Ferg

Photo of your work would help. Ferg

I could be mistaken but it seems when I ordered from these folks and seen how much the shipping was I questioned it. Was told their program doesn't figure the exact ship cost, they will reimburse any difference. Remember, I am not sure it was these folks. Worth it to question? Ferg

Additionally: Keep an old toothbrush handy, at the sink, if you are edge painting a fairly large piece, the paint begins to gel on the roller before you are finished. Secondly: A small container of water setting close by on your workspace will come in handy if the paint is beginning to get a little sticky on the applicator. Make sure you have some clean paper towel handy also, it will be needed to dry off the water left on the applicator before you put it back into your paint. Ferg

I am curious, have you used the tapered applicator from Tandy? Ferg

The tapered roller tool is the best I have tried of all the tools. I have no experience with the Edge Kote. I have Fenice and Giardini. My preference is Giardini. Lekoza has some colors of the Giardini and it is not expensive since it takes very little to do edges. The tapered tool allows application without the paint running onto the surface of the leather. As usual it takes some practice. Ferg

Why don't you get some white Doe Skin, laminate it to a heavier piece of veg tanned natural/or other, stitch and no paint to mess with. Ferg

Ray, My son-in-law makes/sells wood grips for hand guns. He has told me in the past you need a license and whatever that includes to ship fire arms. Ferg

Don't let them bug you!!!! Ferg

Wiz, You need to add that machine to your arsenal. I can see it now, resting in your shop. LOL Ferg

First note: You can get a spray at Jo Ann Fabrics or Walmart for instance that will retard the fraying when you punch holes. If you have an edge/exposed, you can do a "Lap Over Seam with the fabric held inside the leather. Glue the fabric first then do the seam. You can create the same if you are making a pocket for a purse or similar article. Glue the edge of the fabric to the leather after using the "Fray Spray". Ferg

You must have a bad day about every other at least. LOL Not Sandy! I have done/made thousands of things while I was a building contractor for so many years and then as a manufacturer of wood products. Half the equipment in our commercial shop was either made by myself or modified by me. I have an insane desire to learn how to do everything there is to know about everything. No exceptions. I don't worry about what someone happens to make for a living if I can learn to do it I will learn a better way, that is just the way it is. Ferg

From the info I could find it is not a Clone but an original. HERMAN KOHLER. Ferg

I have an idea the folks doing the writing for Weaver's wouldn't know the difference. Quality checking?????? Ferg

WIZ, I hope your rented shop is bigger than the trailer. Otherwise you wouldn't have room for all those Domestics. LOL Ferg

Lets see if I can give you a thumbnail idea to get you going. Since you have already visited Tandy, return and get a bottle of theEDGE PAINT GLOSS EDGE AGENT. It is most likely a Fenice product and may be labeled something entirely different but this is one thing you need. Also get a bottle of edge paint color you would like to use to begin. Tandy also has a "Craftool Pro Edge Dye Roller Pen", get it also. Do not sand the edge of your fuzzy leather before applying the Agent. This is assuming all layers of leather are nearly exactly lined up, if not you will need to clean up that edge, with careful sanding or cutting. Before using the Agent shake the bottle pretty hard for about 30 seconds, it will have bubbles inside the container. Tap the sides of the container with a small screwdriver or anything similar, that will make the bubbles burst. Now, dip the edge roller into the Agent, not quite over the large end of same. Tap it lightly on the edge of the bottle to get any glob off the tip. From the finish side begin rolling the edge roller over the edge until you see it completely wet. Don't get carried away, too much will run onto the face of the leather. I hold the leather piece in one hand while turning it to get the edge completely covered. If you don't get globs on the roller and also on the edge it will not "run" where you don't want it. Allow this application to dry for at least an hour if in air conditioned/heated space. Again, don't sand first application. Apply another coat of Agent, allow to dry for 24 hours. You can then sand with 600 grit sand paper/cloth until you feel it is smooth. Do not press down hard on the sanding paper, light pressure is definitely desirable. You need to get all sanding dust off the edge and any that may be on the remainder of the leather piece. Now, you are ready to apply your finish color of edge paint. Shake the bottle and tap it as I illustrated above. I like to use at least two coats. I am using Giardini now, it is thicker consistency than the Fenice. TANDY's edge paint may require more than two finish coats. Allow at least 12 hours between applications and do not incorporate the product into use for 24 to 48 hours. This is not for everything you make but it will make some very nice edges on most. Ferg

Glue with gel contact cement not barge or similar. Coat with a thin layer on each piece and let lay for at least an hour before you place the two together. Roll to make them adhere fully. I agree you may have a problem if the thick piece isn't almost exactly the same thickness throughout. Ferg

Ray, I will take this set. Let me know e-mail to send the PayPal to. Ferg

You need to know what you are delving into but I think you are beginning leather work at the wrong end. lol Do some research on types of leather to be used for different things. Get a copy of one of Al Stohlman's books on beginning leather craft (available at all Tandy Stores and on-line.) Work on tooling etc. on some scrap. If you don't have any Veg Tanned scrap, that is available most anywhere also. Ask many questions and read all you can find, then understand what you read. Ferg

My wife had her last radiation treatment last Wednesday. She is one tough lady. She done everything and more the Doctors told her to do. She came to me the other night to show me the new skin that is appearing already. Oncologist says she has a 9% chance of reoccurrence of the cancer within ten years. We are so blessed. At my age there are way too many old friends and family no longer with us. We grieve for all of them and try to remember all of the great things we done together over the years. Ferg

I don't sell steel rule dies and have no intention of doing so. That said: I decided about a year ago I would like to learn how to make steel rule dies, not the heavy clicker dies. I found a company with a lady that knows her business that helped me along the path of equipment and dies to use in making same. I bought a manual die making machine on e-bay for $300 and have accumulated a few dies. A very high learning curve on what dies you need and what type/hardness of rule you need. After making several I am learning a small bit about making them. Made parts for a purse I made my wife with some I made. Yes, you need a welder but it can be a small unit that runs on 120v. 20Amp ckt. (I use a 30 amp circuit) with a 10 gauge cable I made up. I can do Flux Core wire or gas with solid wire. Beautiful little machine. You need to understand I am supposed to be retired so am also supposed to have more free time and fun. I do have fun but have little to no free time. LOL Ferg

Just as a side note: You can use a good laser printer for image transfer. Print on very good quality white copier paper, remember to reverse the image. Use a heat press, home clothes iron doesn't work well. You will need to test your press time on some scrap of leather you intend to use. After the print is transferred you need to "Fix" the image in an oven. Small $100 ovens work great. Apply temperature of 250 to 275 for about 2 to three minutes. The oven makes the image permanent. Ferg

When I make a wallet....... If you are going to carve the outside portion, use at least 4-5oz. For a wallet that is easy on your pocket when carrying it I like to use 2 - 3oz on the outside with Kangaroo or pigskin if you will, on the inside. These are normally about 1 - 1.5oz. For ladies wallets you can use colors more easily and then the goat skin or kidskin comes into play, they are thin, also very stretchy. Skiving edges that become multiple layers helps immensely on thickness. I make "Change" wallets complete with Kangaroo. They are very easy to place in a pocket or a ladies purse and hold change and some paper money if desired. Ferg

I have done some fairly extensive experimentation with the edge paint. Thought some of you might be interested in what I have found. Several folks sell this little tool. Best applicator for edge painting I have found among several. I am currently using Giardini mostly because I think it is one of the best out there. Has great consistency out of the bottle. Don't dip this tool into the large, 250ml/1000ml, bottle. The grooves on it have a tendency to pick up some little bits of loose leather you may have left behind so they get transferred into the large bottles and contaminate them. I have two or three different sized bottles I use, most are available at craft stores. Shake the large containers briskly then tap on the sides gently to dispense with the bubbles that occur and mess up your edge job. Pour a small amount of the paint into the small container with a tight closure. Don't dip the tool more that just about to the large diameter edge of the brass. I tap the tool on the edge of container so there isn't so much paint on it. I roll paint onto edge so that finish side is facing me making the large end of tool the same. I have yet to get paint onto either the backside or front of the leather I have used it on. Have edge painted 1 mm thickness out to a quarter inch plus. You must prime the edge with any one of the manufacturers clear edge agent. I bought a 1000 ml bottle of Fenice when I first started using the edge paint, it works great with those I have tried for finishes. I sand the edges very lightly before sealing, allow the sealer to dry for several hours or over night, then sand very lightly again with 600 grit sand paper/cloth. Two coats of finish are all that is needed with the Giardini with most leathers. I am sure some leather could possibly need more applications. Veg Tanned or Chrome tanned both do very well. I haven't tried any oiled leather, I doubt the products would stick very well. The finish paints dry in 15 or 20 minutes but I don't put the leather pieces to work for at least 24 hours. Have made coasters of finished leather and unfinished, horse hide and cowhide, Kangaroo, it doesn't seem to matter from my experience. If I am going to put a row of stitching at the coaster edge, I do that before painting. Using a roller or stationary sewing guide drags a little against the edge paint. Obviously if you don't need to use a guide that doesn't matter. I bought a set of brass edge irons for a modified solder iron which I find practically worthless for what I have done so far. Simply do not need it. I have no problem with edges falling off, cracking, buckling, or anything else. I have the paint on an iPhone case that is over a year old and I give the cases a bad way to go in my daily work, no deterioration. In my research I found the Fenice paint to be too "Runny" in consistency. Found a product that is used in all latex paints known as HYDROXYETHYL CELLULOSE, HEC FOR SHORT, guess what it does!!!! used as a thickening agent. Comes as a very fine powder, Amazon has it, I bought a 6oz. bottle. You can get it in larger quantities of course. If you have Fenice product, pour a little into a small container adding a very small amount of the HEC so you can see what it does or when you reach the consistency you desire. If I can answer any questions you may have let me know. Ferg

I have a Tormek system. Have sharpened a number of scissors and like tools including knippers/shears for trimming goats hooves. Folks they were for, said they were sharper than original. further proof that most all so called sharp tools from sellers are simply not sharp. lol Ferg