cudofcow

I've been having problems with this also when making belts. I was using a 50/50 acrylic resolene which seemed to make the leather very brittle. I'm trying some experimenting with neatsfoot oil to see if that helps make the leather a little more bendable.

I'm making a hand full of belts for friends and after doing all the necessary punching, stamping, and trimming, I then dye the piece with fiebings oil dye. Then gum trag the edges and chip brush on a 50/50 coat of fiebings resolene. I'm noticing that before the resolene my belts are very soft and leathery but after the resolene, they get incredibly stiff. When i bend them even a little, they get this rippled effect which doesnt really look that nice. What am I doing wrong here? Should i use neatsfoot or something?

I know this is super old topic but i am making a strop for a friend and found replacement webbing at this store. http://www.straightrazordesigns.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=36&products_id=809 maybe this helps someone?

Dwight, i just want to say thanks for taking the time out of your day to answer my questions and that i really appreciate your insight and experiences. I'll have to hit up the local Tandy leather for some resoline, and lucky for me, there is a Harbor Freight nearly across the street from me. I'm going to try this method of dying this weekend.

How do you go about dip dying? lol, i'm such a noob. I have a ton of dyes, but i usually just brush them on with a dauber. I've dyed leather black with vinegaroon, its stinky but effective.

When you say bristle brush, you mean one of these jobbies?

I'm wondering how i should be dying and finishing a simple everyday belt. I notice that just about any dye i'm using tends to rub off onto my jeans, especially when I sweat, or if the belt gets wet. How can i avoid that? I've been making my own belts for years now and some for friends. Nothing fancy, I've started using just regular belt blanks and putting on my own snaps, bevel the edges and punch the end, add a loop, put some holes on it and its ready for dying. I've got Feibings Leather Dyes, and Eco-flo dyes. I usually dye, gum trag the edges, tan kote, or resoline, or i've even used acrylic floor polish. It doesnt seem to matter what i use, they all have seeped into my clothes in one way or another. Am i doing it wrong?

I'm wondering if anyone out there has a pattern for the game of thrones ring seen in the beginning opening credits. I'd love to make a 1 3/4" belt that matched that pattern.

Is there a better v-gouge to use that i might consider purchasing?

I'm using a tandy leather factory V-Gouge and the blade keeps wobbling when i use it so i am having trouble getting an even cut, it is a deep cut at first, then at the end of the cut its very shallow. I took it apart and noticed that the gap between the blade and the screw is really wide so it wobbles around. http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/en-usd/search/searchresults/8082-00.aspx Anyone else have this issue? Know how to fix it? I was thinking about using a rubber washer, but figured i'd ask because maybe i'm just doing it wrong...

I keep reading about using special stamp tools for Sheridan carving, i'm wondering what the differences are between standard and sheridan style stamping tools. Are these Craftools? Or somethign totally different? If they are like numbered craftools can someone provide a few numbers for ones better suited for Sheridan style carving vs Standard (porter? western?) style.

Yes, i meant leather to leather.

So...what kind of adhesive works best? A video on youtube said to get Evo-Stik Timebond, but i dont think they sell that stuff in the states...at least i cant find it at any of the hardware stores around here... What is a leather adhesive i can use? I found a can of that timebond stuff on ebay but its like 20 bucks... that seems like a lot.

I'm wondering if anyone has tried to use 3D printing to create custom stamps? I was browsing Shapeways.com and noticed that you can use your own CAD designs to create stainless steel 3D printed objects. Could make for some really amazing designs. People on that site have used 3D printing to create replacement parts for home appliances, I wonder if the steel is any good for leatherworking purposes. Just thoughts...

I joined the SCA about a year ago and slowly have lost my interest, however i've retained my interest in leatherworking. I have made a whole bunch of crude leather belts with the leather i have and my limited supply of tools, however i'd really like to get into more detailed leather tooling. I purchased the No.42 Belts Galore by Andy Stohlman book and its got a ton of really great ideas but i'm not so sure what types of stamps should i get to start. Should i troll ebay and look for a kit? buy a bunch of tools i may or may not use? I'm not sure where to start.

I just made a batch of this stuff and tried it out! Vinegaroon is MAGICAL STUFF!!! So cool to watch the leather change colors! I do have a couple of questions though. What is the average shelf life of this mixture? Does it seperate over time? Can it be kept in a glass container for extended periods of time? Also, a solution of bicarbonate was mentioned....what is that? What would this be necessary for?

I recently got a giant hide of 13-14oz leather that i will be using to make SCA armor. With that said, i'm trying to make straps to attach buckles to but the leather is very thick. I have the straps cut (used a strap cutter) So, How do i go about shaving the leather down closest to the end where i will attach the buckles? Is there a tool that will help accomplish this? I've tried using a razor blade but this started to really hurt my fingers. Then i tried a wood lathe. That was not the easiest thing to use but i did end up taking a big chunk out of the table i was on... I tried to hammer the leather and that diddnt seem to do a thing. I wish i had a belt sander, that would probably do it but i cant really justify buying one just to make straps. So how do i shave the leather down to a more workable thickness?