Northmount

Interesting and very unique case. Great job. Tom

Tomorrow never comes! Better start today. Tom

The green is verdigis, a natural reaction. It requires moisture, so if you can keep the article dry, that will prevent its formation. However belts and such absorb moisture while being worn so is more prone to its formation. Coat the brass with a durable clear sealant, such as lacquer. And as Geneva says, seal the leather as it will help somewhat. Tom

Really nice spur straps! But those boots sure need some TLC! Tom

Look through the catalog at Ohio Travel Bag Tom

Use a good quality paint ... many are using Angelus and swear by it. Thin the paint first, to about 50%, build up in thin layers. THick layers will crack for sure. Tom

Or just ignore it and keep going. It will still look nice when completed. Makes it "unique". Tom

As previous posters, you need to sit down and try out the machine, start with the leather type and thickness it came set up to do. (The sample that came with the machine.) Make sure the machine is threaded correctly. There are videos on YouTube for various machines. Make sure the bobbin is in correctly. You shouldn't need to change any tension settings unless you have changed them already. If you have adjusted the tension, come back and ask some more questions, or do a search here for the same issues. To begin with, keep track of where the tension was set. Mark the knob, count the turns, etc. so you can go back to where you were. Use the same thread size, same needle size. Hold onto the threads for 2 or 3 stitches when you start a stitch. Practice following a line. Practice following a curve. Practice making right angle turns. If you lift the presser foot while making a turn, just barely ease it up so you can turn the leather. If you lift it too far, it releases the top tension and you will notice your stitch doesn't look right, or you get a birds nest under the leather. When making a sharp turn, wait until the needle has risen about 1/4" from the bottom before you make the turn. Turning too soon may reduce the loop so the hook misses it and you have a skipped stitch. There are also videos on practice work that I saw posted here a month or so ago. Have fun with your machine. It will do a great job for you. Tom Edit: There might be someone close by that can help you a little. Ask and see. And oil it up before you use it since it has been sitting so long.

Here are some links about bobbin and top tension measurement and setting. If I remember correctly, top tension is about twice the bobbin tension. Top needs more tension to pull the knot up into the leather. http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=44309&hl=+bobbin%20+tension%20+measure#entry281315 http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=51956&hl=+bobbin%20+tension%20+measure#entry332668 http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=42126&st=30&hl=+bobbin%20+tension%20+measure#entry269092 Hope these links help you get it sorted out. Tom

Replacing the badly damaged leather wouldn't leave much of the original back. I would make a pattern from it and make a new one just like it. Then put this one away where it is safe and can be pulled out to look at when you want to revive good old memories. Tom

Do a search for black and white thread, look for comments from Wizcrafts for some explanation and tweaks needed when changing between the two Tom

Very nice. I like the combination beading and leather. Tom

When you are laying out your tooling pattern, try to avoid having a snap in the middle of it. Isn't always possible, but can improve the appearance a little. I like the pouch shape, colour, etc. Good job. Tom

You can use a coat hanger to fashion a top guide to pull the thread off the top of the spool. Tom

Several years ago, a new wallet came back to me. A dog had chewed the corner badly. The liner was still pretty good. I peeled the corner apart, cut the badly damaged piece back, skived the edge, skived and fitted a new corner in, glued, finished and re-laced the corner. This would be close to 30 years ago. The wallet is still being used today! You may be able to carefully do the same on the fold on yours. Tom

No sewing machine does saddle stitch. Just think about a machine being able to transfer the spools of thread from one side to the other at every stitch! A robot may be able to be trained, but what happens when it drops a needle, or has to move the leather further along in the clamp? Would make a good cartoon show! Tom

Lacing is relatively easy to replace as long as the holes haven't been worn through or to badly damaged. Tandy has a book describing lacing types, also a number of online places like Kingsmere crafts. I'd almost make you a bet that your dad's stuff has some lacing instructions. Tom

Some related threads. Searched "how much markup". http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=433&hl=%20how%20%20much%20%20markup&st=0 http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=5139&hl=%2Bhow+%2Bmuch+%2Bmarkup http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=9081&hl=+how%20+much%20+markup#entry1068 Tom

4:1 will give you even slower speed, more torque, easier to punch through hard temper or thick leather. Will of course reduce your top speed too assuming you have a servo, or are good at feathering your clutch. For new sewers, lower speed is nice, easier to control, etc. I have one that is about 6:1 with a servo. At the highest speed setting, I can crawl real slow, or go about 200 stitches per minute. That's on the slow side for many, but fast enough for me. (Slow for winding bobbins, but I'm going to set up a variable speed drill with my bobbin winder on of these days.) You can figure out the speed your machine will run at, so you will have a goo idea if that is right for you. Tom

Looks like you are well on your way to learning more detail ... and getting more practice. You are doing good work. Good to have you here. Tom

3 ton or so arbor press should be able to cut wallet parts. A little 1 ton will cut Rolodex cards out of 3/4 oz veg tan using a steel rule die that was made for card stock. Tom

Very nice colour and tooling. Tom

Caledon is good. Take a look at Longview too. http://www.longviewleather.com/ I haven't ordered from them, will be going out to their shop one of these days. Longview is a member here too. Tom Edit: check posts by Wscott, a member hear, west coast. Or PM him. He has been dealing with someone in Vancouver for various leathers.

You don't say where you are. There are places in Canada besides Tandy that sell leather and supplies. If you identify your city, you may get some additional answers as to what is available near you. UPS and FedEx charge hefty brokerage fees. Like $45 on a $75 item. Most places don't warn you. Tom

Unique! Very good, or should I say excellent! Tom