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There are no dumb questions! This is a great place to learn for leatherworkers of all skill levels. Regards, -Alex

Yes, beautiful work! Truly top-notch.

Man, I thought your original stuff was good, but your latest work is absolutely off the hook. Really nice! Alex

Nice molding on that. Lots of detail.

One more year until the big six-oh. It's all downhill from there. At least that's what they tell young whippersnappers like myself. Have a great day, -Alex

Good suggestion, Art. No matter how specific the question, folks need to keep in mind that eventually someone else is gonna run into the same problem. Having the question posted here and having the solution searchable by other members is what makes Leatherworker.net such a great online knowledge base. Alex

Great to have you here! -Alex

Thanks for posting a pic of your work -- very nice. Alex

Thanks for sharing your results. Sounds like you've found a good combination.

Clay, thanks for coordinating this contest and a special thanks to Jim for providing prizes. The idea of drawing for prizes is brilliant. I remember when we were discussing leatherwork competitions this past spring, the biggest sticking point was who would judge the entrants and how. What a great idea to reward contest participants with a prize drawing! I'm looking forward to seeing the entries! Best, -Alex

Wow. No need to be humble, my man. Those are some wicked helmets. Alex

This is perhaps my super-cheapo, find-the-easy-way persona talking , but how about purchasing the nicest stencil you can find from a craft shop or online (usually $5 or so) and then using a black Sharpie marker to put those letters on? Now, this won't work so well with really dark dyes, nor will there be any relief to the letters, but it might be worth a try just to see how it looks... -Alex

Your stuff is ridiculously well-made for someone who only started in September! Good gracious. Thanks for sharing such fine photos. Most folks just show the exterior of a wallet, when it's really the interior that needs to be designed well. I'd say you have a real talent in leatherwork. Keep up the good work, and keep posting those pics! Best, -Alex

Several years back, I was inspired to try knifemaking after reading a couple of articles and books on the subject. Over the course of a year or so, I tried with varying degrees of success to make small sheath knives using old files, etc. I never did seem to get the knack of it -- everything I made was better suited as a railroad tie than a fine cutting instrument, and I didn't like wearing the eye and ear protection and respirator and gloves and such. Plus, I made a real mess out of the garage with all the fine dust. I made a couple of knife/sheath combos, and eventually gave up knifemaking as "not for me," especially given the ready and seeming endless availability of really nice factory and custom knives made by folks who have the natural talent I obviously lacked. Strangely enough, even though I was pretty disgusted at anything I produced in metal, the sheaths turned out half-nice. Plus, I enjoyed working with leather. So, at the urging of family members, I started working out some designs for common accessories like wallets, belts, key fobs, and all the other "bread and butter", typical leathercraft items. Folks seem to like what I make for them, and I enjoy doing it, so I'm still at it... Great topic. I'd love to hear what inspired other members of this forum. Alex

Matt, welcome! I love it when a new member posts pictures of his or her work with the intro. The rig you've shared in your post is clearly one of the finest that's graced these boards to date! Congrats! There are lots of folks here that are just starting out building holsters, and I'm sure your experience and advice will be very welcomed. So, don't be a stranger! Regards, -Alex

You know, there's an awful lot that I appreciate about this site, but one of the bigger things was the decision to keep the main board family friendly. Granted, there's a flourishing industry in adult leather products, and having a special area dedicated to that is important. But having the adult section opt-in was one of the great decisions made here. Given this fact, I find it hard to believe that "VBLG" isn't sure whether we're family friendly...

We're always interested in seeing pictures of member's work, so post away! Welcome to the forum! Regards, -Alex

Please feel free to post questions, comments and especially pictures! You'll find we have folks of all skill levels and specialities here! Best, -Alex

Good to have you here! Regarding your question on posting pictures, here's a post that explains it well: http://www.leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=1259 If you have any troubles, let us know! Best, -Alex

Hey, folks: In the best interests of camaraderie, I think it's fair to limit comments in this post to the topic at hand: Luke's purse. Luke has kindly posted pics of a fine purse, and here's the place to congratulate him on his work, ask questions, or even comment on "cat explosions" and such. We already have a thread where holsters and innovation and such is being discussed. If you have an opinion on that topic, please go on over to that thread to post it. Otherwise, I'm worried that Luke is going to get the impression that members are following him all over the forum to harangue him about a certain holster design. Thanks, -Alex

Kate, I've used All-In-One and gotten some really beautiful results with it. The way I apply it is to dampen a paper towel and wring every last drop of water out of it. Then put a healthy amount of All-In-One on that and wipe across the leather. Let that sit for maybe 5 seconds, then use a dry paper towel to wipe it off. The reason I bring this up is that you might want to continue experimenting with All-In-One before writing it off. I've found it really easy to use, and it might be the perfect stain/finish combo for your class. Regards, -Alex

Spectacular! (And Jerry's knife ain't bad either!)

Has anyone tried the new Eco-Flo Gel Antiques? Just wondering how this formula stacks up...

Glad you finished this one -- I can't think of a better shop sample to show off your talents. As craftspeople, I know most of our best work goes to paying customers, but it doesn't hurt to have a masterpiece sitting around the shop to show folks up close what you're capable of.

Welcome to the forum! Good to have you here. Regards, -Alex