Ferg

Thirty plus years ago I put my chest of tools, boxes of patterns, Al Stohlman and Ken Griffin books in the storage closet and other than practicing some machine and hand sewing I have done very little leather work. Until the bug bit me again about two or three weeks ago. All the years I spent working with leather were fun times, mostly because I didn't have the pressure of making a living with it. In those thirty plus years I built some furniture with leather inlays and never got completely away from the "Gotcha" smell and feel of fine leather. I took the following work from a "Dover" book of flower images. Was not intended for carved leather, I had no carving pattern to follow, I just winged it. The piece was carved on a piece of leather I had cut 40 years ago for a Christmas scene that just got put on the back burner. I am halfway pleased with it. Mostly since my hands have some of that old "Arthur" creeping into the joints, I cannot handle the knife and tools real well anymore. I'm working on that Never done a lot of free hand molding with the molding tools until this piece. Just played around with some things. You will notice that I done different actions on some of the same type pieces. I could probably point out a lot of mistakes and whatever else. Two coats of NeatsFoot Oil, allowed to dry 48 hours. Two coats of "Neat-Lac" , my last can. Thought about using a dark antique stain, decided not to. Leather is 8 oz. and measures 11" x 13". Thanks for visiting an old man's playground. ferg

Access this URL: http://apps.webcreat...ProductID=17816 No Minimum. They are located in Brooklyn, NY ferg

Since there doesn't appear to be any Live Oak anymore I would assume the Royal Meadow has taken it's place. Haven't tried any yet, sorry. ferg

+1 To the other suggestions. I have another. When you get a domain make sure you have meta words and names if applicable. Everyone should take note when building a website. If you use the same word more than three times in your Meta Text, the Robots will pass you by. The first nine words (average) on your main page is what the robots read. Then they check to see if you have any Links to other sites. That has another quirk, You need to ask, and hopefully get folks that own the sites you linked to, to reciprocate, the robots check that also. All the search engine lists etc. are for the most part hogwash. Save your money for tools. If you follow the main rules your site will get listed in the top 10 or so in three months minimum. Improve your site at least once per week. If there are no improvements, the robots will ignore your site therefore placing it further down the list when someone is searching. Your product looks nice although limited for a full line. BTW: I think your product pricing is too low, you aren't making any money. I forgot to mention, you should make your photos on your web site about 3 1/2 to 4 inches in height and 4 to 6 inches wide if applicable. Photos should be 72 pixels per inch. If you include thumb prints make them about 120 X 120 pixels. ferg

Hi Troy, I made a lifter to try. My concern is the raw "flesh" part of the hide you expose with the lifting. Do you attempt to camouflage that when you color/stain the leather? The tool also makes impressions in the already beveled area which a modeler helps to smooth of course. I notice on the seat image you have above that you raised the areas quite a bit, do you normally do it that way? Thanks, ferg

Andy, Not knowing what you are working with for a Site Builder I will shoot in the dark. If you are using CSS you should have a setting for how many pixels wide your format is. Seventy two pixels per inch in most cases so 15" would equal 1080 pixels wide. If you aren't using CSS you should be able to shrink the width in whatever program you used. ferg

Andy, Get that "Under Construction" sign off your website. That is one of the biggest "Turn-Offs" for visitors. Nice Site ferg

I have had a number of websites that I wrote since 1996. Search engine listers were and are coming out of the woodwork as soon as you get on. We spent thousands of dollars with Google and YaHoo, none of the sites were ever above #40. Junked all of that garbage and let it ride. I don't think any of our sites are listed lower than 13th. That will give you good sales. Get a chunk of reality though, there are many sites touting just what you have to sell, word of mouth just about winds up being the best advertisement. Johanna gave some excellent ideas. BTW: I looked at your site. It is a "Plain Jane". You need some nice photos of your work on the front page with concise information. I hate sites with all the Flash and sounds that provide nothing. Read some books and look around the Net at some sites that are similar to yours. You can also access Templates for most anything you can imagine, don't buy them, there are too many free. I must ask, what are you using for a Site Builder? PS: I wrote this site for my Son-in-Law. May give you some ideas as well as looking at an interesting subject for a lot of folks on this Forum. http://www.classiccarvedgrips.com/ ferg

Hi Doc, Thank you. Pretty much what I thought. Useful in doing Roses as well as Oak leaves I suppose. ferg

Dave, It is a pricking iron, definitely not a thonging chisel. According to Gary, the #10 iron would be thinner in thickness of the tool. Gary, I have four or five different size awls, two of which are Bob Douglas, fantastic tools. ferg

I would like to know who uses a Design Lifter. Does it actually add to the carving? What is the proper way to use them? ferg

I have used carnauba wax for many things. It is a great product and is considered a hard wax I believe. Not sure it would wear as well on, say a holster as a topcoat. My preference would be to use the wax "after" applying the topcoat. You would want to allow the topcoat to become very well cured. ferg

My explanation was way too far off obviously. I am enclosing a photo of the end of the iron I have, maybe that will clarify a little.

Yes, I am aware of their moving situation. No excuse for this kind of hassle. UPDATE: The gentleman called back about 15 minutes ago. Said they found my order, part had been shipped, remainder on back order. Wonder how long I could have waited if I didn't tell him to forget the whole thing. We run a fairly large business, everything we do is by Drop-Ship. Most orders get shipped next day and there is no inventory for our personalized items. We deal with some of the largest companies in the US. ferg

Probably 2 1/2 weeks ago I ordered through the net from Siegel. The order never did get acknowledged, no response from them. Last week I ordered again on the net. Called last Friday to see if they could tell me anything about a delivery date or at least a shipping date. Never received a return call. Called today. A gentleman answered the call, looked around I guess but couldn't find the order. I asked if they ever check their net orders or if they just ignore them. I thought it was a good question since I never received a confirmation of any kind. Answer? Which is really beginning to get my goat, "Why don't you just order over the phone, that way we know we have your order." I take that to mean you really do not pay much attention to your web orders. "Oh know, we check and print them out every morning." Well you obviously missed printing the two orders I gave you. "Let me help you with your order right now." I told him I wanted 2 Double shoulders, #1 grade in 6/7 oz. We are out of that right now, probably have some next week. Okay, Sir, let's just forget I called you. I can buy somewhere else I am sure without your hassle I will never attempt an order from them again. ferg

Did you wet form? ferg

Epilog Laser Engravers are some of the best. They have a series they call Epilog Zing, comes in several sizes cheapest has an engraving area of 16" x 12". They consider this their Entry Level unit. I personally stay away from the cheapest of anything. Access the Epilog Laser web-site. They have a link to take you to your nearest Distributor. That is the only way you can get a price. Get ready for sticker shock. ferg Epilog Laser Engravers are some of the best. They have a series they call Epilog Zing, comes in several sizes cheapest has an engraving area of 16" x 12". They consider this their Entry Level unit. I personally stay away from the cheapest of anything. Access the Epilog Laser web-site. They have a link to take you to your nearest Distributor. That is the only way you can get a price. Get ready for sticker shock. ferg

The pricking irons have fascinated me since my first time seeing them. I bought an Osborne recently from Mid-Continent. No particular problem with that except there is little info on the web-site as to what you are getting. The tool I got is a number eight, actually thought I was getting a nine. That aside, the prongs on the tool are a full 3/16" wide. If you use this to mark the stitch spacing and angle your thread length between stitch marks will be slightly less that 5/16" which may be well and good for real heavy work but that doesn't happen to be what I want at this time. Does anyone know if the prongs on a #10 are this same size? I have a grinder that is accurate enough to grind the thickness of the tool so it marks a smaller stitch or as I ask above, do the prongs vary with increased number of stitches? I don't wish to screw up this tool which BTW, is very well made. Nice smooth material and is very accurately made. From some of the conversation about the Osborne tools I was expecting something less Abbey Saddelry in UK has Dixon irons that with the shipping isn't going to cost more than this particular one as near as I can tell. Just have to wait longer ferg

Great information!! I have been interested in sewing most anything since a very small child with Mom's treadle singer. Never have convinced my wife that I need an actual leather sewing maching. LOL ferg

I guess I must be the oldest around here. I had my 76th birthday this past January. I continue to work 18 hour days in our business from August through January seven days a week, grow and plant/maintain 2000 to 3000 annuals for our yard, grow a half acre vegetable garden, find time to do some stained glass, build a piece of furniture now and then, maintain our log home and landscape, computer work, photography, image transfer, and cut, carve, and stamp a little leather. We are very proud of our family and our home.

Chris, That is not a pricking wheel. It is a stitch space marking wheel. ferg

Mid-Continent has two different ones. About $100. There is Japanese character that has them on e-bay but they are shipped from Japan. They would probably be over $100. Abbey Leather in UK has Dixon. They are about the same price as Mid-Continent by the time you pay all the shipping. The tools I am referring to are Pricking Irons. You do not punch the leather all the way through with them. They are for marking so you can hold the awl at the exact angle and spacing. Different tools for different spacing. ferg

I am not trying to sell these but thought some of you might just like to see some exceptional grip carving that my son-in-law does. Last I checked he was booked about 3-6 months ahead. Gosh! I almost forgot, I wrote the web site for him. http://www.classiccarvedgrips.com/ ferg

They obviously have great pricing. How is the over all quality? Does it tool and mould well? ferg

Welcome to the site. There is lots of information here for everyone. If that sewing machine you bought is in good working order you got a bargain, I think. ferg