TomG

Post some pics and ask for critique... Maybe its something as simple as edging that is stopping the finished look

Tandy has a chart for converting old numbers to new. There is also a list out there somewhere that lists a ton of the tools. Here's a link to the chart https://www.leathercraftlibrary.com/p-1416-craftool-conversion-chart.aspx

Does anyone have a use for the Monofilament "invisible" thread? I have a huge spool of it that I'm thinking of selling as I can't think of a single thing to use it for.

I use Edge-Coat after all my burnishing is done and everything is dry and set. After that dries, I buff it smooth with a soft rag and apply 2 or 3 very thin coats of 50/50 Resolene, letting them dry between coats. To my knowledge, I haven't had any cracking. Thinking back, I did use Saddle-Lac as a top coat at one time and found that some of the softening products I used on the flesh side made it flake off in chunks if I didn't spray it on at the right time in my sequence - ie: before any oils or softening crèmes to the flesh side.

Not to be a SA or anything, but considering the Bob Parks method DOES produce great results, why change it? I've never used Clear-Lac for edges, but considering it's a pretty hard substance, I'd kind of expect this. If you apply it to a flat, thick surface, like a holster, belt, etc, flexing is spread across the entire width. Here, you are laying down a very, very thin width and flexing it or rubbing it. I can't see it not cracking.

I don't use a lot of this, but have gone through a bottle or 2. The video pretty much has it covered. One key is to keep applying it in that circular motion until you have uniform coverage. One other thing to note, is that in my experience it will be a whole lot darker wet than it will dry. The note in the video block above says t all. Work it in well and let it dry well. It's not a terribly bad product and has a built in finish. However, I still Resolene the final product <g>

There are lots of guides and suggestions here to help you get a handle on this. Practice is the key to stamping. I'll try to give you some highlights of what I've learned. 1 - Most stamp sets made today have a varying amount of casting slag left on the edges. First thing you want to do is carefully file that off. Make your you keep the edges square. Next, look at the bottom edge of the stamp on the top. You will see each stamp has the letter embossed on it. Use a black marker or a dab of bright paint and draw a line from the letter, up the post socket. This helps you avoid getting letters upside down as you stamp. 2 - You can get by with 1 stamp set. Let's say you have the name REESE as an example. 2 issues you need to start out planning for. Centering the word and aligning the bottoms. 3 - Take your "E" and find 2 more UNUSED stamps that are the same width - Letters like "I" are narrower. 4 - Take all of your letters and line them up, sides touching, on the leather and center it where you want them. Use the 2 "unused" letters for the 1st and 3rd "E"'s. 5 - Use a ruler or straight edge on the bottom edge of the letters to align them. Make sure this is all lined up on your leather where you want it and small and very light mark at the center of the middle letter - in this case the 2nd "E". 6 - Without letting anything move, insert your stamp handle into the center letter (2nd "E"), double-check the alignment and smack it once about medium hard.. Carefully left the stamp, make sure it's lined up, replace it and smack it hard enough to leave a nice deep impression, but NOT leave the square edges of the stamp body. 7 - Move the handle to the next stamp - In our case go to the "S" as we still need the "E" for alignment. Make sure all is still lined up and that the previously stamped letter is firmly seated. Snug this next letter up to it and stamp it. Check, replace and finish stamping.. 8 - At this point, leave the "S in place and move that 2nd "E" in place of whatever "unused" letter you used for the spacer for the 3rd "E". Keeping it snug against the "S", stamp it in place as we discussed. 9 - Now, we go the other way. Leave the "S" in place, and use a space letter on top of the previously stamps "2nd E" and butt the real "E" against it to the left. Use your ruler to make sure the bottoms are aligned, and stamp that 1st "E". 10 - Using the same procedure, stamp your "R". Lots of steps on paper, but once you do it a time or 2, it will be easy. A couple of points to watch for. Sometimes the stamps tend to rotate as you stamp them. If you lightly stamp the first one, you can often realign it and stamp harder to cover it up. Sometimes, the stamps will move or bulge the leather if it is too wet. Be sure to case it properly. If you stamp too hard and the corners of the stamp show on the leather, you can use a modeling tool to wet the impression and gently work the impression out. Look on YouTube. You can probably find videos of all this. Good Luck

Look through this thread: http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=42794&hl=%2Bcoin+%2Bpurse

There was also an almost identical pattern done some time back by Tony Laier and published by Tandy. Not sure if it was part of a kit, a Doodle Page, pattern kit or book. I've made a few and they are generally loved by folks I've given them to.

Try a belt sander and angle the leather for the taper you want.

Another one is... http://www.wawak.com/

I have a Singer 111W155 That seems to be in good mechanical condition, but certainly isn't as "pretty" as a new machine. Our local commercial machine repair shop went over it last fall, replaced the hook assy and did all the adjustments. Everything seems to work well. I have been kind of thinking about selling this head and getting a Consew 206RB5... mainly for the reverse feature. What do you think a head like mine is worth and what is a fair price for a good used Consew head? Thanks

I have the el cheapo Harbor Freight model and it's actually pretty good. Especially since it's less than 1/2 the price of some others.

Probably the fact that they are real leather and hand crafted. A lot department store belts are made with ground up leather and cardboard. So, they can mark them as "genuine leather" but that's not the same as "real leather".

ohiotravelbag.com. Page 140. But I didn't see 1-1/4". It may be on another page. They sometimes do that.

Found these on Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/listing/62827059/make-from-copper-8mm-x-8mm-anti-brass?ref=related-4 They had a few sizes. You might also check eBay. I had quite a few Google hits but not enough time to check them all Good luck Tom

Agree with Troy, except I almost always use a THIN piece of cloth folded a couple of times. a thick cloth holds more and I prefer to lay 2 - 5 very light coats allowing them to dry between. If you want to pray on a real budget, try a Preval unit. Tandy, SLC, eve Home Depot has them. Be sure to spry some cleaner -Alcohol - Watr through it when finished. If you like it, you can invest in an airbrush setup pretty cheaply from Harbor Freight

I just bought the old model and it's good, but the blade needs to be sharpened or at least stropped. I also have the "High Tech" splitter and the new one does require a different method of splitting the leather. Still experimenting with the best way to use it. But, I did do a tapered skive on some Latigo yesterday and my first ttemptswere pretty impressive.. At least or me.

Bwhahahahahahahahahahahahaaaaaaa So many one-liners -- so little space <g>

No Prob. It's really not hard, just takes a little practice. Cut few pieces of scrap from the same piece of leather, maybe 8 oz. DIp them in water for 10 seconds, 30 seconds 1 minute, and until the bubbles stop. Let them dry to various colors, cut a few lines and bevel them You'll feel the differences and will see the difference in burnishing when they fully dry. Luck

Hey Foamer.... Bob has the excellent tutorial at the first of this thread.. Go to the first message in the thread and click that hyperlink that says Casing Leather. Basically, no you don't soak it, you pass it under a faucet or dip in a tank of water - BRIEFLY. Then set it aside for a while, until the top ALMOST returns to its dry color and it feels cool if you touch it to your cheek. You can then tool it.. The time it takes depends on the weight of the leather and how wet you get it. If you want to case it the day before, let it dry until jus a little wetter than "tooling ready" as above and seal in ziplock bag overnight. When ready, take it out and let it finish drying to "tooling ready". Use the fridge if you need to store it longer than overnight. Good Luck

Well, I think you are going to find that most folks would use a resist like Super Sheen or even better, Resolene, to block that tooled image. 2 to 3 coats, allowing to dry an hour or 3 between coats. Allow last coat to dry overnight. Dye the whole thing with oil or spirit dye using a sponge or dauber. Allow to dry overnight. Then you need to seal the top.. Some people use one of the Sheens, Some use Leather Balm with Atom Wax. The balm is what I prefer. Allow to dry an hour or 2 and buff. Apply the Antiquing gel with a dauber to get into the cracks and crevices of the design, and wipe off leaving it in the impressions. Let dry and seal with you top finish - Resolene seems to be the most popular. Good luck

Has anyone used a rotary engraver like they use to make plastic signs for leather? I have an old one and can't seem to hit the proper cutter size/depth, etc. to make clean letters. Thanks

Well, I hit a couple of small pieces with the steamer. Don't have photos, but the musty odor seems to be down and smells like leather now <g> Thanks for all the help. If anything changes as it airs out, I'll post about it.

Ahhh.. I have a heavy duty clothes steamer. I'll cut a small piece off and steam the hell out of it as a test. Thanks