BIGGUNDOCTOR

Careful with the insulator, some of those have become collectors items like $1,000 on up collector items. Found a site showing all of the rarer ones awhile back, and what they had sold for.

www.iforgeiron.com has a thread on junkyard steels. A lot of the modern springs in cars are now 5160. We have been having a hell of a time finding 1095 round stock for a project at work. We can get flats all day long, but rounds in sizes .1875 on up are not that common it turns out. My whole thought on this is that you are stamping a steel tool with a rawhide , or poly mallet into wet leather. How hard does it need to be? Brass would work. As well as anything else that is harder than wet leather. O-1 is a high carbon oil quenched tool steel. Inexpensive, and readily found. 10xx steels are plain carbon steels. The first 2 digits tell you the major alloying element, and the last 2 digits tell you the carbon content in points of carbon IE; 1018 has 18 points of carbon. You need to get up around 25 before you can get any hardness from heat treating. 1095 has 95 points and will get brittle hard if fully hardened. Tempering can adjust that hardness to the usage. 1095 is a high carbon spring steel, it can also be used to make files. The only difference is the tempering done after heat treating. Again, metal stamp vs wet leather. I have seen old tools made from common nails that are still usable decades later. Plastics like Delrin will work, brass, aluminum, copper, even a dense hard wood would make a stamp for leather. If you want to make one, use what you have available, and that you can work with the tools available to you. I wouldn't get all hung up on tool steels, heat treating, etc. Just make it, and use it. In the years that I have been doing leatheworking the only stamps that I have seen ruined in use were ones that had been hit on the wrong end, or someone tried stamping things that shouldn't have been stamped. If you are interested in Stainless, brass, copper, rods I have a steady supply from where i work. I buy the bar ends off of the screw machines, and resell them to hobbyists, and artists. We run from .0625" - 1.000" diameters, although not all alloys we run are in that range. Copper goes to .875" Stainless tops out around .5625", and brass is usually up to .4375", but it all depends on what the jobs require. We do some aluminum, and 1018/4142 but not much.

Rivet sets are fairly common, and you should be able to pick up a used on pretty cheap. I have seen them for a dollar, or two, at the flea markets. If I was going to make one I would just use a ball endmill in the milling machine. For a DIY at home, spot drill it, and use a round stone in a Dremel like Ramrod mentioned. A sheetmetal rivet set will have a hole that will fit over the rivet shank so that you can set (compress) the layers by driving them together. Then the ball end of a ball peen hammer is used to start the mushrooming. Once you get towards the end you use the domed section of the rivet set to make it pretty.

The imagery is fine, but with the all over coloring it just looks too commercial to me. It could have been done on Pleather and most people wouldn't know the difference. For me if it is going to be made from leather I want to be able to feel the tooling that was done. All of the laser etched items that have been shown so far just don't have any soul in my opinion. With tooling that you can feel, and run your fingers over, you have a tactile connection with a craftsman who did the work. With lasers, it is some machine that did the execution of the design. Yes someone programmed the laser, but it isn't the same. Again, it looks too commercial even if it is a one off item. Now with that being said, it looks like it will do a fine job of protecting the Kindle (something else I am not too hip on, I prefer paper books).

I believe what you are looking for is a torsion spring. They are made to spring sideways not lengthwise. A flat spring would work too if it is not bent too sharply at the corner. A company like Mc Master Carr might have something that would work for you, or you can even make them yourself if need be.

There is also Craigslist, and Leatherworker.net. I have some Midas stamps that I got from someone that was getting out of leather that I found on CL. I have also found some at garage sales, and flea markets. Not sure how many would be floating around Italy, so you would be looking at a lot of shipping unless you could have them shipped to a relative here who could send them all at once in a flat rate box. For the edge burnisher, I would say to make one. They are not that difficult to shape, and can be done with no more than a rat tail file. Your location is listed as a base in Italy, most military bases have a hobby shop where you could make one, if you don't have the tools to do so. The wood could be found in a second hand store, I see those ironwood animals from Mexico at the Las Vegas SAVERS fairly often. Just look around you, you may see something that you can adapt for you purposes. What don't you like about the Tandy one?

Elvis?

I am a member of the Vegas Artists Guild, and they don't care what medium you work in , or if you have any artistic talent at all. They are more interested in that you have an appreciation for art. This subject is common with any medium used in art. I am also on the blacksmithing forum iforgeiron.com where this subject was covered at length. You may want to check that thread out in the business side of blacksmithing section, as a lot of the principals are the same no matter what is being worked. Labor, supplies, and overhead are fairly easy to calculate, but it is the perceived value of your item to the customer that is the tough one to get right. Some items are sold on the brand name alone, not so much the quality of the item. Gucci, Calvin Klein, and a host of other brands to numerous to mention come to mind. Some customers will question your quality, or skill, if you don't charge enough-perceived quality. We also have to deal with the Wal-Mart, made in China effect on handmade goods. Why is that hand thrown coffee mug $25? I can get a ceramic mug at the 99 cent store. Wal-Mart has "forged" candle stands for $9.99, and you want how much for yours? We need to really impress to the potential customer that if they want a one of a kind truly hand made quality item that they come to us. If they want an item that millions of other people can buy all over the world, then they need to go to Wal-Mart. Just because what we do may be considered a craft it still takes skill to pull it off right. That skill comes after a big investment in tooling, materials, and years of practice. The biggest investment we make is in ourselves. If they want to make the same investment then they can do what we do too. They are coming to you because they cannot do it themselves, or they do not have the equipment to do the work. You need to make a decent wage to keep a roof over your head, and food on the table. Do not be ashamed to charge what you need to in order to accomplish that. There will always be someone that is willing to do the work for less, let them. If you compete with them you will not make a profit either. One way that I read about setting prices when it came to gunsmithing was to watch the customers face, and do not give a blanket price. Say I am doing some work on a rifle, it would go something like this. OK, that will be $50 for the recoil pad-no reaction, $10 to R&R the stock-no reaction, $20 to trim and dress the stock-a reaction is noticed-stop there as you have reached the pain level of that customer. Each one will be different. A guy who owns a $200 Mossberg shotgun will have a lower pain level than the guy who owns a $100,000 Holland and Holland side by side. Give a basic price then start adding details till you get a reaction. One of the blacksmiths was at a show where another smith was selling similar items for far less money. He went to his booth, and bought all of his inventory to get it off of the table. Folks who do this as a hobby, and have little to no overhead can sell for far less than someone with a business. In the end though the lower prices will cheapen everyones perceived value. Just because your overhead is low doesn't mean that you shouldn't charge what it can bring. If you get every job you bid, your prices are too low. So what happens if you give a low price than a few months down the road your costs go much higher due to something like fuel prices going through the roof which jacks the shipping of your materials up? Your leather supplier has a fire which wipes out their stock, and they won't be up and running again soon, so you have to go to someone that charges a higher price. Do you want to spend all of your free time working for that customer just to make ends meet? I would look at what skilled tradesmen in your area are making; plumbers, electricians, welders, machinists, HVAC techs, and auto mechanics at the local dealerships. You pay for their skills when you need something done, why shouldn't someone pay for yours if they want something done by you? BTW, I never charged enough when I had my machine and fab shop back when I was in my late 20's. This was driven home many years later when I was working at the Jelly Belly Candy Co. Our purchasing agent asked me if I could have made a part that they had just bought. I looked it, and it was a simple enough part. "How many?" "20" "I'd have a hard time telling you $100, probably more like $60." "Really?" Yea, they would take less than 1hr each to make, and material cost is a couple of bucks." "We paid $300 each, and that is less than what the OEM wanted." So some company got $6,000 for a job that I would have had a hard time charging $1,200 for. My problem is that I know what it takes to make something, and for me it is easy to do. I never thought about the fact that if it was that easy they would be doing it themselves.

Looks good, now try it out, and let us know how it works for you.

Make a pattern of the skull, and cast a copy that will back up the leather. Check out the Smooth On product line for casting resins http://www.smooth-on.com/ Deer hide / buckskin is veeeeerrrrry stretchy , and should form really nice. Put some tacky glue on the form and stick the leather to it as you form it on. Sheepskin is also very stretchy. I would think to do a thicker leather that you have to make a set of molds , a + &- to compress the leather between to get the detail that you want. Thinner leather with a filler of some kind would be an easier way to accomplish this project.

One thing to watch out for on some engine exhaust valves are that they are sodium cooled. You don't want to let the sodium out if they are. One truck engine that I know that has these are the 1960's GMC V6 engine series. My Dad had a 1966 GMC with the 305 V6, and it had the sodium cooled exhaust valves. Some of the older radial aircraft engines also had sodium cooled valves. For the Dremel try carbide burrs. For stamps I would suggest the type of stainless that I have 303. 303 SS is a free machining alloy that cuts really nice. Brass, aluminum, or copper will also work, and is easier to carve. It wont rust either. A face could be attached to a steel handle to pound on, but a rawhide mallet shouldn't mushroom a brass, aluminum, or copper stamp too bad.

Make one. Find a tension spring the right diameter , cut it to the right number of coils, and bend the ends. You can also check with a local industrial supplier for a torsion spring that will work, Some have extra long legs so that can be modified for a particular function.

I hate carrying a wallet in my hip pocket, so I keep it in a cargo pocket, or front pocket depending on where I am. My wallet is usually in the glove box of the car, and only comes out when I am heading into a store. My commute is 206 miles round trip, and there is no way I would leave it in my pocket. Some of us are not that well padded to cushion a wallet no matter how thin it is. I try to keep my wallet purged of cards, and the only plastic in it is a debit card, drivers license, and a rewards card for my main gas company. The rest will be business cards that I accumulate at events. Now this me sound sacrilegious here, but my wallet is a tri-fold Cordura nylon model. It was a gift years ago from a dear friend, and it has held up very well over the past 20 years, or so,can't remember exactly when I got it, but it was a long time ago. If I want thin for a nice event I would probably go with a money clip.

Here are some observations from a guy who has been to a TON of gun shows over the past 30+ years, some as a buyer, some at a table. Lobo, we had great food at some of the shows I attended. One promoter would hold a BBQ for the sellers on the night of the set up . Can't comment on the coffee, as the only coffee I drink is Kahlua. It is a good idea to bring a cooler though, a lot less expensive that way. Engage the customer. Hi, how are you doing today? Or Anything special that you are looking for today? When I was selling tickets for my NRA grassroots group I always had the highest sales because I engaged the potential customers. Don't expect the product to sell itself, as it may look like everyone else's wares unless you let them know of the differences. Scout the show to see what the competition has to offer, and what their prices are like. Know the market at the show that you are attending. Is it mostly black guns, cowboy SASS stuff, hunting rigs, etc.. We had shows back home that had distinctions like this. The shows I attended there were holsters, new and used, by the tote full on some tables from closed stores, dead inventory, etc. Some guys were selling new holsters for $5-$10. Even those were slow sellers, but they always had them out for sale at every show. The only holsters that I was ever looking for were original ones for military guns like Broomhandle Mausers, Steyr Hahns, Nambus, Lugers, P-38's, etc.. Do a distinctive table display. Have prices prominently displayed. No reason to have a guy who can only afford a $30 holster stop, and wait to ask you how much your $300 holsters are. Or, it may be the other way around where they think it must $300 because " if you have to ask how much, you can't afford it" when in fact it is only $30. Have a sign out mentioning handmade ,custom work accepted, or some other way to let the potential customer know what you do. One custom holster maker back home also offered leather repairs, and other leatherwork, as well as holsters. If the seller was arrogant, or full of himself, I usually kept on walking. The guys who got my sale were the ones that came across as friendly, and were interested in making a sale. Over the years I developed some good friendships with some of the regular sellers. Yep, most gun show guys are looking for a bargain, why else go to a gun show? You can pay retail anytime, why wait for a gun show to do so? This can be hard on the custom guy like you. A lot of guys are not thinking of buying custom items at a gun show, more like looking for an Uncle Mike's, Bianchi, Galati, etc. If it is a black gun show, Kydex, and Cordura are the norm. Be there at door opening, and door closing times. I have passed many tables that were covered because the seller was tardy. Sundays are slow, and can pick up after church lets out. Be prepared to get the deal grabbers at the end of the show. I usually found great buys from guys looking to make table fee money, or didn't want to haul something back home. Do not ignore people at the table. As they walk up acknowledge to them that you noticed them if you are talking with someone else. Then excuse yourself to the current customer, and ask the new guy what he needs to know. Sometimes it is just a quick question like if you do something , or do you have a card? An assistant can help at a busy show. Don't get discouraged. Some shows are slow for everybody, while you may make a killing at the next one. If you go in with the attitude of having a bad show, you will have a bad show. To make it work, you have to work. If yo u have someone who can be at the table, take the opportunity to get out, and talk with other dealers. Someone may need a holster, but can't get a way from their table. They may know someone who is looking for a custom holster, or a sling. You won't know unless you get out, and talk with them. Take plenty of cards to hand out. Check the weather reports. Nasty weather = big crowds, fantastic weather=low turnout. At least that was the way it was in CA. Good luck.

Yep, Victorian era meets modern day. Jules Verne type stuff. Instead of electricity , clockwork mechanisms power automatons , and airships rule the sky. I can dig it being that I am a tool maker, I love mechanical stuff of all kinds. Radar67, the industrial revolution was started with steam power. Steam power allowed big industry to develop. Steampunk would be if electronics never happened, as everything is mechanically based. Here is a steampunk inspired keyboard pic I found awhile back.

My question is about woolskin, I always knew it a sheepskin, and wool as the fibers that had been removed from the sheep. Unless there is a critter that is called a wool that I don't know about In regards to a stripped down saddle. who needs a saddle at all when you can ride bareback?

Thanks Suze, Tom Banwell is the guy I was thinking of. I knew it had a B in the last name. He has some nice stuff on his site. Haven't seen too many Steamers in Las Vegas yet, but there is a Steam Punk Meetup group in the area.

Do a good layout, and attach them before it is stitched up.

Do you have a part number?

You might want to try and network with reddevil76, Lazybum, and Crimson who also live in Singapore. Combined you all may be able to benefit from combined orders to save on shipping, and such. Strength in numbers works in business as well as other endeavors.

Something that Reddevil, Lazybum, and Crimson should consider is combining orders to help keep costs down. It is called a group buy. A few years ago I was working with parts kits, these are de-miled military weapons, mostly obsolete machine guns that have had the receivers cut. One website put together group buys, so that individuals could get the lower prices that dealers got. The way it worked was that by combining our orders we were able to get the volume requested by the wholesaler to give a discount. In some cases that meant 10-25 units, sometimes it was 100 units. Once he had the required number of potential orders, he would finalize the deal. Some wholesales would only ship to him which required him to repackage, and reship to the individual purchasers. Other wholesales would drop ship to out individual addresses. Depending on how far apart each of you is from the other this may help everyone out, as some of our discounts were pretty substantial-in some cases over $100 per kit. Now just a note on parts kits. Here in the USA they can be used to repair legally owned machine guns of that model, used to build sample machine guns for various agencies/dealer uses, converted to non functioning displays, or legal semi auto only firearms for non Class 3 shooting. All above the board and with full approval by the BATFE.

Googling coffin purse will pull up a few different styles that may help you with designs.

Can't remember his name, but one of the forum members does a lot of steam punk items. Do a forum search, it should pull his work up.

That is why I never mail order certain items like leather, and shoes. What you need to do is find a shop that has a sales person that will work with you, that you can email a pic to or that will understand exactly what you are expecting to get. and who you can ask for each time you call. I have a Tandy down the road from me in Fabulous Las Vegas, so I can pick out what I may need,sorry that you do not have the same opportunity to do so yourself. I am actually fairly surprised that you don't have better access to leather with your location considering how many leather goods are made that way. When I was heavy into the gun parts a number of years ago I found a company that had a salesman that hit it off with me. He would call with specials on military surplus items that they had, and he would give me the no BS answer when I asked about condition, It they were dented, or dinged he told me. I still bought alot from him because I knew exactly what I was going to get. After awhile he knew what I liked, and he would call if something came in that might interest me. Over the years we developed a good business relationship. Don't give up, and that scrap leather has lots of uses. Try making some sandals, and use it for the soles. It could also be used for stacked handles, or utility items like ax sheaths, work cuffs, and other things that don't have to be pretty, just work.