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I agree! Nice work... Especially the tooling of the Aztec-styled center figure.

Very attractive!

Fantastic.

Good-looking stuff! Keep up the good work.

Outstanding!

Nice craftsmanship... Kudos!

Wow, that's great news... Congrats!

Congratulations!

A very classy holster for a classic revolver. Nicely done!

Beautiful work. I especially like the red and black one with the exotic skin inlay.

Superb! Great depth on the carving, and I love the dye job.

Digitone, welcome to the site. I think this is a matter of personal preference. I like Satin Shene -- an understated, water-resistant acrylic finish. Another nice option is Leather Balm with Atom Wax, which imparts a nice, mellow finish. There are lots of other options, but personally, you'll be better off if you try a few for yourself. You'll know the right one when you see it. Good luck!

Welcome, Francesco. Please make yourself at home, and feel free to ask questions. There are many talented saddlemakers on this forum who I'm sure would be pleased to help.

L.N., welcome to Leatherworker.net. We're glad you found us. In regards to your question, it's anyone's guess how much the raw materials cost to produce a Louis Vuitton belt. If I were to venture a guess, I'd bet it was $25 (or maybe less). As you mentioned, the real markup is the brand name and the high-quality labor that goes into each belt.

I may be in the minority here, but I find the simple stuff so much more attractive than the ornate. What a beauty!

LOL Sounds like something I would do -- make two righties for a double rig! Ha! I knew there was a reason I'm not a holster maker...

I've wanted to post a follow-up to this topic for some time now, just in case someone finds it in the future via search engine. Although I initially suspected that low-grade leather was causing the blisters on my hands, I found that switching back to the expensive stuff didn't help. I was truly puzzled, since I could handle finished leather products all day, but making them was out of the question. I stopped doing leatherwork for about a year due to this issue. When I decided to give it another go in January of this year, I made absolutely sure I wore gloves every time I used any sort of liquid. Since that time, I've experienced no problems. If you ask me today, my guess is that I was having an allergic reaction to either the Satin Shene or the neatsfoot oil; both of which I used to apply with bare hands. Lesson learned -- always wear gloves when applying dye, oil or finishes. -Alex

ShortBBL, your post reminded me of another similar one from April. Not sure if you saw it: Finishing The Backside Of Belts http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=23904 My initial feeling is that you'll need to do something to that drum-dyed leather to prevent rub-off, but I'd suggest performing a test first to see if it's even necessary. Get an old white t-shirt, and run the belt through it. See if it leaves any color. If it does, the above topic should provide some helpful options for you. Good luck! -Alex

I've always considered a #2 to be the best all-around size for an edger. Most stuff I do is in 4-5 oz. leather, sometimes doubled over. A #1 has always felt too small, and a #3 too large, but that's just my opinion!

Sweet.

My, you're a glutton for punishment. Nice job, by the way.

Incredible. Fantastic work there.

Top notch. Did you make the interior or purchase it?

I agree 100%. A coat of Satin Shene should mute the glossy finish. Good luck!

Very sharp. Congrats!