Northmount

You could try wet forming too. Use dowelling and a hole drilled in a block. If you can't find right size dowel (or price), carve or turn your own dowel.

Use 600 to 800 pixels wide.

Take a look at some of the steering wheel cover kits for some ideas. Your local auto store should have them. They wrap a spiral strip Like mrdabeetle suggests.

Use wax paper or plastic wrap (or something of that nature) to keep any contaminates in the mold away from the leather. Also make sure you don't contaminate the leather with anything before molding it. (Like oils or such from the object you are fitting it to as you do your layout.) It kind of looks like it didn't dry evenly. Did the pouch dry while in the mold or was it removed from the mold to dry? It might make a difference if part of the leather can't dry at the same time as the rest.

It really depends on how tight the fold is. On a relaxed curve like the flap of a purse, it doesn't matter as much. A tight fold on a billfold that is used every day will have problems show up on the fold before it does other places. If you can avoid running the pattern (tooling) across the fold line, the product will last much longer and maintain a better look. The cutting and tooling weakens the leather, the fold distorts the tooling, etc. The fold will crack somewhat long before you see any cracking on the rest of the item. The minute cracks will let in dirt, moisture, etc. hastening the deterioration. The fold receives more bumps and wear and tear so anything you can do to protect it will help keep it nice. Not tooling the fold protects it. Oiling lightly and restoring the finish occasionally will help it last longer, same as all leather. If the item is not going to see daily usage, but sit on display or in a drawer most of the time, then it really doesn't matter. Some patterns don't give you a nice looking natural break for the fold, so if you are using that pattern, you are stuck with it. See what your customer wants. Just advise him that it will show some distortion of the tooling, and will show wear earlier than the rest of the item.

Whether you add pigment or not, this will turn your veg tan leather black. Iron plus tannin turns black. See many other posts on vinegaroon.

A creaser might be what you are looking for.

LePage Pres-tite green water based contact cement works well. No bad solvents so low odour. Takes a little longer to dry to barely tacky but holds well. Don't put on too thick.

If you are imitating the look of a hole through black painted metal, like your bike fender, the hole is a shadow and won't be as "black" as the black paint. If there is light on the other side, then it will be a bright spot.

Here's another source for soles. www.acor.com Look at outsoles.

Depending on how much you dilute the oxalic as to whether it is stronger or weaker than vinegar.

Leather too wet?

Picture? ??

Hitting much harder could be dangerous ... hurt your elbow, or miss, break the handle or something like that. Hurts like the dickens when you smash your thumb! If you are not concerned about leaving some marks on the top of the tool, you could go with a good ball-peen hammer or even a claw hammer. As you have already been doing some practice swings, do the same with the hammer and work up to the force needed. Just did a test with a 1" oblong punch on old 8 oz leather. 8 swats with a small rawhide mallet (maybe 4 oz), 8 swats with a 2 lb deadblow hammer with hard rubber face, 4 swats with an 8 oz ball-peen, and 6 swats with about a 6 oz poly mallet. All tests with a poly cutting board on top of a piece of granite. Definitely need the hard face and some weight behind it.

Don't see any US locations yet, but here is a link to their catalogs. Almost as good as browsing the store itself! Lee Valley

There is a lot more leather to cut with the oblong punch than a 3/8" round. Work out the circumference of each and you will see the difference. So that is how much harder you will have to hit the punch. A rubber mallet (at least most of them) are too soft, so you are using up a lot of the impact in the mallet face before it even gets to the leather. You need a lot harder faced mallet to get through the leather. A heavy head would help too.

If you do grind out the inside, then you need to knock out the cutting after each hole because it will wedge inside, inside the taper. So probably is better to use STD wall 1" pipe and do the taper on the outside like the typical drive punch. If you have a lathe, then you can do a better job and be properly sized. Otherwise, your best deal is Harbor Freight like Kevin says. Depends on how many times you are going to use it, and how long you have to wait to be able to finish your job.

Try industrial, mechanical, automotive tool supply for gasket cutting punches if you don't want to make one yourself. Standard wall (schedule 40) 1" pipe has an ID of 1.049". OD of all North American 1" pipe is 1.315". The ID changes with different wall thickness (different schedule numbers). Applies to SS, black pipe or galvanized pipe. European pipe has different dimensions. 3/4" pipe has an OD of 1.050", so would be a better choice for 1" holes. File the taper on the inside using a round file, or use a Dremel grinder. You can cut a slot in the side to drop out the cuttings just like a drive punch. Screw a pipe cap on the top if you wish to close the end.

Great job. Keep it up! Happy New Year!

Hog rings are also used on the bottom of chain-link fences to tie the "mesh" to a #9 or so wire next to the ground. The wire is stretched tight between corme posts and keeps the bottom of the chain-link straight (and helps to keep kids and animals from squeezing under). I've used them on car seat covers too since most don't fit or stay in place properly. There are still a few hiding around here somewhere.

Some glues destroy the foam. Tandy kits also say not to glue the foam. I did an item a short time ago, and was wishing afterwards that I had removed the foam. Looks bulky, not so neat and trim.

Depending on size, I would do like a number of wall hangings that have a rod through both the top and bottom. The bottom rod will help keep it flat against the wall. I think you will probably get some curl on the sides. With thin material, depending on the type and amount of stamping, you will need to be careful to prevent any stretching so the leather will lay flat when finished. I have seen a photo of a large leather wall hanging done with pyrography where it was stretched and supported by lacing to a rustic frame like a dream catcher style, only much larger. Happy New Year

Try http://www.abebooks.com (a network of used book stores.) They have a lot of old books available. Some very good prices, some high. Depends on the individual seller.

When you cut the thread, does the end begin to unravel, especially if you roll it between your fingers a little? If so, it's unbonded. Usually says on the spool label (if it's still there).

Did you use bonded thread? Thread that is not bonded tends to fray and unravel easier. I recently (accidentally) purchased a pound of unbonded thread, so I have lots to practice with now!