UK, hides from any origin tanned and curried in the UK or hides from British livestock tanned and curried in the UK? For instance Sedgwick produces some lovely bridle but is tanned in Europe and curried in the UK. Baker's bridle on the other hand is from selected West Country hides, range and curried in their Colyton works.

Ah Lucas, aka the Prince of Darkness.

I have a spare Pearson 6 winder. The base broke before it came to me, but it can be bolted to a bench. The large wheel has been broken and brazed back together at some point so it runs a little rough but works fine. The wax pot insert is missing. All in all it's a user, not a museum specimen. I'll get you some photos later today.

Sadly I think most automatic riveters like this are only suitable for splash/machine rivets. Nothing wrong with them in the right context, but not what the majority of us here need. I have a couple of manual presses which do jiffy rivets as fast as I need them. Still looking for a mechanical solution to saddlers rivets.

Jaspa, that looks like a BUSM automatic riveter I almost bid for on eBay. Went for beer money but I would have had to pick it up halfway across the country.

BUSM6: beautiful. 45K: works fine. 7: don't have one (yet).

Yes, I do that with some of my machines which are not fitted for reverse, like my BUSM/Pearson 6 and my Singer 45k. However some designs do not allow or make it inconvenient for reverse, and so it would be handy. Singer 7s can be modified to sew >1".

I've read your description before on how to increase the sewing thickness, but how did you modify them for reverse? I have a few ideas rattling around in my brain that would involve stitching over 1", and might be able to find houseroom for a 7...

West Germany existed between 1949 and 1990. Nice machine, they seem to be the mainstay of a lot of purse and bag makers.

Both the 99 and 15 use standard domestic 15x needles, which are readily available. The 15 uses the very common 15 type domestic bobbins (which I have even found in the supermarket), whereas the 99 uses a 66 type bobbin which are available through eBay and machine dealers. Both use a simple drop feed so the underside of your work may get marked, but this isn't the end of the world. I have a 99k which I occasionally use to sew the bottom of wallet pockets with v69/tkt40 thread. The machine is theoretically able to go a little thicker but the main restriction is the size of needle. 15x needles for leather are usually only available up to size 110, which restricts me to tkt40 thread. I have found some larger needles but don't want to stress a domestic machine any further, especially when I have industrial machines better suited to heavier jobs. These machines are commonly available and not expensive, so you could consider them expendable -- use them up and when they wear out use the money you make from their use to buy a real industrial machine.