Dangerous Beans

I'm curious... The absurdity of the automatic stitch thing aside... How many of you have had to actually undertake an emergency repair in the field? Of something made of leather? I have been designing and making all manor of leather thingumywhatsits for a few years now... All carry a lifetime guarantee. I've yet to have a customer return something they have broken, torn or have had a seam fail on them. And as for the comment that those who decry the auto awl are those that have failed to master it. I'm sorry but what tosh. I'm not a negative person, I can find positive in most anything, but really... The auto awl? Do it right! Do it once! Rant done, sorry! Nige

What a remarkable piece of work Mike. Beautiful.

I've not had much new to show off recently, it's all been a bit samey so nothing out of the ordinary, until... I was asked by a piano tuner to make a tub for a tool that was 51mm x 102mm. Thats small!!! especially when you have hands like shovels! Anyhow... I know its another tub, but it's sooooo small!! What do you think? Nige

Hi Veedub3, cheers for the correction, I pasted the address and code as it was sent to me so that's a great help, thank you. Tiger thread is bonded polyester so very different to linen thread. Both have their place but its the Tiger thread I favour and the one it seems hardest to find in the US. Nige

Good morning folks, still in the silly season so not had much time for posts, but I thought this was important. I've been told that there is a supplier of Tiger Thread and John James Needles in the US. Windmill English Saddle Supply,7186 Dewey Rd., Thompson, Ohio Zip code 44086 Phone number - (404)-298-3018. If you give it a try, can you let us know how you get on and what they have on offer? Nige

Good morning folks, still in the silly season so not had much time for posts, but I thought this was important. I've been told that there is a supplier of Tiger Thread and John James Needles in the US. Windmill English Saddle Supply,7186 Dewey Rd., Thompson, Ohio Zip code 44086 Phone number - (404)-298-3018. If you give it a try, can you let us know how you get on and what they have on offer? Nige

All sold, thank you for the interest folks. Nige

Hi Kathi, I've sent you a couple of messages, I could do with knowing how you want to move forward as there is a bit of a que building. Nige

I have four pricking irons up for grabs. 1, 1 1/2inch 7 Stitches per inch, £50 2, 1 1/2inch 8 Stitches per inch, £50 3, 1inch 7 Stitches per inch £40 4, 1inch 8 Stitches per inch £40 All used but still in perfect working order. These are the standard irons. Postage and PP fees all included. If you want all 4, yours for £200... or £160... You choose! I also have a No 9 SPI Dixons overstitch wheel, as new, £40, a No 5 SPI Dixons overstitch wheel, as new £40. Finally... A Dixon Compass Racer, as new! £40 Sensible offers considered, combined discount, and ill ship worldwide but shipping fees will apply. If you wand the lot, £250 saving you £50. For that, I'll cover shipping worldwide. Nige

It's just me but I don't use oil on my strops, I dampen the leather then rub the compound in to get it even. The compound acts as an abrasive polishing the edge, I'd imagine oil would just make it slide over. I'm not an expert on this so ill stand by to be educated by those that know better. Nige

It's the same leather, it's just labeled differently from supplier to supplier. Nige

Morning... I have a nagging feeling at the back of my mind that I've missed a few bods out that have asked me a question recently. If you are one of those... I'm not ignoring you, I'm just gifted with the memory of a goldfish! Nice Castle! Please, if I've missed you, drop me another line. Nige Who put that castle there?

Most leather that has been finished comes waxed, there are oily leathers but these are again finished. It sounds like your after vegtan tooling leather, this isn't finished, that's your job, if they oil it you can't dye it. You can buy case leather or saddle skirting finished in most colours, russet is probably the closest to natural or London Tan, also called Newmarket. Case leather is the softest and vegtan will supple up if you oil it with neatfoot, make sure you get the pure not the compound. All the colours I've mentioned are UK based, I don't know if they call them the same elsewhere. I don't know where you are. Metropolitan Leathers do a nice case leather 1.4mm to 3.5mm and Abbey England do the rest. Hope that helps. Nige

Michelle has a point... If you are doing a lot of tooling you need the right hammer or maul, I don't tool a lot but I use pricking irons a lot and I have noticed a remarkable difference since forking out for a pair of Barry King Mauls. I can smack away all day with pinpoint accuracy. Cyberthrasher is quite right, some hammers are for swinging to create impact, a maul is a tapper, a heavy tapper. Less effort on your part so fatigue is less of an issue over long durations. It's a dead blow so les noise and resonance. I use a 12 inch thick 3 foot long cherry wood log for marking and it can hardly be heard from outside of the workshop. I know it sounds like a lot of money, but the right tool for the job is always cheaper than a cheap wrong tool. Nige

Looks like you've spent a lot of effort working a cheap and poorly tanned bit of leather. All leather creases when bent but not usually to that degree. It looks very loose and as a result the surface has buckled, you can iron loose leather but this may now distort the work you've done on it. Cheap leather isn't cheap at all, I have never used Tandy veg tan, but a quick search on here will let you know it's not popular. Where are you? If in the UK, get a decent bit from Abbey England or if in the states, speak with some of the resident toolers on here to see where they buy a good firm bit of shoulder. Not much help I know, but I don't imagine there's much that can be done with that strap now. Nige

Yup... I get confused... Guys throughout my videos I give things new names. I do clarify this in one of my videos and if you can spot it you get to name an Artic Penguin. I use Tiger thread, it's bonded polyester even if I have referred to it as nylon. My apologies if I've created confusion, that said... It's unlikely I'll stop! Charts are available for Nigel's senior moments bingo upon request, get four in a row and win a lollipop! Nige

Are you able to incert the snap as you would normally and then place a disc over the back of it on the inside and stitch it on? From the outside you'd have the snap and a circle of stitching, on the inside the protection for the iPod. Or... Fix the snap to a disc, or any nice shape in leather, then stitch that to the case. Have a look at the leather tool tub here http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?app=galleryℑ=18292 Does that help? Nige

No6 is on the way here... How could I not after seeing Fred's work of art! And no... I'm not at all excited... I'm a grown up! Nige

Yes I do, they offer a full after sales sharpening service for all their tools. Just a short drive for me so very convenient!

I can have a go Alan, like I explain in the video, I'm no expert on sharpening. My skills are born out of necessity. As I understand with the hole punches, there need to be machine sharpened to maintain the angle and consistency. I send mine back to Dixon's for this. As for the thong cutters, they are much like a small knife and they would be sharpened the same to deal with the filament and then stropped. I know a chap on here, Ian, he is far more knowledgable than I when it comes to the right stone for the steel you're working. I shall drop him a line and see what he says. Whilst I will be happy to help, the last thing I want to do is to teach bad habits. Nige

Excellent point! Yes, the stone is oiled but I made no mention of it in the video, whilst you can use the stone dry, the oil will gather the filings. An awl is not big enough to generate slurry which assists in polishing on fine stones so here it's not vital. I use no oil on the ceramic stone. Cheers for the question. Nige

Adam, Have a nose at this, 3:24 in you see me skive the edge of the lid with a 6 inch round knife. Nige

Hi folks, a few of you have been asking about how I sharpen and polish my awls. This is a very condensed look at the process involved. I'm not a sharpening expert by any stretch, but it gives you a basic idea of how to achieve a good working sharp tool to complement the stitching skills you have. Regards Nige.

I'm sure you'll get a decent answer on here, but I know that Peter at the Identity Store used to design and print the Leather for Dr Martins. If anyone can put you right on printing on leather, it's him. Drop him an email, here's the URL for the site. http://www.theidentitystore.co.uk/ Nige

That's a nice looking piece of work there Brendon, Ian will be made up with that, you'll have to show him! See how you get on with the form and the bags. If its still to tight, a last resort is to unstitch it and incert a strip of 3mm into the seem as a welt. Nige