Ferg

The "Wiz" has information you should listen to. You are going to be hardpressed with your budget but can probably get a used machine if you are carefull. Bob Kovar and several others have used machines and can help you select one for your purposes. There is no one machine that will do everything. I bought a walking foot machine because of recommendations of Wiz. Read his and other posts very carefully, ask questions. ferg

If you have the money to spare or maybe hidden somewhere, buy the best. I think that is the SK-3. If you want one to try your hand at carving then by all means buy one of the inexpensive Tandy knives. I would also have at least one 1/2" straight blade, one 1/4" straight blade, and a 1/4" angle blade. To be less expensive, just buy one knife handle and a couple seperate blades. Blades are $8.00 with no club membership, good knife, $20.00 no membership. I have the cheaper club fee for Tandy. This year I should have gotten the big one. Tandy has got to be your starting point. They have classes, reasonably good leather, inexpensive stamps, some not so hot but it is a starting point. Educational material out the wazoo and many of the finishes etc. folks like to use. When you get bitten by the "Leather Bug" for sure, you can buy some nicer, albeit expensive, tools. Tandy has several beginner sets that are priced right. Obviously there are other tools you will need to get started. Plan on spending $250 to $300 if you start at Tandy with some starter pieces of leather plus tools. $500 to $1000 if you want to pick and choose on professional tools, no leather. ferg

It wouldn't do you any good to know my Insurance agency, you are 800+ miles from me. Just kidding. This is very much like getting a company to insure a log home, we live in one. They have no idea how safe a log home is in comparison to a frame house and don't care. You need to contact Insurance company home offices first then get an agent. No one can help you with that. ferg

Thanks folks, much appreciated. ferg

To make the needle easier to hold in yor hand when tracing, tap the end of the needle with the eye, into a piece of dowel. You may need to drill a very small hole to get the needle started. ferg

As I have said before, you are an amazing artist and have the ability to transfer your talent to leather. ferg

I do a combination of hand and machine stitching. I agree that renactment product should be hand stitched. I do not agree that everything hand stitched is better. I love to hand stitch. After a very long piece of stitching on my machine my fingers do not hurt nearly as bad just my .02 ferg

Frisket is odd ball stuff to use at best. You might have a problem with it adhering to wet/dampened leather. We used to use it a lot but not for leather. ferg

Bob, This is a little tricky. Where the spine folds, two places, you need to gouge a groove about halfway through your cover leather then skive the side of that groove to a 45 degree angle, as close as you can. That allows the cover and back to fold more square and the cover doesn' t have the tendency to stay open. The liner needs to be cut oversize. When you apply place the liner on the front side up to the groove, lift the front about halfway and apply liner to the spine, then to the back cover. You need to lay out your liner so cutting off extra material won't have any bad effects. You only sew the parts of the liner together that are not going to be stitched when you go around the perimeter of the cover. Practice placing liner without glue before you attempt it with the contact cement as it will stick so you cannot move it. Suede has a soft fuzzy interior. Normal cowhide/calfskin has not been "roughed up" so the edge appears more solid. BTW: Do not use latex contact cement. ferg

I will assume you bought a "Craftsman" punch and not one of the expensive Osborne. You may also want to dampen the leather, it punches much easier. ferg

This might give you some needed info. Also: type into google: singer 591. Lots and lots information on this machine. ferg

I stopped making belts just before discharge from the Navy in 1956. Never was one of my favorite things I wanted to make something that I could use my new Consew 206RB-5. The stitching is with #138 thread top and bottom at eight stitches per inch. Never would have been able to do this without the unending help and support from Bob Park and the "Wiz" whom I have communicated with many times. I wish to thank them both publicly. The outside of the belt is made with 8/9 oz. cowhide from an Italian Tannary that was factory dyed. The inside is 3/4 oz. natural calfskin. The "keeper" is calf skin and has the same design as the inside. Inside design was an idea I had after viewing an image of a blade of grass. Weird huh? Thank you for looking. I wish I was better at this, maybe there are enough years left to attain some of what I am hoping for. ferg

Jeff, The tools with chrome chipping off will cause you nothing but trouble, rusty ones are suspect but you may be able to clean them up. ferg

Scott, If this is your first try, not bad. You need to move your beveler as you tap it with mallet or maul, walking is the proper name for it. I have never used the ceramic blades but I have an SK-3 among several other swivel knives, it cannot be beat. For small work a 1/4" angle blade or even an 1/8" angle blade would work better. The beveling.... you need to look in the forum archives for figure carving tutorials first then consider buying some Al Stohlman books or some of the other leather artists on this forum have tutorials as well as publications. Look, study, practice, practice, practice, did I mention practice?? ferg

You have been a member for a long time so it would not be appropriate to say welcome but don't stay away so long next time. I like your card. My youngest daughter is a Graphic Artist. When I get the chance I will show her your card and see what she thinks. ferg

I'm sure your contact as well as his customers will be very happy. That is an excellent pattern/design. ferg

Very nice! ferg

That's nice. I have always thought the 357 was Artillary ferg

You will need a company that writes business/manufacturing insurance. As you found out they don't all want to do that. ferg

I am going to assume you do not have a mini lathe in your residence I have all kinds and sizes of motors in my shop so that wasn't a problem. I believe a washing machine motor would suffice and they are quiet. I am going to include a photo of my burnisher. I won't include a lot of commentary at this time, If you are interested in the particulars I will give you more explanation. ferg

All of the mice we use now are optical. They don't seem to be as "persnickity" as the first ones were. That said: Why don't you place a logo to one corner or off to the side? You are definitely going to need a decent flat, unobstructed area for the mouse. A carved area under the mouse is going to obstruct the entire idea of an optical mouse and I agree, don't bother with a non-optical unit. Just my .02 ferg

I have done a lot of transfer work. Everything from water slide decals to sophisticated sublimation transfers and OEM Laser Printer transfers. Think seriously about what it is you are considering. Transferring the image/line drawing will be Ink or Laser "Powder". If you carve the line perfectly you will still have the fragmented line of ink, probably on both sides of the knife cut. There is a reason we use a stylus to transfer a design. Of course, if you are a very good artist you can freehand the design work with your swivel knife. ferg