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Bob Blea

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Everything posted by Bob Blea

  1. Good to see you back at the bench! You will need to post some of your recent work. We would love to see it.
  2. Very cool! So which parts are the linen wrapped leather? Is it like a leather core and parts you are seeing are the linen?
  3. I would go with your idea #3 and use the arms of the slide to secure the badge in place.
  4. Just my opinion but I like the one on the left better, but only if I left the wagon wheels a lighter color than the dark background so they stand out.
  5. I'm a big fan of "Sheridan Style Carving" too, but "How To Carve Leather" and "Craftool Tech Tips" by Al Stohlman are great books too, especially if you are just starting out with floral carving.
  6. That looks really elegant! How did you do the white parts of the design? Are they an inlay?
  7. Beautiful details in that belt. I especially like the faces.
  8. Do you happen to put a lacquer type final coat on these flaps? I've had this happen when using lacquer based finishes (like NeatLaq or Wyosheen) and I put too thick a coat on it. The surface becomes pretty rigid and it can wrinkle that that.
  9. How thick is your leather? Have you sewn this leather before without any problems? Is there any chance that your timing is off and the shuttle is nicking the needle and either bending it slightly or putting a burr on it? You could try waxing the needle with beeswax to see if it has an effect. The wax would wear off quickly but it might tell you if friction is the problem. For the ultimate in non-stick if you have non-stick cooking spray in the house try spraying some in a cup and then using a q-tip to apply some on the needle.
  10. I've used a cork backed ruler for years and it works pretty well for staying put without too much effort. I've also found that silicon (like used on some cell phone cases) turns out to have a lot of friction when in contact with leather and it makes a great weight to hold small leather projects in place while tooling them. If you could find a sheet of that stuff at the fabric store it might make a great backing for a metal ruler. I've also thought if you had enough scrap leather you could glue that to a ruler and it would hold still.
  11. Thanks all. I enjoy doing figure carving. Really need to make time to do more of it.
  12. I'd say that maker is using a ribbon to support the cards too. I'm still using that technique and it still seems to hold up well.
  13. Thanks guys! I was surprised how realistic it came out looking. I'm definitely not a spider fan but I liked this carving so much I'm planning on carving one again for a wallet for my Etsy shop stock. I'm told that some people actually like spiders... Bob
  14. This little guy was part of a custom clutch wallet for a customer this past Christmas. She's a science teacher and my customer wanted to give her a gift that featured a couple of her pets, including a tarantula. This was my first time carving a spider and it took a few tries to get it right. I'm pretty happy with how he turned out.
  15. The International Federation of Leather Guilds (www.ifolg.net ) lists one guild in PA: PITT POUNDERS LEATHER GUILD Meet: 3rd Saturday, 1: - 4: pm Contact: President @ 412-837-2159 or visit our web site Their web site will give you excellent information www.pittpounders.org Greensburg, PA Also, there is always the on line guild they have: INTERNATIONAL INTERNET LEATHERCRAFTERS GUILD Meet: 1st Saturday, 8: pm CT, online via chat program Contact: treasurer@iilg.net or visit wwww.iilg.net
  16. Hello Stompk, I was told that the checkering on the tools was to help capture antique when you apply it. The antique gets caught in the small lines of the checkering making those areas darker and enhancing the illusion of depth. In floral carving a lot of people will tell you that if you are antiquing a piece you want to use checkered bevellers. The pear shaders or thumbprints as they are sometime called are the same thing. If you use a checkered or lined one you will capture more antique than a smooth one will and you will get more depth. But it all comes down to your personal style and the effect you want to achieve. I say experiment and decide what looks best to your eye. Bob
  17. Thanks YinTx, it just takes a steady hand, a good eye (or eyeglasses) and practice! It's funny what we are drawn to when we look at these things. Thank you very much! Thank you too Sam!
  18. I've done quite a few things that would not be traditional floral carvings. I made several leather crests for people who make their own armor but didn't want to try their hand at carving the leather. These were all based off their original designs.
  19. I'd love too but I'm not sure I could get Crystal on a plane for that long! She is not a big fan of flying.
  20. This was a custom order from a customer. She wanted a lanyard to hold her ID and have floral carving on it. It was my first time making something like this but it turned out to be a fun little project and she loved the final result. Going to need to make a few more of these to have in stock.
  21. What a cool group of people! Nice carving too!
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