bdt46

I keep all my harness needles in an empty saddle soap tin. That would also give you space for thread and a piece of beeswax and would be easy to pack!

Good luck on finding a cyclone, and if you do be prepared for sticker shock on the price if it is a good one! Another word of advice on the Campbell Hook and Awl stitchers is to make sure there is a clear title of ownership on the Ser.# of the machine! Many of the Campbell stitchers were leased and then never returned for whatever reason and Campbell still owns them! Just a word of caution, because no one wants to buy a machine and then when you need a part, find out you don't own the machine. Good luck again on your search again, and the regular Campbell stitchers are great machines and will run from $2500 to $7000 for a good one. I'm not for sure on this but a Campbell Cyclone can cost over $10,000!

The needle is bent! I have owned a couple of these old machines over the years, and while needles and awls can still be found without toomuch trouble, parts are almost non existent! If they are not worn out and everything is correctly adjusted, these old machines will sew 3/4" of leather pretty easily. Good luck with the old girl, and hope everything works well.

It is mighty hard to tell by looking at a stack of hides if they came off a happy animal or not!!! I've been around cattle my whole life and if they have grass, water, and shelter( even a thicket of trees works) then they seem like happy campers!

Actually there are two metal loops that are missing from the hames! One would be on each side and move up and down the top of the hame and fit into the half circle parts where the strap now runs through. That is so the hames can be adjusted to fit different size collars. The hame strap would be through these pieces and would then lay flat on the top of the collar! Still is a great gift idea and will look beautiful on someone's wall!! Good Work!

It is a Landis #1 harness stitcher. Looks like the shuttle is in place, can't tell if it has a bobbin in it! These old machines were real workhorses for harness and saddle work. They are a bottom feed and don't work very well to sew on sheepskin! Parts and needles can be a bear to find for them, so if you find any, better snatch them up! Looks like the cover plate over the shuttle is missing. I have one of these old machines that I still use once in awhile!

I would say that the saddlemaker is spot on, and the man who sold it to you was not truthful! Sorry, but we all learn by our mistakes! I don't think you are hurt to bad on the price you paid, if that helps any!

The first photo is the original style Blevins Buckles, the second photo are the Improved Blevins Buckles. The original style is still available, but are not commonly used anymore. You might contact Blevins Buckles, in Wheatland, Wyoming. They will probably have them in stock.

It looks like it could possibly be made on a "BOB CROSBY" tree. Probably made between the late 50's to mid 70's. It has Porter Style tooling which was prevalent during that time period also. It appears to be made very well in a style from that period. I'm only making a guess of course, and some one else can probably nail it down closer. Reason I'm saying this is because the man who I apprenticed under in the mid 60's, made saddles that looked a lot like this one!

To make a waxed end (name for thread used in hand stitching) there are several ways to make them. Used to you could readily find Barbour's #10 unwaxed thread in balls. It was unwaxed, and in a single cord, and when untwisted a little you could jerk on the thread and each end would pull apart tapered. You would pull off and taper as many pieces as to how big a thread you wanted. They could be from three to ten chord for whatever diameter you needed. Now you can get unwaxed linen in however many cord diameter you want for a stitching machine. If you pull off the desired length and untwist the thread, with some effort you can achieve the same effect. When I use pre waxed poly thread of the size I need, I pull off the length I want, then scrape the ends of the thread with an awl or knife to achieve the tapered ends. I then rewax the thread and have tapered ends to put through my needles, and when the ends are twisted there is not a big knot behind my needles. Hope this helps a little!

Constructive criticism, I always thought was where you tried to explain to someone what the shortcomings were with what they were doing! This can be done in a mannerly, non-destructive sort of way. Seems like I remember an old saying that goes something like "The worst wheel of the cart squeaks the loudest."

the equivalent of a 6 cord linen thread is a Tex 410, and for a 8 cord the equivalent is a Tex 600, so I'm guessing the 7 cord equivalent would be about a Tex510 if you can find it! Hope this helps some.

I can't really tell by your pictures what the problem is, but Campbell-Randall is right about the first take up roller needs to be threaded on the underside. There is no thread tension plates on a Landis 3. It looks like maybe your needle may not be releasing your top thread as the shuttle passes through the loop. It could be pulling the thread on down and breaking or cutting the thread. Could be the thread locks on the top side are wore out and are not locking the thread to keep it from pulling on down to the bottom side. The shuttle tension could be to tight and holding the thread down. You can loosen the shuttle tension by turning the small screw on the side of the shuttle. Turn it counterclock wise a small bit at a time, carefully! Just a small amount of turn and then try a stitch or two to see if it is helping. Also the bobbin MUST be threaded in straight layers to function properly. Also some machines have a little trouble with the last 1/3 of the thread on the bobbin. Get you a book for the 3 and read all of it and it will help you immensely. Also Campbell-Randall handles some parts for your machine and if you will call them they can talk you through this a lot better than me! I personally have a Landis #1, Landis #3, and a Landis #16, and they are all great old machines. Some parts can be a real problem, and it helps to have a machinist friend! LOL But if you get the old machine going you will be surprised at the pretty stitch it will make, and no threaded needle machine can compare onthick leather items!

I just looked at the wallet shell that you posted earlier. The picture is so large it probably makes it look course! I didn't think it looked to bad at all. Some of the harshest critics never post any of their projects on here! Just keep on working and keep on posting and everything from your work to your replies will all improve!

Give KONOMOS DISTRIBUTING, INC. 5629 Truman Road, Kansas City, Mo., a call at 800-821-5803. They have boot hooks in several sizes in brass, nickel, brown and black! Really good folks!

For your first project of this type, looks like a bang-up job to me! Wish my first project had been so good> For your first project of this type, looks like a bang-up job to me! Wish my first project had been so good. You might want to check out some of the posts on here about finish cuts on your tooling!

Your 29k is a patching machine used mainly for shoe repair. The foot is the only feed on the machine. I don't think a smooth foot will work. I think Ferg's machine is a regular walking foot walking needle machine. Maybe Wizcrafts will jump in here and give you all the info you need!

You might check out the website for the GREEN COUNTRY TECHNOLOGY CENTER located in Okmulgee, Oklahoma. They have a very good saddle and bootmaking course. I think they can be taken separately or in conjunction with each other.

That looks like a U.S. Army standard issue holster for a Model 1911 45 Auto. The army changed from brown leather to black leather some where around 1960. Don't know exactly what year they changed from the 45 to a 9 MM, but that should give you a rough time frame, if I'm right! C'mon some of you military experts and give us a hand here! Reason I think this could be right is that I was in the Military Police in the mid 60's. Good luck on finding out for sure!

The picture is really dark, but it looks like the head of a LANDIS#1 Harness Stitcher. They are a threaded needle, bottom feed, machine. They were some of the first harness stitchers and are really old. Parts and needles are really hard to find unless you luck out and find someone who has one for parts. Good luck

WELCOME CONNY! Please know that all are welcome here at LEATHERWORKER. Everyone has been busy with last minute orders to have finished by today, I'm sure. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

I'm with Ferg on this one! I don't see how a natural death is any different than an instant death. If it's a humane thing, then many times a death in a slaughter house is much quicker and more humane! If you've raised cattle and seen one die a natural death from old age or disease(yes cattle have cancer, etc.) then you would agree with me. Non-leather people, it all comes from the same place, it's all the outer covering of a beef!!!

TR22, being nearly computer illiterate, I don't know how to send you the link for the saddle school! Simply type in your search bar, GCTC Boot Saddle Main Page , and this should get you to the schools info all about the saddle and boot course! At the bottom left side of the page is the link to a couple of their former students web sites. Hope this will work for you! Sorry, about the old illiterate saddlemaker on this end!!!! LOL

I have an old Champion narrow throat machine, still sews great, and is used occasionally still. Needles and awls are still available for these machines, as are manual copies. The Champion machines have been obsolete for many, many years. Parts will probably be used if you can find them! Sometimes another old machine can be found to use for parts. If not wore completely out these are still a quiet stitching, great old machine. On the Champion 30 or Peerless models, the real problem is the narrow throat, which makes it only possible to sew on the edge of an item. They are still used by many custom knife makers to make their custom sheaths!

As far as I know the instructors and instructions are first class. It is the only school that I know of that teaches complete training in both boot and saddle construction. The work I have seen from there appears to be of good quality. Once again, it will depend on how bad you want to learn, and your dedication to the crafts. It is the closest thing I know of to an apprenticeship type training, but you can advance at a more rapid rate if you are willing to apply yourself! Find their website and there are some links to some of the former students websites. Get in touch with them and ask their honest opinions. Good luck in your endeavors.