Dangerous Beans

Sounds like its been over oiled. If your sliding over the saddle then it's had too much. If not and its only light staining, is it new? This will ease in time, but well maintained saddles are oiled frequently and this may reoccure. You'll never seal oiled leather, an agent like resolene won't adhere to oiled leather and you don't want to, leather needs to breath. Especially if you ride in all weathers, I would never seal leather. It shortens its life by either drying out the leather or prevents it from drying properly when wet and allowing it to rot. That's just my take. The only thing I can think of is glycerine soap and a lot of rubbing. The oil will lift over time and use but to help it along clean it often with the soap. The bonus is your saddle should last you a long time. The alternative is dedicated riding trousers, you look at the backside of a lot of riders and they are well conditioned. (That sounded better in my head) Does any of that make sense? Nige

Thanks for the push folks but that video is all done left handed and might not be that helpful to right handlers. The video below looks at left and right handed stitching and may be more useful to you. Regards Nigel

Hi Ray, If your belt is too long and flopping, make a free running belt keep. You can then slide this along the third arm to keep it in place against the belt. Nige

Don't apologise for asking questions, I wouldn't post if I minded answering them. I shall take some detailed images and stick a post up on the log. Nigel's log... Stitch date 28042013 Contacted by alien culture for schematics on temporary docking device. This culture seem far more advanced than anticipated. Perhaps classifying the the Starbucks matter as an invasion was incorrect. Beginning to regret deploying the Morgan. Will continue to monitor. ...

There are a few bods sourcing suitable logs, I shall take some decent photos of how the clam attaches to the log and stick a post up. I can't imagin it's an origional idea, I'm not that clever, but it is an invaluable addition to the workshop. Nige

Does this help Alex? Nigel

Are you able to send me some video footage of you stitching so I can better see what your doing. Ill be in a better position to help then. Nige

My last video was more of an answer to a question to help out a fellow LW Forum member. This is a bit of everything on the Saddle Stitch. It covers going round a corner with a Pricking Iron, Stitching Right and Left handed. Starting off and finishing a row of stitching. It is by no means the be all and end all of stitching leather but I hope it helps a few bods who are starting out. Nige

This is something I'd like to try, they look good and thought through. Can you PM me some details and costs Fred? Nigel

I take it you referring to the seam without any apparent stitching. That's a piping seam. Piping cord is incerted in a strip of leather then placed between to two parts making up the body. It's then stitched on the inside, usually inside out and trimmed. Once turned back the right way, you have this. Nige

It's difficult to see exactly what's happened there but is it possible your using too much pressure? The different leathers your using will give at different stages. It also depends on how each leather is tanned as to how much pressure it can take when slicking. I'd be inclined when making a laminate like this to oversize it, glue everything in place then trim to size when dry. The glue will give yet another dimension to the slicking so I'd burnish with heat not pressure. Just go over it with a glazing iron lightly and edge cote it. Does that sound like it might help? Nige

You've obviously put a lot of thought and effort into this lot, well done.

A truly beautiful piece of work Bernie, the evenness of the pattern is amazing. I am a huge admirer of your work. Nigel

That's brilliant cheers folks, Berni is now my hero! He mentions his website, I can't find it. Any ideas? So... Do I cut my lace or buy lace? I think I have to weigh up the cost of both unless anyone has done the maths, I'm not sure if this is going to be a huge repeating project, maybe a kit. Nige

Again... Two pieces of leather, but don't forget to taper and glue the end of the webbing so you don't get any fluff sticking out of the sides. Nige

I want to make a whip but I'm having a real issue sourcing the right leather. I've made four whips over the years, the one below was made of buffalo but over the years the lacing has shrunk and the gaps make it look untidy. I have no idea how to use it, I tried once and still have the scar. its a show piece that hangs in the workshop, it serves no purpose other than to say... i made that. I'm fascinated by the intricacies of a whip, the detail and work that goes into them. I don't want to make one just for show though, it has to be the correct construction, I don't want to cheat. This one is leather to the core. It rolls out nicely and is still solid. Now... I know kangaroo is the best lace to use because of its tensile strength but there are no decent sources for it in the UK, I remember years ago MHW in Australia sold finished lace but having looked at the site it hasn't changed and I've had no replies to emails so I don't know if they are still going. So... Is there a good outlet for kangaroo out there? Or, drawing or your expertise... What other leather plaits well and has a similar strength and look? I have cut lace myself but am no master so it's straight without taper, this means I have to drop laces to reduce the body from the handle down to the fall. In truth, it's beyond me how you can taper an 8 foot length of lace from 4mm to say 2mm. I'd be very interested in your thoughts on materials and techniques. This side of leather is very much a hobby so I'm willing to take any advice or tips you can offer. This is a two way street... If I can help you with your stitching, just sing out. Nigel

Contemporary yet traditional, a fine piece of craftsmanship, one to look out for I think.

Hi Michelle, You know me... Coming up with the wrong term again... I have both pricking wheels and overstitch wheels. They are basically the same thing, or at least do the same job. An overstitch wheel will leave a dimple impression in the leather, a pricking wheel is usually sharper and dependant on maker, sometimes slanted. The pricking wheel as I understand it is harder to make and more expensive, because the awl overrides the mark left the question is are they worth the extra? Especially when an overstitch wheel does the same job. Maybe it's this cross terminoligy that's trying to resolve the iner conflict of which is better. Note to self for videos... Be concise! Be accurate! And stop waffling. Sorry. Nige

As far as I know, it's a pricking iron here in the UK, but Osborne's in the US call it a stitching Chisel. It appears to be the same thing. Nige

That depends on how hard you hit the pricking iron, if you're stitching two pieces together, you'd mark the front with the pricking iron, not going all the way through, then use the awl to make the rest of the hole in that piece an on through to the back. If you're making an item with three or four layers, you can use the iron on each piece to make it a lot easier. Pip, Ive done a quick video using the stitch wheel and awl to try and answer some of your questions. Hope it helps.

First and foremost... They look good! And finally, they look comfortable. I'm sure that I mirror many an LW member when I say we are the biggest critics of our own work. I think you will find that if you were to look at a similar pair available in a shoe shop manufactured on mass, the quality would differ distinctly! As Kindaki mentioned, you can buy plastic and wooden feet for shoe making, called lasts over here, I think they work out to about £100 each. But given that each size has three widths and then you have male and female lasts, this can soon add up. I'd be happy to trial a pair, they look awesome. Nige

A myPad and an iPad in the same case, how novel! It's like the apocalypse iPad back up kit, bet the games aren't as good though.

It's down to personal preference, but for 2 to 3mm shoulder 9spi may be a little snug. 7 or 8 would be better, for that size leather I'd tend to defer to 7. It depends on what your after look wise. Nige

It won't Doug, I wouldn't use a stitching groove with a pricking iron, it will defeat the object, the pricking iron sets the stitches at an angle, a grove will force the stitches straight. Plus, you'd need a very wide groove. You only tend to recess stitching into a groove in areas of high ware such as under saddle skirting. You don't need one on a holster. Nige

I got this for nothing and cleaned it up, added a strap for tools and fixed my clam to it. There is a 1/4 inch thick disc of rubber under it and when I hammer, it's stealth hammering!!! it absorbs all the shock and most of the noise, with a slab of marble on top it's even better. It's like a tactical silencer for hammers.