BIGGUNDOCTOR

Holy Cow! 20 CC's? No wonder the various economies are in a mess. My suggestion would be to grab a pair of scissors quick, and get chopping Maybe something on the lines of a money clip that grips the CC's.

There should be a thread on this from the past year. I posted some pics of a Kepi I bought in 1979 at the sandal makers shop on pier 39 in San Francisco.

Some folks don't have the country listed, just the flag. Is there a way to click on the flag, or hover on it to show what country it represents?

Does he have an old set that can be use for a pattern?

If the old one was a surface plate, the remaining halves will still have some value, as well as for stamping.

High prices was the reason my Mom stopped doing leather work back around the 80's. I am sure that a lot of the cost is due to regulations forced onto the tanneries here in the US.

Well if ya head into Fabulous Las Vegas Nevada for a vacation, say HI. I run into the big city quite often.

Here is an MSDS for beeswax (material safety data sheet) http://fscimage.fishersci.com/msds/02556.htm

This is one of those questions where there is no right answer. I believe it will come down to what the item is vs cost, and the customer. You are not going to make any money selling hand stitched wallets for $20 unless you are working for free. Now if you are selling that wallet for $200, and hand stitching is a selling point, and that is what the potential customers want, then it would be warranted. The only time I would look down on machine stitching is if it is sloppy, or comes apart easily. Hand stitching may be strong, but if not done right it can look pretty terrible.

I believe that you can only charge labor if the customer supplies the material. Even if you pay sales tax on the material you are still creating a new item. When I had my machine shop, repairs were labor only, but if we made anything from scratch , or used any materials to do the repairs, those jobs, and materials had to be taxed. This can be a pretty gray area that you are getting into depending on who you talk to with the various agencies, and departments.

Little tough to tell from the ends, but I have some brass toned tools that have been either cadmium , or zinc plated which gave them the color. Zinc plating is not always silver in color. Are they magnetic? If so, I would say plated steel. A quick test if nonmagnetic would be to take one, and sand, or file, the end that is struck. If it is plated it will change color quickly as the plating is very thin. If it is solid brass it won't change.

You don't have to leave the UK, just come over here till the weather gets better over there. We have our share of characters (Sin City Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence come to mind), and have a burgeoning art scene in downtown LV. First Fridays in the 18b Arts District are a monthy must do for me. We also have LOTS, and LOTS of country outside of LV. We have 4 seasons;,,,,,,, summer lasts about 6 months-it is still in the upper 80's low 90's here, fall a couple of weeks, winter a few months, and spring is another 2 weeks give or take I did have to get used to at times having temps still in the 80's around Thanksgiving . If the weather gets too nasty over there, jump on a plane, and come visit till it gets better.

Ray, we have plenty of snowbirds here during the winter, and plenty of room for you too. They have started migrating in from Canada, Utah, and other snowy climes. Then when the temps start hitting high 90's, and 100's they head back home to cooler temps. I am only 1hr from Fabulous Las Vegas Nevada. A couple of years ago we had record snowfall-6" in some areas IIRC. It was neat to see a snowman in front of the Welcome sign on the Strip. Just a side note, the woman who designed the iconic Las Vegas sign lives down the road from me.

Posting some pics will help.

It isn't just in leather. I see skulls everywhere from clothing to paintings. Kind of how the Iron Cross was elevated not too long ago. You can even buy skull adorned clothing for babies ,now. Skulls have gone mainstream along side with the Iron Cross, they aren't just for bikers anymore. Skulls have fascinated man for centuries, and I see it as a connection with our ultimate destiny. Even elephants have been observed touching the bones of deceased ancestors in a respectful way. The catacombs in France are full of stacked skeletons, Dia de los muertos use skeletal imagery, operas - poor Yorick in Hamlet, the biker, and rock n roll crowd (Iron Maiden) have used it for making a tough image for themselves. I don't think that there is any one answer for the use of skulls. For some it is a connection with the past, while others use them for intimidation, far different thoughts indeed. A comparison can also be made with the evil clowns that are used for various groups from bikers, to bands. We have a shop in Las Vegas called Nothing but Skulls,and that is all they sell. I'm not to hip on the evil skull imagery, as I feel that there is just too much anger in society as it is-but that is a whole nother subject with me.

What about boiling, or some other heat hardening? As to waterproofing, I would use Sno-Seal which is a beeswax based product that is an excellent waterproofing agent. Have used it for years on my hiking boots.

You need to get all three, as techniques in previous volumes are used in later projects with just a note to check volume X.

Having never made one myself, but have considered it for a project, I offer my opinions. Fiber (paper) materials are light, but can be affected by moisture, and if kinked / creased are not readily straightened. Thin plywood is sturdy, but has more bulk, and weight. Metal is strong, but may warp, kink, dent depending on what thickness is used. I have also considered a fiberglass / carbon fiber stiffener. Doubled up leather would probably warp the most. What I am leaning towards the most is aluminum panels TIG welded into the main shape.

Was it tooled, or done in pyrography?

Hey KitKat, still interested in the rhinestones even though you don't have the original size I wanted. Can you please send a list of what you have? Thanks

A tool bag on a Honda? Wouldn't that be like tits on a boar hog? I could see it on a Harley, but on a Honda? Maybe she can use it for the registration paperwork.

I would still be interested in seeing what you have for other projects. Can you PM me a list, and a price? I tried contacting you through the link you posted, but it says incorrect email address.

Are those drinking horns? If so, do you seal the inside at all? Nice work.

Most ceramics are shaped with a diamond wheel, or lap. Diamond sharpening blocks are widely available now at reasonable prices, and MSC industrial has specials on diamond laps for $6 from time to time. At work our tool grinders use diamond wheels up to 1200 grit which will put a beautiful edge on the carbide drills they make.

Hello, sorry to hear about your husband, and I hope he makes a quick recovery. The item that I am interested in is the assorted rhinestones. What sizes, and colors do you have? I am looking for a bunch of 3-4mm clear, but I will consider other sizes/colors. I have been looking for some for my Halloween costume.