JJLeatherworks

We use brown packing tape that seems to be only carried by the U-Haul stores now. It sticks using only one layer and the leather does not distort, nor does it affect the stamping. The thinner the leather or the more coverage of stamping, (basket weave) the more untaped leather will distort or stretch. We don't glue or tape it to any other backing, just place it right on the granite slab and pound away. Haven't noticed any difference to stamping with or without tape other than the stretching issue.

I agree with everyone else here on the use of oxalic acid to clean leather, works wonders in removing the unseen fingerprints and marks left by metal contact with wet leather. I have a heads up though, don't put it in a spray bottle to apply unless you have good ventilation, it will combine with the moisture in your lungs and nasal passages and irritate them. Always use the least amount of any chemical that gets the job done, and read the MSDS if you are unfamiliar with the chemical. Your liver, lungs and skin will thank you.

I use Fiebings regular dyes diluted with denatured alcohol in my airbrush. Diluting the dye makes it easier to control the amount of color and it is easy to darken the edges by additional passes with the airbrush. A good cheap airbrush can be bought at Harbor Freight for about $15, it looks like a knockoff of the $100 Badger. Tandy is a great place to start with their catalog, and a catalog from Springfield Leather is another great source. Springfield has some Hide Crafter stamping tools under bargains for $4.95, they are much better than the current Craftsman tools. Check out E-bay for the older Craftsman tools, usually listed as "vintage", ones that were made before 1980. They are better tools than the current ones, and if bought as a lot from someone who doesn't know what they have can be quit a bargain. I got 58 older tools, wooden tool holder, a stitching pony, a strap cutter, and a cocabola edge slicker from a bookseller on Ebay for $61.00. Pays to shop around!

Hindsight is 20/20. You probably wished you had not only charged her Sunday rates but also extra for a rush job. You are too nice of a fellow, and Sally took advantage of it. You did the right thing by telling them to take their work somewhere else, but your kindness is eating at you. Don't let it bother you, Sally and her husband will run out of options for screwing others and will wonder what happened. Too bad. What goes around, comes around. You showed them something that they lack: integrity. Merry Christmas and have a Happy and Prosperous New Year!

If Wimberly Doesn't suit you, try a juried show such as Gruene Market days. If you are good enough for the jury to pass you they MIGHT rent you a spot; very limited number. Passing the judgement of a jury takes the ego out of ones ability. Only items made by the craftsman are allowed at this show. Let your fingers do the walking and search the internet, I'm sure you will find a show to your liking. Oh by the way, Wimberly only has a handful of day traders. the booths are OWNED by the vendor. The Lions Club that runs the Market Days are getting better at screening what is sold.

I'm at booth number 64 at Wimberly market days. http://www.shopmarketdays.com/

Save yourself a lot of headache. You really only need about twenty tools. Start buy looking at Ebay for older crafttools. Google Barry King tools. Get quality and you will go far, get quantity and you will give up.

We use airbrushes here, but be aware, there are two types of airbrushes. The single action sprays the same amount of dye when you push down on the trigger. ( Think aerosol spray paint can.... on, off) I use this when covering large areas with dye, it is always consistent and I can darken the edges by going over it more than once. The amount of dye can be adjusted by turning the needle adjustment. My son prefers the dual action. Pushing down the trigger gives air only, pulling back on the trigger starts the dye spray. The amount of spray and the width of the spray area are controlled by how far you pull back the trigger. It takes a little practice, but he has much more control over dying small detail areas than I do.

In response to a PM, (sorry, haven't figured that out yet). Oxalic Acid, also known as wood bleach, can be bought at Ace Hardware, Springfield Leather and I believe S-L Leather. Don't soak the leather, just wipe it down with a rag or sponge dampened with the Oxalic Acid. This will remove finger oils, black spots left by steel tools touching damp leather and other assorted oils and debris gathered by the leather. As to removing Epoxy glue, I wouldn't know. I don't use epoxy for anything. My work is held together with Barge's, Tandy's Tanners Bond, Masters or rubber cement. All of these glues can be removed from the leather with the all purpose eraser, order number 153-1, from Springfield. I have heard crape sole material and art gum erasers work too.

We use Fiebings regular dyes, thinning them with denatured alcohol, then we use an airbrush that was purchased at Harbor Freight which gives an even coat once you get the hang of it. Also we prepare the leather for dyeing by cleaning it first with oxalic acid to remove dirt, grease, finger oils from handling allowing the dye to penetrate evenly. Also giving the leather a sunbath after dying tends to set the dye and even it out more. If you are giving it a finish coat like X-1 wait a couple of days if you are using colored dyes; it will lift up some of the dye. If the dye job is really messed up, USMC Black undiluted covers all and will be even if applied heavy enough.

Ok people let's all come together here. My mother had the same questions with using fabric in her sewing business with Disney and others on it. Here is the case law on it. It's called the first sale doctrine. The first-sale doctrine is a limitation on copyright that was recognized by the Supreme Court of the United States in 1908 (see Bobbs-Merrill Co. v. Straus) and subsequently codified in the Copyright Act of 1976,17 U.S.C. § 109. The doctrine allows the purchaser to transfer (i.e., sell or give away) a particular lawfully made copy of the copyrighted work without permission once it has been obtained. This means that the copyright holder's rights to control the change of ownership of a particular copy ends once that copy is sold, as long as no additional copies are made. This doctrine is also referred to as the "right of first sale," "first sale rule," or "exhaustion rule."In other jurisdictions, notably France, and, following this example, the European Union, there is no right of first sale for works of art, but instead there is the droit de suite, allowing artists to receive a fee from resale of works of art. The point is if you buy something ( I.E. Harley conchos, Micky Mouse buttons, Etc,Etc.) and use it in your work it is OK. If you carve a Harley logo into leather out of the blue it is an artist's derivative work. Lee v. Deck the Walls, Inc, 925 F.Supp. 576 (N.D.Ill.1996), A "derivative work" is a "work based upon one or more preexisting works, such as a translation, musical arrangement, dramatization, fictionalization, motion picture version, sound recording, art reproduction, abridgment, condensation, or any other form in which a work may be recast, transformed, or adapted." The First Sale Doctrine"The whole point of the first sale doctrine is that once the copyright owner places a copyrighted item in the stream of commerce by selling it, he has exhausted his exclusive statutory right to control its distribution." Justice Stevens, delivering an opinion for a unanimous Supreme Court in the case QUALITY KING DISTRIBUTORS, INC. v. L'ANZA RESEARCH INT'L, INC. (96-1470), 98 F.3d 1109, reversed. More great court case quotes found here. case law quote

If you can take it back to Tandy than do it. it sound to me like it has been sitting up for too long and has been separating. Eco-Flo Gel Antique in Medium Brown in quarts is being discontinued for that reason according to my local Tandy. I saw a bunch on the close out table and unscrewing the cap and they were all that dark pea soup green.

Only use denatured alcohol. Isopropyl is diluted with water and will disrupt the suspension of the dye molecules. Denatured is ethanol based and has the same specific gravity of Fiebing's dye. Hence the reason that Fiebing's dye reducer is nothing but denatured alcohol.

The only leather shop in S.F. I know of any more is off Folsom. Thats if your into the kinky stuff. As for Fairfield do the Jelly Belly thing. Thompson candy and Guittard chocolate are around the corner. Just don't hang around town too long. It went ghetto from all the hilltop mall gangs. Thank the Lord I got out of California. Good luck to anybody who is hanging on out there.

Rob's right on the eco thing, but your in San Diego. Can't have the Fiebing's in California. Make a trip out of state to get the good stuff. Stupid California, thank God I got out.

Same problem here. I used google chrome. Hit the refresh button if it just loads to a black screen, that will make it pop up.

I've tried some fabric lining to make the wallets a little more flexible rather than having another oz. or two of leather added to the project. It seems to work in that respect, plus I can add a little zip to the project by using colors. I used coat lining (you know, former corporate workers, the shiny stuff inside your suit jacket) available at the fabric stores in the suiting materials department. It has a shiny satin like front and a fuzzy back, It is sturdier than most of the satins. I used tanners bond contact cement, applied to the leather only, and let it set up so it is still tacky but not as dry as when I bond two pieces of leather together. I placed the fabric on the contact cement (fuzzy side next to the glue) and used a hard rubber brayer (roller) to smooth it out . After it drys i trim the fabric to fit. I have no bleed through. This should work with other fabrics that are tightly woven and have some tooth to at least the back side. I am going to try this using some twills that I found in the remnants, I don't foresee any problems with that. Try it on scrap first, test the bond by flexing, tugging and rubbing to simulate real use. Trying new techniques can expand your possibilities, and the failures can be amusing! Hope this helps. Jim

Need help locating the discontinued craftool western stamp set #4912. In the book Just Tooling Around it is on page 7, but nobody carries it anymore . Pm me if ya can help. Thanks, Bill

Did ya wait till after dark to get em?? In reality I worked in Colma CA, home of all the dead in San Francisco. Any hoo I could have taken any of the used markers I wanted there. For If your dead and you've been dug up for what ever reason the marker is tossed aside.

Go to your local tombstone maker. You usually can get small pieces free, or one about the size of a pet marker for around 20-30 bucks.