TomG

I guess I'm fortunate. I've never had family ask for freebies, although I have, and will continue to, make gifts for some of them "just because". It's usually something fairly easy and simple. If they ask for something, I will do it for the cost of my materials - on occasion. And in my timeframe. I have to take care of paying customers first. Friends are always charged, unless I am making them a gift. Depending on who they are, I may discount it, but they understand that I am not a charity organization. Oh, BTW Don... Since you have that new machine, can you whip me out a complete set of luggage when you get a sec? I'm more than willing to pay half the shipping to Georgia

You need to skive the leather at the buckle end to 1/2 the thickness of the strap. I go from the rivet holes all the way to the end at the buckle end. Never had one crack doing this.

I remember that stuff. Scotch #191 Decorative tape. I have some plastic type tape we used to stripe our PVC poles when we made dog agility equipment. I still have some and will give it a try. Thanks

Man, I'd love to find out what kind of tape that is. Sounds like a real time-saver!!!

Well, someone tell me where I went wrong. I needed Orange. I mixed red and yellow together in equal parts but it just came out a lighter red. I did cut it to 25% red and 75% yellow and it is heading towards orange, but not quite there yet.

I've done a few "craft" shows. I do my personalized stuff up the end - stopping before my final finish. Customers can come back in about 30 - 45 minutes to pick it up.. or pay to have it mailed. So, Case... Stamp/Carve... Dye... Leather Balm w/ Atom Wax except the open custom area... Antique... STOP... Now, at the show, I can use a put the name/initials in the spot I've left open for them. I case the top, and when it returns to color, I stamp and then hit it with a hair dryer on low heat. Mount the dryer on a pedestal for hands-free drying.. Then, I do a coat of leather balm and buff it until dry and glossy. Antique over the stamps and back under the drier. Then I do my final finish - usually a 50/50 Resolene. Works for me. Just be sure not to cook your leather, or apply the finish if the antiquing is not dry. And I'm sure there are better ways to do this. I'm all for hearing how as well!

What's the wooden block used for?

Wow. I bought that same punch a few years ago and it had the same unpolished edge but none of those nicks! In fact I have 2 different sizes and no nicks from the store. Now, my larger 1 does have 1 nick where I dropped it a while back but nothing like your photos. Both of might cut just fine from the first. I recently bought the 1" Pro model and it had no edge whatsoever. It has a hard time punching through 8oz leather! It's on my to-do list to be sharpened.

What is the consensus on any or all of the Lexol products? What is the best cleaner/protector/restorer for VegTan, for Chrome tan and for upholstery leathers? I would thing the different leathers might benefit from different products

Needle size too small for thread size can do it as well.

I have the high-end punch from Tandy and it's a workhorse. It has replaceable punches. I hated spending that much money on a punch, but after 2 of the $12 punches falling apart in short order, it proved to be more economical to buy the better tool.. as usual. Check their flyer. Lots of stuff on sale this weekend

And I misread the post. I thought you wanted a small box like you see wallets put in in the stores. Personally, I use the padded mailers to ship my collars,leashes, etc. Get a box of 25, I think, for around $4-$5 at Sam's Club

Try www.uline.com But you may need a tax ID or at least a business checking account. Not sure what they require these days. I used them years ago when I was making some dog agility equipment for folks.

Found it. I though it was a Whip Knot, or Whipping, and was right.... Do a Google search and you'll see tons of images on how to do it.

I've used this numerous times on small leather cord stuff. Very easy to do. The knot has a name, but I can't remember it off the top of my head. If you make it from the same piece of cord that has the loop, it's called a Hangman's Knot. But using a thinner, separate piece of thread and it has a different name. Here's a link that shows how to make it. Just ignore the stuff about button's, clays, etc and look at the bottom of the page. http://www.creativityinpieces.com/2013/05/07/silver-polymer-clay-jewelry-bracelet/

I honed the Tandy blade, but didn't "sharpen". It's one of the things I need to learn more about. This blade has the main angle and then a more acute angle right at the edge. I'm not sure it I need to just make it a flat angle or what. More research needed <g>

Awww, You could have something like this!!

Nah.. Glue-ons will fall off. Ya gotta use the heat set ones. Want me to send you a few????

Sovran - I can see that. Like I said, I haven't done it, but I know of at least one guy who does this on a regular basis to make long leads for police dog training. He showed me a picture at one time and if remember correctly, he had just made a "squarish" oval and eliminated most of that belly section. The way he cut it, there were no joints and no stitches, just a single very long strap. I'm sure though, that there would be different strengths and stretch factor along the length. But how much? who knows. But, I could be wrong. Won't be the first time <g>

I have not used Barge, but as long as it's the "original" most people here swear by it. I'll probably try it once I run out of the bottle of cement I have now. Like I said, I skive the ends, use contact cement to join them and run 1 to 2 lines of stitching lengthwise from just above to just below the joint.

Yup.. That's exactly what those are. They come in sizes from under 2mm to around 5mm depending on where you shop. It looks really nice. Good job!! Now, all it needs is some Bling!!!!

Depends on the level of "constant stress". We have a customer that insisted on tying her 6 foot Latigo leash to a fence post and hooking her 150 pound Rottweiler to it while she did training on her other dogs. The dog would get excited and lunge against the leash to go play too. She was constantly snapping the leashes. I have spliced Latigo with a fairly long lap skive, and then 1 or 2 lines of stitching in line with and over the splice.Depends on the width. A second method that I have been told about but never tired, is to take a side, round the ends a bit and cut a continuous strap around the outside. Like cutting lace, except you cut the outside instead of the inside. I've been told you can do 30, 40 or 50 foot leads doing this. Good luck

She probably used a heat-set crystal. Craft stores sell what looks like a soldering iron that has a concave tip. You pick up the crystal with the glue side up, wait for the glue to melt and then quick press it on. Yes... very secure, and I'm really not sure how to get it off. We use one in our embroidery/screen printing business, but never had a request to remove them <g>.... All I can thing of is maybe lightly scrape it off with an Exacto knife??? Good luck Tom

Actually, Page 51 is a regular split braid. The Night Latch braid is different. With the split braid, you just cut slits and weave then back and forth between the 2 strands. On a night latch, you have to pull the end of the strap through the slits and make the 2 sides of the slit rotate. Grant's Encyclopedia, Page 27, Photo 4 shows what I'm referring to... You do it once or maybe twice per slit depending what you are doing and then weave them together. I know it's hard to visualize. I couldn't find any photos of step by steps. Tom

Not sure what brand of dye you're using or what shade of Red you are trying to achieve, but I use Fiebings Oil Red. I cut it at least 50/50 with denatured Alcohol. Try that and if possible, use a dip dye technique. You may have to play with the dilution a bit or you can do multiple dips. When I was experimenting, I used strips of leather and did single, double, triple dips etc and let dry. And don't forget, your finish coat is gonna change the final color. FYI, for light pink I actually use Oxblood diluted about 80% - 90%.