Viking Queen

I am happy to report that another forum member has purchased this machine and will be picking it up sometime soon. i am grateful for the sale and I know that he will enjoy using this fabulous "Power tool, with thread"! Thank you all who looked at this post and most especially to the forum member who purchased it. MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYONE!

I have a like New Cobra Class 4 Premium machine complete with stand for sale. I have a shoulder/neck injury which prevents me from being able to do leatherwork any more. Located in Fort Collins Colorado, on the front range about an hour north of Denver. This set up will be for local pick up only. It comes with everything that I got when it came new plus a few extras that I will throw in the deal. I saved the original box that the head came in, along with the packing for that head. I am asking $3,000 cash for the machine and all its goodies. The head can be removed from the stand for easier transport in your vehicle. I also have a shop press which I have used as a clicker press.....that would be an additional $80. Test drive it before you take it home! This machine is a real gem and I hate to let it go..............Cathy aka Viking Queen

Tri Flow Clear Grease is the one you want, as someone else already said. It does not harden or get stiff with age. Many bicycle shops carry it or can order it for you. Our local Ace Hardware store ordered it for me. I have used in on several vintage domestic Singers with great success. A small amount is all that is needed.

Thank you....I did some more research a few days ago and came to the same conclusion that you did....I need to use A LOT MORE steel wool in my "recipe". Have a new batch brewing now and will try it out in a couple of weeks. Thank you so much for your input and for sharing your experience. I appreciate your comments.

NVLeatherworks......thank you so much for your wise advice.

Thank you....I suspected it might be something like that. I do have the USMC black dye on hand. Have you experienced any issues with rub off of that dye after using it or does vigorous buffing and sealing it well take care of that issue? live and learn, I guess. Thanks again!

I am puzzled. 8 months ago I made a shoulder holster for a friend. I used vinegaroon to color the leather. I followed Chuck Burrows' instructions for making and using the vinegaroon. When I finished it the holster was a deep true black. I made the vinegaroon using degreased steel wool, 2 large pads to 1 gallon of vinegar. After about a month I strained it well. All the steel wool had dissolved by 2 weeks time. When I used it on the leather I dipped the leather, let it set a few minutes then neutralized in baking soda water then rinsed well in clear warer. I let it dry 24 hours and it came out a deep grey color after drying. I used a small amount of olive oil rubbed in and wiped off then 2 coats of Mop and Glo diluted 50/50 with water. I air dried the holster between finish coats. After that was dried well and edges were burnished, I buffed in a very light application of soft bees wax. The leather I used was Herman Oak. I saw the holster the other day and the whole rig is now a very very dark brown. At night or in not very bright light it looks black, but in bright daylight it is dark dark brown. It seems to have faded. It is not exposed to the sun when used or stored, and is rarely used. Does anyone have an idea what might have happened and how to prevent this in the future? My friend is keeping the holster as he likes it, regardless of the color, but I am not happy that the color has faded. This was my very first adventure into making and using vinegaroon and I am disappointed andI had hoped to use it for all my "black dye" projects. Does anyone have an idea what went wrong? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks, Viking Queen P.S. I tried to take a picture of the color change, but of course it shows up black in the pictures.

I have been sewing garments for decades....way longer than I care to admit Leather sewing is newer to me however some materials work for both types of sewing. I have taken apart several leather jackets in order to repurpose the leather. In doing so, I have discovered that iron on interfacing used in conventional sewing is also used in garments made of leather. It stabilizes the "fabric", in this case the fabric is leather, to firm it up as well as to prevent stretching. I have experimented with the iron on interfacing and it works well without adding bulk or a texture that might show through on thin leather. You just apply it with a dry iron, no steam, and follow the interfacing maker's instructions which come on a wrapper with the interfacing. I use a man's white cotton handkerchief between the interfacing and the Iron to act as a pressing cloth and protect the leather from excess heat. In lieu of a handkerchief you could cut a piece of fabric out of an old man's dress shirt to use for a pressing cloth....make sure that what you use is cotton and not a cotton poly blend. This type of interfacing comes in several varieties, some more stiff than others. You would choose based on your finished product and how flexible you need it to be. I have used this interfacing to provide extra body to purse straps which were made of fairly thin garment weight leather and the interfacing worked well without making the strap too bulky and uncomfortable. I hope this information is helpful for you. Happy sewing!

Issue resolved....much thanks to you all. I finally got in touch with David at leather machine company who very patiently walked me through recallibrating the tensioners again, then coached me on setting proper tension for upper thread and slightly changing bobbin tension. After I texted him a photo of the sample stitches he confirms that it's now properly adjusted. It sews like a dream again! Thank you all for your input and help....I learned much from this experience. Now I have some projects to sew! Viking Queen

Tinker, Thank you so much for suggesting changing the leather for my stitching sample ....I should have thought of that. The sample in the picture was on a soft old, fuzzy chunk of leather, not what I usually work on. I use 7-8 oz herman oak shoulders and it very different than the scrap in the photo. After reading your post I ran another test on 2 layers of Herman Oak 7-8 oz and came up with the same result as before. I re-checked everything and the only other change I made was to go down one needle size from a 25 to a 24 wih 277 thread top and bobbin. Voila! No more thread getting "sucked into" the leather on the bobbin side. I still need to adjust tension as I now have knots on the underside....a big improvement, but not right yet. I spent part of the day getting my neck and both my frozen rotator cuffs (shoulders) worked on at the chiropractor, sooo not fun, and am wiped out so will fiddle with tensions more tomorrow. I am geting much closer. Once again, I thank everyone who chimed in to offer suggestins. When you get so very frustrated it is easy to not see everything as clearly or logically as you should. Lesson learned. Blessings, VQ

I have tried a smaller needle...did not change anything Changed to different thread....still no change Increased bobbin tension, in 1/8 turn increments until I could not hardly pull bobbin thread....no change I switched tensions back to where they were. . . .sigh....very frustrated - lots of work sitting here waiting to be done. It seems like this should be a simple thing...I have only been sewing on domestic machines for 60+ years so I do have an above average idea of how tensions work. Just am missing something here. Will have to call Steve again Monday. Left a couple of messages this week. Thank you, gentlemen, for your suggestions.

Hello, I need some help with tension adjustments on my Cobra 4. I took some time off from stitching and now that I am getting back to work I find the machine tension elves have somehow messed up the tensions on my machine! The bottom ,bobbin, thread is being "sucked up" into the leather. I have backed off the top tensions, recalibrated that per Steve's instructions in another thread, but the problem remains the same regardless of stitch lengh, top tension or thickness of leather. I have fiddled with top tensions quite a lot, but find no resolution. Have been hesitant to adjust bobbin tension, too tight, too loose.....I just don't know. So, I come to the experts for advice. Here is an example of the stitches. Top row is top thread example....bottom row is bobbin thread. What say you, experts?

I bought a Cobra 4 and had no problems with a residential delivery. The truck was about the longest semi I could ever imagine and he fit it into a little residential cul-de-sac. There was a lift on the back of the truck and the machine and stand were bolted to a pallet along with some smaller boxes of parts. He unloaded the pallet, asked where I wanted it, rolled it with a pallet jack into the exact spot in my gaage where I needed it and did it all with a smile and cheerful attitude. How he turned the truck around is beyond me, but it was gone in a jiffy. The table just needed the wheels attached and later a friend arrived to help me place the head on the table. - the head weighs maybe 150 lbs. We rolled it out of the garage, up the sidewalk and into the house. In no time my machine was up and running. After such a painless delivery process I can not imagine a company offering you delivery with such poor "service". I am a female and would have had an impossible time geting the thing off the truck and into the garage by myself. It just wouldn't have happened. I do hope you have a better delivery experience than what you anticipate. Viking Queen

Texas Custom Dies will make you one ...any width and length you want. And it will be sharp, very very sharp. Mine was here in just over a week from the date I called. It was $80.....will last me a lifetime.

A turky baster (like a large eyedropper) works well. Some have actual measurements on them. You can use the baster in one hand and hold the bottle with the other. Go to dollar store to by them, they will be cheap there, and get one for each color you use. That way you can let them dry and reuse them for the same color next time. You don't need to do all kinds of cleanout if you use one for each color. Write the color on the baster up near the bulb with a sharpe marker. I get the cheap plastic food storage containers there too and use them for a dye basin. Again, mark the dish with a marker so you know what color you used it for. I like regular syringes from the feed store livestock section for some projects, however have found that some solvents/chemicals used in dyes, etc, will sometimes eat away the rubber end of the syringe stopper and render it useless, that's why I now use the turkey basters. Happy dying, hope this is helpful, Viking Queen

It is difficult to find yardage of thick felt. However, if you google saddle pad liner you will find inexpensive wool felt liners (make sure it is a liner, not the actual pad) which are quite thick. Buy one of those for less than $20 and you can cut it up for many many ankle holster pads. The wool felt will breathe and wick off moisture, unlike any synthetic felt which will hold moisture - not good. Best of luck with the ankle holster. Viking Queen

I have to add a few comments, OK, a LOT of comments, on this subject as well. A year and a half ago, I too agonized over the purchase of a Cobra 4 machine. Once I finally made the decision to contact Steve and place an order I felt fully confident that I had made the right choice in purchasing this wonderous machine from Steve. The transaction was smooth and flawless. Delivery was a marvel in itself, as I live in a very small cul-de-sac and I still am not quite sure how that very looong delivery truck in and out of our little street with such ease. The driver was personable, careful to a fault and most courteous. He deposited the palleted machine in precisely the spot where I needed it to go. Set up was a breeze, but the head of the machine is very HEAVY so for that part you need strong assistance. I have decades of experience in sewing on domestic machines so for me the learning curve of the machine was swift and smooth. I had only one issue/question following delivery and setup. Steve returned my call promptly and resolved my issue efficiently and promptly. I was up and running in no time at all and this Cobra 4 has been a great asset to my business. My entire career prior to retirement and venturing into letherworking, was in sales and customer service so I am extra "tuned in" to the level of service I recieve from various companies with which I have transactions. With out a doubt, my transaction to purchase the Cobra 4 was outstanding! I am confident that should I have any problems, questions or issues with my machine, Steve and his staff will be there to assist me in resolving whatever may go wrong. So far, in a year and a half I have had no issues with my Cobra 4. How can you top this kind of service? You can not! It is simply the BEST! Satisfied customer, Viking Queen

Tallbald, Best of luck with that new machine. I think you will enjoy it very ,much and it will make constructing your projects so very much easier than hand sewing. I know you from another forum and know with your previous sewing experience you will have little trouble adapting to your Cowboy machine. Last year I purchased a machine similar to the one you did, but from another vendor on this site. It has been amazing. Enjoy your machine as much as I do mine! Just don't sew your fingers together with this powerful new toy! Viking Queen

What you are looking for is called a martingale chain. The style of collar pictured in your post is a martingale collar. You can purchase the chains already configured with the three rings attached. Many suppliers are out there on the internet. Here is a link to what you need. http://www.pethardware.com/en/chains-and-chainlets/martingale-chain-1074/ I have not purchased anything from this source, but hopefully this information will lead you in the right direction for what you need. Best of luck, and show a finished collar to us when you get one completed. Viking Queen

Old time furriers who make garments from fur used single edge razor blades to carefully slice through the hide, flesh side, leaving the fur intact. I have done the same when remaking an old fur coat. Best of luck, go slowly and with great care. Viking Queen

Go to your local pet store, Walmart or Target store and buy a large bag of cat litter that is made of corn cobs. I know that both Target and Walmart carry this and it would be less expensive than at a pet store. Do not use clay type cat litter as it will create a gummy mess that you might never get off the bag. Take a cardboard box or plastic bin just large enough to contain the bag. Pour litter into the container about 2 inches deep, fill the entire bag with the litter, put the filled bag into the box and fill up the box to bury the bag completely. Leave it there a few days to have litter absorb the excess oil. Dig out bag pour out litter, stir up litter, refill the bag and bury it again. Do this every couple of days for about a week and you should have most of the excess oil out of the leather. Empty out the bag, vacuum out the bag and buff off any excess litter, if there is any. The used litter, since it is just corn cobs, can go into compost. Best of luck, Viking Queen

Welcome, Your work is stunning and quite unique. I hope you will share more in the future. Viking Queen

Beautiful work on the holster. Derringer is a cutie too. (I know, guns aren't supposed to be "cute" but this one is) I'm sure your Dad appreciates both very much. I'm so very sorry to hear about the shop loss. It's always a learning experience when one goes through a situation such as this. I hope you are able to rebuild quickly and get back to leatherworking. Now, I must go out and buy a FIRE EXTINGUISHER, for my shop! Never quite thought about one before this post. Yeesh! Take care, and once again, I'm sorry you're going through this. Sob away, it sure can help make you feel better. Blessings, Viking Queen

Sounds like you've gotten great advice here about the use of acetone on your leatherwork. Trust the forum members. I just wanted to comment on your use of the english language, since you mentioned it is not your "native" language. You've done a great job with your grammar, and punctuation. I'm so impressed! It must be daunting to jump on to a forum and post in your non-native language, but keep up the good postings! Good luck with the leather work too! Take care, Viking Queen:You_Rock_Emoticon:

If I were to line a custom made camera case I would use a fabric called Ultra Suede. It has the look and feel and drape of suede on both sides of the fabric. Can be cut to any size/shape and does not ravel on edges like regular fabric does. The only drawback is that it is quite expensive. Over $60 per yard, but for a custom leather case, it might be worth it. It's quite easy to work with and comes in many many colors. It is a bit difficult to find unless you are in a large city with specialty fabric stores. There is quite a lot of it listed on ebay so you might try there. They often sell pieces by specific size ie 18x18" square, etc., and it comes in many many colors. It is a quite luxurious fabric and I would not hesitate to line cases, jewlery boxes, etc with it. You would just use 3M spray adhesive to attach it to the case. This would be the fabric of choice for me, much softer than any felt out there in the marketplace. I have been sewing for over 55 years and have handled and sewn with most fabrics out there and Ultra Suede (this is the brand name) is one of the nicest and easiest luxury fabrics to work with. In the garment industry it is used to make high end "faux" suede ladies suits and jackets. It is washable so does not require special dry cleaning treatment, so if interior of case gets a bit dirty or gets a spot you could use a damp sponge to clean it. Hope this is helpful information. Post pictures of the case when it is finished, please. Take care, Viking Queen