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Wow, nice work, and welcome! -Alex

I believe this month marks the one-year anniversary of Leatherworker.net. Congratulations to Johanna and her moderating crew for building a great online resource for leather craftspeople. Before I found this board, my knowledge was limited to what I figured out through trial and error, or what I read in decades-old Al Stohlman books. It's great to have contact with leatherworkers across the United States (and even a few from Canada and overseas ), all dedicated producing such a variety of projects, like pool cue cases, saddles, motorcycle seats, wallets, and even whips! In addition to all the knowledge I've gained, it's great to get to meet and hang out with such nice folks. So, thanks again, Johanna, for all your hard work over the past year! And happy anniversary, Leatherworker.net! Best regards, -Alex p.s. Please remember that nothing's really free on the Internet. Running a site like this means paying hosting fees and software costs. If you want to contribute a donation to help keep this site running, Johanna has set up a simple page here. Thanks!

I stopped by Tandy this weekend and got the opportunity to purchase and try out some of the new Eco-Flo dye colors. I must admit, I think they're a step up from the traditional spirit dyes. The water-based formula appears to absorb slower, so there's less propensity to streak, even with the lighter shades like Ranger Tan. I'm told the pigment in these dyes is actually liquid (instead of being suspended in liquid), and as a result, I found very little buffing was required after application. To create different shades, the dyes appear to mix well with each other, with water, or even with Lexol. I found that the actual color on leather is much closer to what's advertised on the bottle than with alcohol-based dyes, which tend to go on much darker. Overall, Eco-Flo dyes appear to be versatile and easy-to-use. I was able to apply with a piece of cloth and get good results, although Tandy literature recommends spraying. Available colors include Coal Black, Dark Coco Brown, Bison Brown, Java Brown, Timber Brown, Canyon Tan, Ranger Tan, Dark Mahogany, Light Mahogany, Cranberry Red, Scarlett, Evening Blue, Emerald Green, Forest Green, Deep Violet, and Sunshine Yellow. I also purchased several of the new All-In-One Eco-Flow Stain & Finish bottles, and was favorably impressed with how easy they were to use. Dunk a dauber, smear it on, and wipe it off with a paper towel for an extremely even color and mellow acrylic finish. Tandy claims this stuff is for beginners, but for anyone interested in taking the easy route when dyeing, this is a good option IMO. One more benefit: this product does seem to act somewhat as a highlighter to darken stamped areas with an antique-like paste. Colors for this product are Midnight Black, Fudge Brown, Acorn Brown, Light Mocha Brown, Prairie Tan, Desert Tan, Cherry Chocolate, Mariner Blue, Grape Purple, Cactus Green, Primrose Red, and Cherry Red. On a related note, I picked up a pamphlet on the Eco-Flo line, and discovered this product line isn't just dyes -- all environmentally friendly products that Tandy offers are being rebranded as Eco-Flo, including Leather Dyes, Hi-Lite Color Stain, Gel Antiques, All-In-One Stain & Finish, Cova Colors, Satin Shene, Super Shene, Block Out Resist Finish, Carnauba Creme, Gum Tragacanth, Easy-Carve Concentrate, Tanners Bond Contact Cement, and Leather Weld. The back of the pamphlet contains a compatibility chart which shows which dyes and stains work with which finishes. For anyone who has struggled to get decent results with alcohol dyes (like I have), you might want to check out the new Eco-Flo stuff. Regards, -Alex

Johanna, it's interesting that you do this. Is the point to make the stitching look better? Other than cosmetic, I don't see how this would affect the strength of the seam or have any other functional value (but I've been wrong many times before )... My stitching seems to turn out fine without any additional help, but on rare occasions, I'll run an overstitcher over top just to clean things up a bit. -Alex

Tell them black dye violates California's new VOC laws and is no longer available...

Very well put, Darc. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the subject. -Alex

Lately, there seems like there's always an interesting thread going in the Saddles and Tack section, so congratulations, Bruce and Johanna, for reorganizing and expanding this area. Best, -Alex

Apparently, your holster-making friend isn't the only one who thinks this way. Here's a post in which Bob Beard (via ClayB) brings up the same point: (Original thread) I don't subscribe to this school of thought, and much prefer to see stitches indented using a stitching groover. -Alex

I love your key fobs -- very original! Regards, -Alex

Great job. I'm with Bruce... The rolled buttons add a unique touch. Very nice and clean execution. Congrats!

Well, it appears that leatherworkers and their dyes aren't the only dangers to the environment. Now, our base material is under scrutiny! I found the following article hilarious (although it was meant to be serious). http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/20...wpollution.html I especially liked the following quote: Newbold is among a growing number of scientists now investigating how farm animals influence atmospheric pollution. The field is sometimes dismissed by critics as "fart science."

Well, I don't plan on using a dye that requires spraying. (My shop just isn't set up for that.) So either this finish can be applied with a rag or dauber, or I won't be using it. I'll have to check it out... Thanks to everyone for their initial reviews. -Alex

Beautiful job!

So, are the spirit dyes expected to go away? Or is this just another option for the folks who live in California?

:fire: :biggrin:

Very nice! You gonna dye it black? (Just kidding.)

Thanks for the updates. I'd like to try these soon. Like Kate said, I won't miss the fumes of the spirit dyes. Regis, do these dyes mix with Bick like the spirit dyes do? I like Pete's method of mixing Bick with dye to provide lighter, streak-free colors...

Bert, Welcome to the forums! First off, when I started leatherwork, I found the following book to be valuable: The Art of Hand Sewing Leather by Al Stohlman I started out with these needles and this thread. Sorry, but I don't have much information on creating bags, so maybe someone else can pitch in with some help there. Good luck with your project! -Alex

I'm also a big fan of the poly mallets, and use a 14 oz. Garland model. (You can get these from Hide Crafter.) I like the additional heft of the 14 oz. mallet -- it gives a nice impression for stamping without much effort, and packs enough wallop to really drive a punch through heavy leather. The heads on the Garland models are a lot nicer than the Tandy-made ones -- each head is radiused and the composite used is a little softer, so the tool you're striking bites into the composite and almost never slips. Plus, as Steve mentions, the poly mallets wear like iron. Best, -Alex

Honestly, I don't know if there's a lot of difference between Tandy Leather Factory and Hide Crafter. I've seen both of their catalogs and my first impression is that the product lines and the prices appear similar between the two companies. Both appear to offer good customer service. I buy from Tandy because there's a store near me that I can visit to see the products first-hand. But since you're overseas, I don't think that makes much difference to you. If you're purchasing a lot, think about joining Tandy's wholesale club for $35 per year. If you spend more than $150-200 a year with Tandy, it'll save you money. Both companies offer their catalogs in downloadable format: Hide Crafter Tandy Leather Factory There are some products that Hide Crafter offers that Tandy doesn't, and vice-versa. I don't think you can go wrong with either company. Good luck! -Alex

Amazing!

I'd like to know this, as well. I've always used the spirit dyes and wondered why oil dyes even exist...

Thanks for weighing in, Art. Is Leather Weld another example of the "White Stuff" you refer to?

Thanks for your insights, gentlemen. I assume Tanner's Bond is TLF's brand-name contact cement, similar to Barge and Weldwood. Can you fellows tell me what Leather Weld is? That's another adhesive that Tandy sells, and I'm not sure how it compares to contact cement products... (I think Art may have mentioned something about using Leather Weld, or some other type of white glue, but my memory isn't what it used to be, so don't quote me on that...) -Alex

Thanks for the updates. Does anyone know if any other manufacturers (namely Fiebings) plan to introduce eco-friendly dyes?