Art

Once you get your head locked into their design mentality it starts to make sense. It seemed a bit faster (well quite a bit really) and the ability to go backwards and forwards and have it hold your place was well worth the redesign right there. Art

Hi Mike, I've always have the stone, belt or wheel moving into the edge when grinding and away when honing or stropping. Just the way I learned to do it and for me it is a control thing, my neighbors when I was a kid cut wood for a living and sharpened axes with the stone moving away from the edge. The burr will be removed with the buffing wheel (you can buff both sides). Unless you have a big flat (really machinist flat) stone to work with, leave the flat (underside) of the blade alone. Art

Hi Karl, Tandy and possibly Ferdco. I have the videos on VHS, I think they come on DVD now. They were done back in '95 or so and I still watch them and end-up writing something down. I don't pay much attention to the design parts anymore as I think everyone goes their own way with that, but John is truly a master in design and construction. Well worth the 50 or 60 bucks the DVDs cost, they can be found a little cheaper, but not much. Art

Hi Ian, It doesn't take long for sacks of potatoes to turn into a truckload. I don't pretend to know the folks at Hide House. Never ordered from them. This economy has got consumer confidence in the tank, and in that instance, s__t definitely rolls UP HILL. Sometimes you have to trim the payroll to stay alive and if the owners or bosses don't pick up the slack, then you get poor customer service. Generally, customers don't stand for poor customer service (your case in point). In the cyclical economy, the best time to start or restart a business is at the low point of the business cycle. Inventory prices from suppliers are low; there may be an abundance of labor at bargain prices; and any number of other advantages for the startup. So now is the logical time for employees or family members who have been thinking about it and have some cash to leave established businesses and start their own, this is another drain (usually of the better or more motivated talent) on established businesses. Now the established owners are working 16 hours a day, 7 days a week, going to McDonalds for breakfast, and not having lunch. You can see where this is going. I guess what I am saying is to cut the supplier some slack, but establish minimum levels of service you will accept, and reinforce those levels every time you order. I always call in my orders and do the reinforcement thing, you can't do that with a computer, and buying leather over the web is nutz. While unpacking an order recently, I found on the packing list under the calf I had ordered there was a computer written note "Customer will only accept #1 skins". So I had definitely made an impression on the gal taking the order, and the hides were primo. Lastly, don't expect to get the cleanest, most beautiful, US produced hides at sale prices, seldom happens. If the seller is offering something at really good prices, then they bought it for really great prices, and nobody buys really great leather cheap. If you are getting a great price, inquire about how much of the hide is usable and what size clear pieces you can get out of it. If you talk with your suppliers personally, they will know what you expect. Art

I was thinking that this design could apply more moment or torque to you than you might be able to apply to in. As big as it is, it will be hard to turn, and forget it for intricate work. Art

My wife uses Gingher scissors for her sewing (and she has everything they make as they have been a convenient birthday or stocking stuffer gift for years). When she saw the Gingher name at Tandy back in the '90s, she said to buy them, the price was decent and I couldn't go wrong. However, it is probably me, I just can't go at a piece of leather with scissors and come out with a good (or accurate) cut, yet the wife can. Of course she scares the hell out of me when she uses one of my knives; after much training (read frantic yelling and screaming) she is better with guns. I really learned (or re-learned) to use a head knife from Verlane Desgrange, and she never pulled any punches if she saw you doing something wrong. I appreciated that method and follow it myself. Put a finger in front of a blade that is cutting and I will remark about it. Proffer that as a teaching tool and I really will remark about it. Off hands should be as far away from the cutting edge as the hand holding the knife in the opposite direction of the cut. For a video of a leatherworker using the head knife correctly, Lenny McGill made a video of John Bianchi designing and making a holster and cartridge belt, it also covers a small piece about sharpening which is very good. Please note that John Bianchi is the consummate salesman, and obviously there were sponsors involved and he pushed their products but quite often used his own. You can purchase the video here. Art

Hi Tony, I'm not sure that stone was much better than my garage floor, and from the video, the result didn't appear to be as sharp as I like it either. Some of the demonstration cutting got fingers in front of blade. He took the time to make the videos though. Art

Oui, Maybe you should make a very loose fitting holster (kinda defeats the purpose) as when she tries to get the piece out she doesn't want a holster hanging on. I sew them into the bottom of the purse but the way that women load up a purse, you might get away with a large flap that goes in the bottom and a little up the other side so that all the crap in the purse will hold it in, although I have barged them to the bottom (you might have to cut the lining). That covered, you need to get a 2" j-frame blue gun as a model, hell, if it isn't made to fit the gun or something similar then she would be better off going down to the local gun shop and getting something that works. There is a whole etiquette to packing in a purse, a whole lot of competence by the gun and holster (purse) maker, and a whole lot of practice by the user. Art

Hi ____?, I have never found shears to be easy for anything but gross cutting, although I have an electric round (well octagonal) knife from skill that is way better and faster for that. I have many head knives, some would say a collection, and I use them a lot, however a utility knife that is sharp and stropped also works. For really fine work, a surgical scalpel with #11 blade is a dandy little thing. A clicker knife is also very helpful in tight places doing heavy work a scalpel shouldn't be doing, keep it sharp. For outside curves, a head knife is my choice, but a utility knife will do. For inside curves, there is nothing that will do them better than the proper size round punch. I have them in sizes from less than 1/8" to well over 3", they cut a constant curve you can't match with a knife, keep them sharp. The most important thing with knives is the ability to keep them sharp, more so than which knife you use. I know one leatherworker who uses mostly an old Case pocket knife which is wickedly sharp, and he seems to have been using it for at least 20 years that I know of. Before you buy a new knife, be confident in your ability to sharpen, hone, and strop anything. Different knives do different things better, there is not one "best" overall knife, however there may be an overall best knife for you, of all of your knives, it is the one you grab most often. Art

Hmmmm, I have Black dyed leather from WWII that's still going strong, nothing has failed (except the folks who made it's attempt to take over the world) although it does show 3 or so years of duty wear. Ask in another 60 years. Art

Hi Tony, That is a term Hermann Oak uses for flesh side treatment often called a Gummed Back by Wickett and Craig. Similar to applying Gum Trag to a buffed or leveled flesh side and slicking it down. The ones I get look like they are buffed (sanded) so you get a smooth even flesh side with even a little gloss. Thinking about it, they might only be band split or leveled, not necessarily buffed, but they are not just slicking down a rough or stringy flesh side. Art

You might also want to try Smucker's or Weaver. The Amish use the dickens out of those for harness. Phone: 1-717-445-5956 for Mose Smucker while they are still in business. Art

Hi JoAnn, If you are doing "period" work, then linings were not typical, for holsters or belts. For modern day stuff, I do about 60/40 lined/unlined. I use about 6oz/6oz for a lined rig and about 11oz harness, bridle, saddle skirting, or strap leather depending on what I have and the look I want. For lining, you can use anything including same as front. I use horse butt on coal burner rigs that are lined. I pretty much get everything moss backed or gum it myself for unlined. I think the lined rigs look nicer, but that is about the only advantage other than some extra stiffness and you have the option of putting some spring steel in to keep the mouth open. If it is for presentation, line it. I line almost all of my belts...almost. Art

Hi Scott, I do mostly CAS (Cowboy Action Shooting) gunbelts so mostly wheelguns: Ruger Vaquero and New Vaquero (different guns) Colt SAA and a lot of it's clones Ruger Old Army also Remington 1858 for the coal burners Occasionally a Schofield, usually Italian which are a little different (larger) then the originals I don't do a lot of autos, but a few for CC: Colt 1911 in every flavor under the sun (it's like Baskin Robbins) Beretta 92s (only in this area) "Modern" CC wheelguns: S&W 36, 49 small J-Frame and Taurus variants and clones S&W 649, 60 large J-Frame and Taurus clones Colt Detective Special Really, what you do is dependent on what you WANT to do, and what can generate enough volume to keep you busy. If I had to make a living at it, I wouldn't do CAS gunleather as everyone who could cut and sew got into it and flooded a market which has been shrinking dramatically over the past few years anyway. Duty leather is pretty much taken-up by the factories, so CC work is where the market may be, maybe. Art

Hi Ed, If I am using my usual dye, which is a red/brown mix, I use a Red roller tip pen which is completely covered by the dye. For anything else, I just use a divider or scratch awl to mark. Art

That is a nice little machine for anything 1/4" more or less. Get the manual from the singer parts site and if it is anything more than a w100, disable the undertrimmer gizmo. It also has a feed wheel instead of feed dogs that run in conjunction with a belt driven presser wheel which may or may not have the belt in place to drive the wheel. These feed better with the belt on, but you do see them without. If you are running with the belt, there is a differential drive (top and bottom wheels can run at different speeds) which can cause feeding mishaps if not adjusted properly, having them run at the same speed is a great place to start. You'll find the post to be a handy thing. Art

Well, it is a high speed drop feed flatbed machine. It will do light leathers and about any fabric. Most of them I have seen will do about 10 inches in 3 seconds, 5000 spm is not an uncommon setup for one. A Pfaff 545 is what you really want or a 535 or a 1245. Art

Hi DJ, I've used the newer model of that machine with #92 poly thread and it would sew for at least 100 feet or more before running out of bobbin. Sewing only 6 feet means you aren't getting more than 12 feet on the bobbin. That just ain't right. Any chance you have the wrong bobbin and case in there? You're not sewing with 1/8 inch nylon rope are you? I sew #46 and/or #69 and occasionally #92 on my Pfaff 142 and I get plenty of thread on my bobbins and it is from the same era as yours. I don't think any manufacturer would stand for changing bobbins every 6 feet or even 50 feet, it would drive everyone nuts. Art

Well, it has been banned, but only for small amounts in retail sales in CA. They are probably worried about disposal of those products by non-professionals; like dumping it down the drain or onto the ground. You should still be able to get 16oz and larger sizes, even at retail in CA. I can understand some retailers and even wholesalers who might not want to be bothered with it at all. I've tried the Eco based products and did not find them to my liking, but it wasn't as if I HAD to start using them, so I didn't. Art

To the pan 3m #90 or #77 if you can't get 90. Foam to foam, I use #74. Art

Just for grins, clean out the bobbin case and race and reset the safety clutch. Push down the safety clutch button on the bed and crank it through one time after you have cleaned out the bobbin. There may be some drag in there that is causing the clutch to slip, this throws the timing way out of wack till you reset it. Art

Hi Ed, Parts that sew are basically the same, hook might be higher quality, other stuff is beefed up, casting is heavier and different, bobbin winder is on top of head not front. I have one set up to sew blankets and run it at the max, it scares children, and small animals. Art

Hi Ed, According to Jerry, he dreamed the 3000 up on one of those long trips to China. He says he took 7.5 inches out of the center of the 4000R and lost the shaft driven bobbin winder. The story is a lot longer than that, but that's it. The 4000P is a whole different animal. Art

Hi Heather, If you are going to do a lot of harnesswork, then a jump foot needle feed machine would be best. That would be a 900 Bull from Ferdinand at about $2400 used, or an ASE No.9 at from $1200 to about $2200, a Classic for about $5500 new, or a needle and awl machine at various prices either new used or rebuilt. All are great machines. For a more down to earth machine, the Artisan 3000 has been giving folks good service and doing whatever they ask for about 5 years and if there were any problems, we would have heard about it by now. A couple of companies make something similar to the 3000, but the price is just not that much different. Art

In my experience, you need to go to Tandy and pick out your leather. Call ahead to see if they have anything to suit you. Otherwise you can get what you need from Siegel of California and others, but you must tell them what you want and what you will use it for. Wickett and Craig provide leather with a softer character and here again I would talk to someone. I have purchased from all of the above. I never order leather over the web. Art