Ferg

If I understand your photo correctly, your are actually sewing the raised front to a flat back, right? I do this all the time. There are feet with an 1/8" side, either left or right, and those can be modified so you do not have any foot on one of the sides. My experience shows me that if you have no foot on one of the sides of the needle it is more difficult for the machine to pull the item being sewn straight. You don't want to get so close that the machine will mark your finish and I do not sew closer to an edge than 1/8" on bags or most wallets. Watch straps are something else. ferg

Zack White ferg

I answered this once but it didn't stay. I believe your best method would be to make a tube of your leather, stitching lengthwise as well as the end/butt joints you may have. The tube will need to be as snug as you can make it and still pull it onto the rail. If the rail is semi-round this should be no problem, fancy rails would be a bigger problem. Finish with Olive Oil. Apply semi dry applications until you get the look you wish. Use an old T-shirt to buff and wipe excess oil from the leather. I would apply the oil after you attach to the rail. You will need to clean the leather before applying the oil. Use some brass tacks to secure the leather to the rail. Recess the tacks slightly below leather surface so you don't catch your hands on them. If you do not wish to stitch the leather you can simply wrap the rail and attach to the bottom with tacks. You may want to glue the joint with this method but don't glue the leather to the rail other than a slight bit on the wood at the joint. The leather and the wood rail are two very different materials and will react to temperature and humidity differently. ferg

Nice work! One comment: Most folks making their first several wallets use too thick leather for the "innards". ferg

Ditto what Bob said. My 29-4 loves 69 thread but does very well with 92. ferg

Edges are a little too rough for me and your leather for the interior is too thick. Try some Lamb, Kangaroo, or baby calf. ferg

I have swing down roller guide for my cylinder arm, it works perfect on it but I didn't care for it on my Consew 206RB5 I have a number of guides for the Consew. I use the roller guide Colt uses on his. Also have a straight guide that I use most of the time. The straight guide will allow you to go around a corner, holding the leather against it while you turn. Probably my favorite. I found with the roller guide you have to be careful you do not use too much pressure holding the leather piece against roller. This is not so much a problem if you are sewing at least a quarter inch thickness of veg tanned. ferg

You could try your hand at two shades of dye. Work them to your advantage. Nothing wrong with blending. Use a piece of old T Shirt, putting only a small amount of dye on it. Do a "dry" dye rub so to speak. You will be surprised. ferg

Looks great. Welcome to the world of leather. ferg

I have fond memories of our youngest daughter helping with the computers. We had just gotten a new Mac system in 1986. I knew next to nothing about any computer. Spent three months teaching myself to program etc. I had finished a very complicated data base for our business. Went into the office to find a two year old changing the names of the different programs. My heart sank to the floor until I asked her what she had done. She promptly showed me.... She is a very accomplished Graphic Artist now. ferg

We had 5 PERCHERON draft horses when I was at home, before going off to the service. Old Dan was "Sway Backed". You have never had fun until you ride a big black Percheron that happens to be "Swayed". Older brother and I would get on Dan and head for the woods. This was a slow ride. We also had a stallion, "NICK SETTLEMEIER" was his registered name. Also a Percheron but dapple gray. We had to mount him while in his box stall. You better duck fast when he headed for the door because you were on the way to a ride you wouldn't forget. Nick would get tired of us on his back after awhile. We had a small Spring fed "Branch" running through the farm, Nick went there and laid down on his side to get rid of us. Yes, we jumped quick. He returned to the barn while my brother and I had to walk back. Fanny was momma to Major and Princess. She was gentle but we never tried to ride her. She was Sorrel as was her daughter. Major was as black as a Fresian. I don't remember how many hands he was but he was BIG. I remember going in his stall to put a bridle on him. He stood on one of my feet and held his head high. I tried while standing in the manger, you can only imagine how that went. LOL Fetched them from the woods with a Whistle, formed with our lips. I can still see them when they came running down the lane to the barn. OH BOY! I am really getting old.

Nice work. ferg

If you have a paper measure, get the measurement of circumference, divide it by the actually width of the stamped area of one impression. Use a divider to layout evenly making a small mark with point of dividers each time. Remember the space must be the width of the stamped area on leather. ferg

I grew up with Draft Horses from time I was 2 or 3 years old. Have always been "taken" by all breeds. These have to be some of the most beautiful creatures on earth. WAR HORSES - Absolutely Beautiful! Too magnificent not to send on. You'll love the music as well, beautifully played. These horses were originally bred as "war horses" in the days of knights and armor. As armor got heavier, bigger horses were needed and the Friesian almost became extinct. They are back and are one of the most beautiful horses in stature as well as gait. What gorgeous animals! Just watching them becomes an emotional experience. Can you imagine what it would be like to ride one? Their manes and tails are the longest that I have seen and I noticed that when performing on grass, their hoofs do not kick up a divot, as they land flat footed. Creatures such as these are what makes this world so special. These horses are native to the Netherlands. Have your audio on. http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/Y5XJbSqwriM?rel=0

Kangaroo! ferg

I have a "funny" answer. I sew dungaree hems for shortened legs, veg tan leather, kangaroo, oil tanned, kid skin, I could go on. I really haven't found much the Consew cannot sew. But! You have to practice and learn everything you can about your machine/machines. Then most of the time it is smooth sewing. ferg

First: I think you are going to have problem making some/maybe a lot of the style holsters needed on the 206 RB unless it is totally different than my 206RB-5 They use a large bobbin, will sew nicely with 138 thread and "chug" with 207. Thickness of leather tops out at about 3/8" although I have done close to 1/2". I have used 23 and 24 size needles but don't like that big hole they make. Contact Bob Kovar at Toledo Industrial Machine for your needs. ferg

Boy, do I have leather and other supplies I probably will never be able to use. I am going on eighty two years young now but the "young" is slowly but surely slipping away. lol I have a large closet with shelves in my leather room. To say they are crammed full is a gross understatement. That said: I try to never allow sunlight to reach the hides. I roll all of them in brown paper. I never store them on anything but solid shelving. Dowels tend to make nasty impressions in expensive leather. I separate according to type and thickness as much as possible. I need to take everything out of the closet and re-file. I bought several hides of kid skin recently and found I didn't have a good place for them. The closet is in a room with central air in summer and central heat in winter. I usually roll the hides so the finish side is up. When I open the end of the brown paper I can see what leather, thickness, and color without exposing much of the roll. Makes for easier checking. I have all hardware items in plastic cases that have latches and are clear enough I can see what is in them. Sewing machine needles and bobbins along with at least twenty rolls of thread and zippers are in plastic storage containers resting beside each machine. Shelves on one wall to hold my many books on leather, history and working with same. I have several of my cutting knives at my "Cutting and Layout table" as well as leather scissors and thread kippers at each machine. Oh yes, A small metal oil can at each machine also, containing white oil of course. Also have my carving/working table with 2" marble insert and all my carving and stamping tools etc. along the same wall as my bookshelves. My overhead lighting is Fluorescent color corrected, with many accessory lights on the machinery. I do not spend near as much time in the leather shop as I would like. We have a family business that pays the bills and that definitely comes first. I have always liked to experiment with different items and push the envelope. Leather Art/Crafting is a fascinating and relaxing endeavor for me. ferg

Several years ago I ordered 3 or 4 Shell Cordovan. They didn't have Tannery Row set up at that point. Don't remember the gentleman's name I dealt with but seems I remember it may have been one of the Horween family. He told me he would get them out for me within a week or two. Two weeks passed, nothing. I called again asking for same man. He wasn't in but I told who I was speaking to that he had given me two weeks at the most. I had the shells in a few days. Years ago I used a lot of the Shell Cordovan. Made fine wallets that were all laced by hand of course. Probably sold them for $10 maybe $15. Those hides were beautiful beyond your fondest dreams. Last ones I bought were just average. I accepted them because of the service I received, I will definitely buy from them again, and I will wait as patiently as I can. BTW: Most if not all Cordovan Shoes are made of leather from Horween. ferg

Turn your first picture right side up. lol ferg

Nice work ferg

Could that be "Paying it Forward? lol ferg

I tried almost every style knife I could find. I do like the rotary for thin straight cuts. Photos of one of the clicker knives I made with blade made by a professional knife maker on this forum. This is of a straight blade, I have another with a curved blade. The handles are solid brass. These knives cut any thickness of leather but do best in Veg Tanned. I strop before and during my cutting. ferg

I have to smile I use the bevel up but have also used it down. Don't use my various skiving knives much since I have a skiving machine. The knives are very handy for "finishing up" a machine skive. Skiving knives need to be a little more than "razor sharp" and stropped often. ferg

I know nothing about Tri-Flow. I use a product in my truck and automobiles called "Motor-Kote". It is not an additive. We add two ounces per quart of oil to the engine about every three oil changes. That said: I have a large sliding table saw in our shop. Metal to metal although it has bearings on one side. I sprayed the Motor-Kote on both the bearings and the slide three years ago and haven't lubed it since. It glides as though it isn't even touching anything. Slow movement compared to sewing machine. I have given a spray can of the stuff to friends and family. They have used it on everything from snow blowers to electric car antenna. I know, I'm getting to it..... I used the Motor-Kote on surfaces of a Singer 29k I have, to loosen it up. Have never sprayed the areas again but I do oil it regularly with the white oil. Have not used it on my Consew or Seiko nor the skiving machine. You can allow it to "set" for a few hours, wipe it off to make sure there is no dripping and go about your business of sewing etc. Just my .02 BTW: I would go along with anything Eric says about a sewing machine and their maintenance. ferg