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Bruce, I agree and appreciate your post. The more information we can get on this board, the more useful it will be to all of us. Best regards, -Alex

Hey, everyone: Let's take a minute to relax and breathe. It's sad that an effort to help Bill has degenerated into profane posts, and personally, I think this thread should be locked. Leatherworker.net is a fantastic online resource, and one that I've waited a long time for. Let's try our best to continue to get along here. -Alex

I agree... The "rising sun" seat is absolutely the focal point of that bike... Awesome work!

I really appreciate all the great information that has been shared in this topic. Several folks mentioned giving each tool a "test drive" (if possible) to preview the impression. Great idea that I'd never thought of before. I also appreciate Bruce's recommendation to try different sources and keep the stamps (even the inexpensive ones) that have the best impressions. Thanks again, everyone. Excellent advice. :biggrin: -Alex

I'd like to know where readers of this forum buy their leather stamping tools (veiners, seeders, etc). Most of my stamps are Tandy Craftool, but I recently purchased a few stamps from another leather supplier that are marked "Craft Japan" and give an incredibly crisp impression. This got me thinking about other suppliers. Anyway, I'd just like some recommendations on which company produces the best stamps. Thanks, -Alex

Beautiful work, Shirley. Great photo, too -- it shows all the details! The dragon really stands out. How did you darken the lines? They almost look burnt...

Huh? Speak English, Bruce. Greg doesn't like neatsfoot oil, and you do. So what? Frankly, if you ask 100 leatherworkers a question about a certain technique, you'd probably get a 100 different expert opinions on why their particular method is best. It makes life interesting. My feeling is this: listen to the folks that have opinions, then test them on your own work. See what works for you. I've used neatsfoot oil and I've used Lexol. Both seem to work just fine for my purposes. However, I'm not a saddlemaker, so maybe you have different needs than I do. That's cool. -Alex

Looks like fine work to me, Claudia. Welcome to the forum!

All good points, Kate. Thanks for adding your comments.

Johanna, I've often wondered about this. It seems we put these lacquered or waxy or plastic finishes on top of something that was designed to breathe (and absorb conditioners). I wonder if it's best to do as Billsotx suggests -- just top off with Lexol and buff for a nice satin finish...

Clay and Greg, I'd have to agree with both of you regarding neatsfoot oil. Like Clay, I've used it (always sparingly) and it seems to do a decent job of rehydrating dyed leather and giving a nice (albeit slightly darker) color to the leather. However, Lexol's web site supports Greg's claim that neatsfoot will move around in the leather. http://www.lexol.com/lexolnf.html I guess readers can draw their own conclusions based on experience. Regards, -Alex

Interesting discussion on the pros and cons of stitching groovers and other construction techniques. Thanks for keeping it going! Alex

Incredible!

Yes, I thought that might be a limitation for folks using different finishes for different types of products. (Maybe "other" would be the appropriate poll choice.) Regardless, thanks for sharing your preferences.

I've used a number of different leather finishes, but would be curious to know which one is the darling of this forum's readers. Your vote (and any additional comments) would be appreciated! -Alex

Thanks, everyone, for the responses. I read up on Lexol on the company's web site, and it does seem like a superior product. I appreciate the recommendation.

That's fine work, Dale. Nice job on both the carving and the paint.

B.P., I don't know about the other folks here, but I've never been able to put my project in a stitching pony and just "go to town" with two needles and an awl balanced in my hands (like the books say). My leather is usually too thick or too hard (post-dyeing) to do it. What I do is this: I set the project flat on my workbench. I use an overstitcher to mark an evenly-spaced set of holes. Then I strike the awl with a mallet to create my stitching holes. (Don't do this on your kitchen table without some sort of cutting pad underneath! :biggrin: ) After making the holes, then I gouge the stitching channel. Probably not the fastest way to do it, but it works for me. BTW, I was always embarrassed to admit I did things this way until an older (and very respected) leatherworker with arthritis in his hands told me he had to do it the same way... Hope this helps (and welcome to the forum!), -Alex

Ed, definitely give the Wholesale Club a try. I enrolled a few years ago and kept track of the discounts to see how quickly I recovered the cost. I got it all back on the first big order. I think if you spend more than $150 a year at Tandy, the W.C. makes sense. Plus, every year in the mail, I get a $10 discount coupon to renew my membership, so it's possible that each succeeding year, the W.C. will only cost you $25. Regards, -Alex

Over the years, I've heard folks talk about using either extra-virgin olive oil or pure neatsfoot oil to rehydrate and/or finish their leatherwork. Is one better than the other? I've used both, and still don't know. Opinions and preferences appreciated. -Alex

Hoyden, I agree with the recommendation to start using a lining leather. Frankly, given your needs, I think I'd go with Tandy's mission-grain pigskin. It's a durable lining that's pre-finished to a slick, almost vinyl, feel. It comes in brown and black, is durable, and has a nice texture. Best of all, it's inexpensive. It'd be very easy to add to your collars. As Greg mentioned, I'd just glue it in and not worry about the stitching. Good luck, -Alex

Big Al, If you're looking for criticism, I don't have much to offer. I think you did a really great job on all of these projects. I've tried my hand at the Tandy kits and can never make them turn out right, so congratulations on your success! Keep up the good work; it's obvious you have a talent for leathercraft. Regards, -Alex

Tom, someone recently asked me to recommend a web host on a Microsoft platform. I found the following two sites allowed current and former customers to rate their experience: http://www1.epinions.com/Web_Hosts http://www.hostsearch.com/shared_zone.asp I looked up a couple of hosts I knew were good and found positive feedback as confirmation. I also looked up a few that I suspected had bad track records, and found negative comments all over the place. I'm sure there are other sites that offer similar customer reviews... Hope this helps, -Alex

Johanna, I've experienced the same thing. The only trick that helps me is to go easy on the mallet. I try not to whack it so hard the outline hits the leather. With the alphabet sets, you can usually strike the stamp lightly first, take a look at the impression, and if really careful, be able to place the stamp back in the impression for a second strike, if necessary. Good luck, -Alex

Joel, I do a lot of small projects like wallets, and get decent edging results from the following technique. After glueing the two edges together, use a sharp knife to shave down any parts of the edge that aren't even. Then round the edge corners on both sides using a Tandy #2 Beveler. Moisten the edge with water and go over it lightly with 400-grit extra-fine sandpaper. Then, apply a coat of Gum Tragacanth (or Fiebing's EdgeKote) and slick using a Sharpie pen. Repeat this last step one more time for a nice, smooth edge. Not sure I'd really want to do this on a long edge like a belt or saddle, but it works for me for the small stuff. -Alex