Aven

When you go to buy again, ask for a sample or at least ask how firm, supple it is and what it is normally used for.

Do you remember what you ordered or the description? Having a chat with your supply house could minimize your surprises.

No worries Scott. We are all feeling the supply chain pinch. When I lived in the Pacific North West, I had two supply houses within driving distance. Now that I'm living close to the middle of nowhere, I will have to rely on samples to make my choice. If you can't get to a supply house, see if you can get a decent size sample of the leather you are interested in using. And think about calling the supply house and having a chat with them about what you want to use the leather for and listen to their recommendations and their reason's why they suggest it. Followed up with a sample of course. This will also allow you to get to know the supply house.

Straight up veg-tanned, probably. Here's a description from Waterhouse leather. "A vegetable chrome re-tan offers both the strength of vegetable tanned and the “hand” of a chrome tanned leather. "

Sorry, no hill climbing. My hip won't let me. Chrome tanned then stuffed with oils and whatnot. It has a soft hand. I agree, they appear thicker than 8 oz.

Placing the patterns willy-nilly does not always afford you a usable product in the end. To me its a false economy beyond being practice. 8 oz bison is the thickest I've worked with for making shoe uppers. I have used sole leather and latigo for soles, but nothing like 12 oz chrome for uppers. Here's what Arrow has to say about their leather. "Our moccasins are made of extra heavy, quality, Swiss hides that are tanned in England, the same country that produces the best of bridle leathers. A special tanning process is used by a small, family owned tannery, that no one in the world has been able to duplicate. The fibers of the leather are tightly joined in the process, yet are pliable enough to allow the leather to mold to your feet and breathe." It looks like they are rather tight lipped about their leather. I couldn't find any indication of the thickness they use.

I have used 8oz bison. It has a very soft hand. Even at 8 oz the shoes still stretched a bit, but it was anticipated and the pattern was cut accordingly. The whole hide is not consistent in stretch. In general the leather near the spine will stretch less than the belly. They grow larger around then they do along their back once they reach maturity. Pattern placement on the leather is very important. For example, a pattern of a single piece top placed so the length of it were perpendicular to the spine will stretch more in length than in width. And if it were placed parallel to the spine at the same location on the leather, the opposite would be true. You need to stretch the leather by hand to understand how it will stretch and then decide how you are going to place the pattern. Some times stretch is good, but you need to be in control of it. Purchasing small portions of the hide can be disadvantageous, in that you have no idea where it was located on the hide and it doesn't always allow you room to place the pattern as you might need with the way the leather stretches.

Water based glues are sensitive. You can't let them freeze, which is why if I can't pick them up from a brick and mortar, I only order online during late spring to very early fall.

The shop turned out great. I can't wait for the move to be over so I can start building mine. Yup, I'm moving again. Mind if I ask the square footage?

Scott, your application method impacts the bonding. Its better to do two thin layers of glue than to do one thick layer. Apply a thin even layer and allow it to get tacky. Then apply another thin layer and allow to get tacky. And like RockyAussie said, a hammer works a treat. I've done three pairs of shoes that way.

Thanks Uwe. I appreciate your insight and time as always. I had to slow the video down to 25% to see everything you were talking about after the point he lowers the foot to hold it in place. It's an interesting piece of machinery and I agree, I don't see them making it available for others. I have used a jerk needle to sew soles on to a few pairs of shoes. This machine would be a blessing. My brother is a machinist. Next time I'm back east, I think we're going to chat about this machine.

I was surfing youtube watching shoe making videos. And this one has a stitching machine that I have never seen before. Its at 4:52. If anyone has any information, I'd love to hear what you know. Thanks

With issues like this, I have had success using Shoe Goo. It was developed for minor shoe repairs like those. https://gluereview.com/shoe-goo-adhesive-review-and-guide/

I have yet to find a manual. If you manage to find a copy, please share.

What are things dogs love to chew? Sorry couldn't resist. That is a gift that I am sure she will cherish forever. I know I would.

I love mine. It's just the right size. Just checked eBay. There is one for sale in Portland OR Search "New Professional Heritage Harnessmaker's 12lb anvil"

Thanks for the close up. Did it come off of something or was it something you put together?

I like it Tim. What is the base the motor is mounted to? What's holding it at that angle? Thanks.

I have a dust collection system. I have a jet bag system for the big tools. I use a Dust Deputy with the shopvac for the smaller tools. It works, just not well enough to keep the shop dust free.

I do woodworking and leather work. I went separate spaces for the reasons you listed. I just don't have a dust collection system that will scrub the air.

What he said.

The April 2021 issue of Shoptalk has a boot lasting photo tutorial by Deseree Olsen of Burns Boot. There are seventy seven photographs covering the process from attaching the insole to the last. It stops short of welting. No, it doesn't cover the entire process of making a boot, but it does shares a wealth of information. If you are interested in making boots/shoes and you don't Shoptalk, it might be worth ordering this issue.

Nicely done. That should serve you very well. I would have been proud to carry that in the field.

Welcome Klara. We all start where we start and there is no shame in that because you are beginning a journey. The collar is perfectly functional, so for that alone, it's a success. The fact that Rita likes it is a bonus. You have figured out how to make it with the tools you had on hand. The next step is learning how to make it match the image in your head. Leather working, like most other things, is a mastery of a bunch of little things that allows you to create what you envision. Like learning how to sharpen your tools, learning the best way for you to hold/control a tool or learning the order of steps for a project. You've made a fine start. I hope you decide to continue.

Thank you so much for that Dwight. It made me laugh after such a day. I needed the smile. That's the best description I have every heard, describing that phenomenon.