Ferg

If you have a sewing machine this is fairly easy. If you are sewing by hand I wouldn't try it. Google "Accordion Wallets". You may get some You Tube vids but there are many instances of this style. That is a good photo of them you have. Use that with any others you can find, you will be able to figure it out pretty quickly. I might suggest you cut a piece of paper approximate size, fold it similar to the photo along with the separator piece. This is rather difficult to do on a flatbed machine. A patcher works the best but you can do some of the stitching by hand, finish with a cylinder arm machine. ferg This may help you: http://www.ehow.com/how_12030401_make-accordion-style-credit-card-wallet.html

Peppercorn The Kangaroo is incredibly tough. I have made a couple dozen cases for Nail Clippers from this leather. I carry one myself. It becomes the shape of the tool inside it without molding. I find no discoloration on any thing I have made a case for from the Kangaroo. ferg

Yes. Kangaroo is obviously from "Roos", is very nice and luxurious to the touch and eye. It is chrome tanned, dyed at the tannery, and averages 1.5oz. to 2oz. That makes it a shade less than 1/32" in thickness. I have made a number of change purses/wallets and lined belts and shoulder straps with the Kangaroo. You can get it in a number of colors. I tend to stay with brown or black, using the colors for ladies articles. Not a cheap leather. Skins are small, seldom exceeding 6 square feet. Baby American Bison/Buffalo skins are fabulous leathers also. The feel, texture, and wearability is similar to Kangaroo. Slightly heavier than the "Roo". ferg

Thinning at the bend in a wallet is not such a good idea but if you wish to do a perfect job buy a "French Edge Skiving" tool. Several widths available. They aren't cheap but a good one is a blessing to use. ferg

You have a good start. Since you don't wish anyone to be mean,,,,,, you need to work on burnishing your edges. ferg

Peppercorrn I believe the leather you show in the photo is Kangaroo. Definitely some of the best leather I have ever used. ferg

The foot with no left side foot or right side foot, whichever direction you prefer to go, will follow the line of snaps with the stitch line approximately 1/8" outside of the studs. You would normally have at least 1/8" to 3/16"between the stitch line and the right foot. It will land on the outside edge of the strap. I have done this, it works. ferg

I agree the folks have a great talent. I would like to see something, not quite so "Ghoulish". ferg

I said, "I also have a foot set with no left foot at all." I am reasonably sure you could get a foot set with the right foot ground off. I personally tend to use the one with the left foot removed. You would possibly need to alter the width of the collar slightly. The stitch line would be about 1/8" from either left or right side next to the studs. ferg

craftsman827 Did you not read my previous post? ferg

Do you line your collars? If so you will, of course need to install the hardware first. There are feet for most machines that have left or right foot ground very thin. I also have a foot set with no left foot at all. Some leathers do not sew well when you use very narrow feet. I would try a walking foot machine with the left foot ground off before making any decisions. If you can visit a dealer take some of your leather with you. You would do well to take one of your collars with the studs but not sewn of course. ferg

I may as well get into this: I see all aspects of this and quite honestly I see very little wrong with the site and the manner in which it is handled. I am a "Fix-it" also, I normally keep my hands off of what I have not been asked to fix unless it is in my shop. I personally am very annoyed at the bad grammar, spelling, etc. There are folks with legitimate reasons for not spelling correctly but computers have excellent spell checkers and there are Dictionaries in existance to this day. I try very hard to keep my mouth shut regarding these deficiencies, if I do say something that annoys folks I am truly sorry. I say and do what I think is correct. Other Forums: I don't want to get started on this subject too much. I have been a member of many forums on many subjects. I have had several of my own. Automobile, CNC machines, Computers, Software, there are hundreds and hundreds if not thousands. Most have very few up to date posts. Some may even be several years old! I think the folks who are owners and admins of this forum do a great job. Kudos to all of you. I am not going anywhere, I love this community. ferg

It looks similar to a Cowboy 227 maybe older. I am going to make a semi educated guess. Will sew 3/8" of leather with 138 thread but may work with #207 on top with 138 in the bobbin. Looks to have reverse and will probably sew a maximum stitch length of 5 (Stitches per inch) Has a Clutch Motor, you should get a Servo motor for it. That is a very short arm, 10.5" probably. That could be a hinderance with your holsters. IMHO, that is too much to pay for it. Contact Bob at Toledo Industrial Sewing Machines 866-362-7397 . He has a complete line of machines you can chose from at great prices. ferg

Andrew, I love your belts and I definitely like that single stitch. I think the above suggestion with an awl is a good one. One caveat to this style of stitch. When you have a stitch "over the edge" it is susceptible to extreme wear. I think your single stitch coming loose is the least of your worry. ferg

HighLead may be a company who makes many skivers. I doubt there is any one skiver that is not made in a factory in China with one possible exception, FORTUNA. I researched skivers and their internals for months, actually several years off and on. I came to one important conclusion, doggone every one of them is made exactly the same except, again, FORTUNA. Consew, Cowboy, Highlead, Cobra, and several others I have forgotten their attached names, are exactly the same and are primarily sold as bottom feed only. I bought my Cowboy with Top and Bottom feed. I believe "ART" on the forum uses top and bottom feed Fortuna. $4000 plus was out of my price range but I would love to have a FORTUNA some day. There is a learning curve with the skiving machines just as there is with the sewing machines. Once you get the "Settings", oiling info, bell knife sharpening, and a few other little items in your head you will wonder what you done without it. I could never recommend one of these machines with only bottom feed. With the Top and Bottom feed you can skive most any type leather available to you. Google "skiving machine". I assure you there will be enough info to occupy your time for awhile. Select a Dealer that is as close to you as possible. Not too far away, by all means go see the machine in operation using pieces of leather you intend to use for your projects. ferg

Amen to that. ferg

Andrew, Your getting pretty good at this Leather Butchering. LOL GREAT job! ferg

Stringduster, I agree, you need to give apologies to a number of folks. Don't rag on a site you obviously know very little about. Your inefficiencies are callous. ferg

I use Bonded Nylon for almost everything similar to your venture. ferg

Alvetjarn This is what makes this such a fabulous site, we learn things. I write about 300 checks per year. Have had my Credit Card numbers stolen 4 times. Have always thought they were taken when I got gas at a station. Have never had a check stolen. One year we unknowingly dropped a check from a customer for $4500, in the food market parking lot. Next day it was in our mail box with no "Side Effects". LOL ferg

No, I wasn't referring to the upper part of the bill liner. Your leather bill liner is fine in height it is the left and right edges I spoke of. I personally think use of some cloth materials for lining the "bill" pocket is classy if the correct colors and pattern in the cloth are used. Now, you are confusing me. What do you mean by sewing the different layers? When you do the roll, all layers of the wallet, including inside pockets, are covered by the roll thus you sew through everything at the same time. Leather folks are a breed all their own. You will find that if you hang around very long but.....you will never find a place with more knowledge of an art form or the many folks that will offer some of their best secrets. ferg

I believe you will get more satisfaction if you visit the Sewing Machine Companys who advertise on the forum. Keystone or Toledo Industrial Sewing Machine. ferg

This might help on the specs. ferg

You are more impatient than I. LOL If you truly want a "mechanical" I assume motorized, you will need to spend around $2000. The "crank" skivers are $900 to $1500. The motorized is the only way to go for my money. No need to sew from the inside. If you applied the roll correctly there is no need to see it as you stitch. Use a guide, roller or straight. Your bridge in the wallet is fine. You need to use leather between 1 and 1.5oz. for you lining. Any cut edges that are exposed should either be skived and rolled or burnished. It appears to me that you didn't place the "Bill" lining all the way to the edge of your billfold back. The roll at those end junctures look pretty bad with extended width. Also makes the end of the wallet "bunch-up". If you are going to make wallets to sell any quantity of, you need a skiver such as Cobra has. I have a number of hand skivers, they are primarily used to touch up corners etc. ferg