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Grumpy, it never hurts to ask, but in my experience (like Luke's), there are plenty of craftsmen who are willing to answer questions or even do the occasional quick demo, but I haven't found one yet who wants someone hanging around the shop as an apprentice or even as a non-paid helper. I don't believe it has much to do with competition, I just think most are too busy trying to meet pressing deadlines. Alex

LAPat, I doubt I can answer all of your questions, but I'll try to help out. First, regarding your questions on deglazer, I've never had the need to use this product. I think it's normally used to strip a finish, and I hear that it's really toxic stuff. If you're just interested in prepping a veg tan surface to accept dye, I think you can get away with a light rubbing of denatured alcohol to extract any surface oils. Regarding your questions on leather colors, I haven't used the special color spray you mention, but if your testing shows it's a reliable and durable finish, I don't see any reason not to use it. My only concern would be to make sure it doesn't seal off the leather so much that it won't accept a conditioner, like Lexol. If you're looking for other finishes that are quick and easy, as you mention, I'd recommend Tandy's Eco-Flo All-In-One Stain & Finish. It's very easy to apply and comes in some pretty vibrant colors, including pink, red, green, purple and blue. Finally, I know that several folks here use air brushes to apply leather dye. So, it's definitely possible, but I'm not sure what goes into it. Maybe they'll add their two cents here. I hope this information gives you a start! Regards, -Alex

Aaron, There are lots of forums here... Maybe too many. As you say, it sometimes makes it hard to decide where to post. Also, each forum is so granular that they seem not to have much traffic. Even after a year, some forums still have less than 10 posts. There are a couple of tools, however, that can make your life easier. First of which is the "View New Posts" link at the top of the page. This helps you find new content without having to drill down through all the forums. The second is the "Search" functionality, which helps you find information on a particular topic, regardless of which forum it was posted in. I agree that some posts could go in several different forums. Hopefully, the above tools can help you sort things out. Regards, -Alex

Art makes a good point about dealing with the same supplier and being considered a regular, loyal customer. I'm a Tandy wholesale club member ($35/year), and I do all of my shopping in the Richmond, Va. store. Debbie and Sharon know me and treat me like a valued customer. I even get in on special deals every once in a while. As a hobbyist, I've tried dealing with other companies, but I'm usually treated like I'm a bother -- probably because my orders are on the smallish side. Nowadays, I buy everything from Tandy and don't worry about price. I've done the math and know that as a wholesale club customer, I'm probably getting about as good a price as any other hobbyist. That's my two cents on price shopping! Alex

I hope Tess decides to post some of her work here. She produces some really beautiful sheaths.

Hoyden, Thanks for taking the time to snap all those pics and share them here. I've never done a dog collar, but seeing your work makes me interested in trying one. I love all of the different styles -- kudos to you for continuing to experiment, and not settling for one style you just mass-produce. Beautiful work... and beautiful dog, by the way. What a wonderful face!! Best, -Alex

Wow. Can't wait to see the finished product! -Alex

Welcome, Bobby. Always feel free to ask questions and post pictures. We love both! Best, -Alex

Very neat! Welcome to Leatherworker.net. Alex

Really nice work, Dan! Very unique! -Alex

Very nice work, Aaron. Thanks for posting your pics. Thanks also for becoming a Contributing Member. Your donation of any amount helps keep the lights on and the good times rolling here at Leatherworker.net. It's much appreciated. -Alex

I agree with Ken... Feel free to post pics anytime! There are lots of folks here at varying levels of experience, so I'm sure you'll be able to both learn something and offer advice! Regards, -Alex

Well, that eliminates those of us with little or no patience (including me). Frankly, I expected this finish to be meticulously and painstakingly applied, since it's apparent that your basketweave was done the same way. Congratulations on a couple of really amazing projects. Alex

Fantastic example of carving and coloring. Really great. Please don't hesitate to share more pics of your work, Charley! Regards, -Alex

Skip, I'm not sure leather hardens with age, as long as it's properly conditioned, and leather usually doesn't sit around in a store long enough anyway. However, I've seen hard leather in my time, and I think the culprit was sunlight, which darkened it and made it a somewhat hard. If you're in the store, take a look at a number of sides. The lighter-colored ones should be softer and easier to tool... Stay away from the ones that are getting tan. You should be able to press a fingernail into the grain. If not, it's probably too hard. That's just my experience in picking double shoulders from Tandy... Maybe someone else has some advice on this topic, too? Regards, -Alex

That's about the finest execution of basketweave I've ever seen. Truly beautiful work, Ashley. Alex

No special compartment, Don. Just a simple key fob that puts leather in your hand instead of metal when you're reaching for your keys. When I first read your post and you asked how it "worked", I got a little worried about you... Thinking maybe you've been spending too much time in the shop... :biggrin:

Thanks for the kind words, fellas. Much appreciated. I especially like it when someone uses the word "clean" to describe my work. Coming from hill country in the Southeast, most craftwork produced in this area is simple, utilitarian, and undecorated, so "clean" is about the best compliment you can get. I know western floral with silver accents is the classic style for leatherwork, but that's just not me. Freak, Primrose Red is indeed an All-In-One color (2605-11). And as you mention, Range Tan Leather Dye is a close match for Desert Tan, but I prefer the All-In-One because the color is more vivid and even. Plus, it gives a bit of an antique highlight to your stamping. Best, -Alex

If a wet Q-Tip lifts color, I can guarantee that Lexol will. I feel the same way about any type of oil. However, Scotchgard for leather sounds like it may have some promise. I'd give that one a try... Regarding your question about a white color for leather, here's a recent thread on that topic that might help: http://www.leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=937 Good luck! -Alex

C.B. - Since you're interested in making a pool cue case, I hope you've seen Jack Justis's work: http://www.leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=536 http://www.leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=584 Really nice fellow with talent galore. If you run into any problems or have questions, please be sure to post here and someone should be able to help. Regards, -Alex

Yes, really, really nice. Alex

Hi, everyone: I just wanted to post a few images of my latest work. Both of these projects were colored using Tandy's new Eco-Flo All-In-One Stains. The key fob is Primrose Red and the wristband is Desert Tan. Comments or questions are certainly welcomed! Regards, -Alex

I agree with the Saddle Lac or Neat Lac suggestion. Here's perhaps another option that was posted quite some time ago: You probably know this already, but with any of the aforementioned products, it'll be important to test them out before applying them to a project you invested hours in. You may have to play around before you find the right formula, and you don't want to ruin any nice projects in the process! Best, -Alex

That's the finest bag I've seen in a long time. Congratulations, David. I also visited your site and read that everything you do is by hand -- no power tools or electricity required. Any inspiration for that? -Alex