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Art

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Everything posted by Art

  1. Hi L'Bum, For hand tools I use Ballistol, it won't let em rust and it won't hurt the leather. For machine tools (with ground surfaces like saws or grinders I use Johnson's Wax comes in a yellow can at hardware store, works great. I just oil the sewing machines with machine oil, petroleum based mineral oil or hydraulic fluid. Art
  2. Hi Leatheroo, There is a movie "Red Dawn" (circa 1984), watch it, your questions will be answered. We need an Army (Air Force, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard) to protect our country from outside, if they come here WE the People will take care of that. You just have to understand Yanks. Art
  3. Hi Jim, Before you dye, you edge. You use a tool called an "edger" to round over the leather as it transitions from the face (or back) of the piece to the edge. Sand or smooth before you edge, do not burnish, then edge, then dye. You must edge to get the grain of the leather back from the edge as it will bugger up if right on the edge. After dyeing the edge will be well shaped but a little fuzzy, it will also be dyed. At this point you get out the water and burnish the wet edge with the slicker, antler tine, wheel, piece of canvas, or whatever. This burnishing will give you the edge you desire, the longer you work at it, the slicker and shinier it will get, add more water if needed. Now you can finish the edge with any number of topcoats including edge paint which is usually a water based acrylic which is fairly waterproof when dry. Some folks use the edge paint on unburnished edges and then buff in beeswax on a hard felt (wool only, no synthetics they will melt) or another hard type wheel like leather (put a groove in them and run the waxed leather in the waxed groove in the wheel). This will give you the commercial painted edge you often see (however it isn't period to anything but the late 20th century). Sometimes you need to paint the edge with two coats. Everyone does this differently, this is not the only way, just mine. Art
  4. This should be old news by now, but Anne Newkold who worked for them and did a lot of this stuff has taken a position with Artisan. I think Hidecrafter may be a little light on staff right now. Hidecrafter has some problems and it might take a little time to shake them out. Art
  5. Darling, You stay in your country and live with your gun laws and we promise to stay in our country and live with ours. Art
  6. Hi Dr. H., It is fairly easy to get a good edge. 1. Even edge (if multiple layers) with head knife, Scalpel, or belt grinder, try not to burn the edge with the grinder or at least burn evenly (try that some time). 2. Edge the piece, I use Ron Edmonds edgers but others will work. 3. Dye the piece, and yes, do dye the edge. I use Fiebing's pro dyes (spirit dyes) diluted somewhat (about 33% with denatured ethyl alcohol). I immerse, sort of, or if I don't have enough to immerse, I rub and splash all over with a sponge wrapped in a tee shirt, best dauber I ever used, but glove up. For black I use drum dyed from Hermann Oak, but whatever it is make sure it is struck all the way through. 4. After the dye has dried (overnight in the furnace room, sometimes longer, but for you in Vegas probably just overnight) I rub the piece down vigorously with a clean tee shirt to get the excess dye off. 5. Now I take water and wet the edge with my finger, not soaked just wet. I do a small section, 6" or so, at a time, and then rub the edge with an elk antler tip. I also use cocobolo tools and or a hard felt or leather wheel (run slow <= 1750 for 3 or 4 inch wheel). I use beeswax when I use the wheels as they can get the edge hot enough to take the wax, but for the most part I gravitate to the antler tips. You can work up a remarkably slick and shiny edge with just the smooth antler. 6. I finish the whole piece with Fiebing's Bag Kote, Tan Kote, Pecard's, and or Gum Tragacanth depending on what I am trying to accomplish. 7. I will be trying a new edge system by Ron Edmonds and will let you know how that works, probably about the same as water. The simple stuff usually works best. Art
  7. That's when they had 239 stores, now they have 70 or so. If Ron and Shannon don't get their costs under control in Fort Worth, we may end up with even less. The balance sheet looks good but the P&L for recent quarters sucks. Art
  8. Hi Steve, For Box edges they make the French Box Attachment which is a needle plate/foot system that holds the edge at a 45 degree angle for sewing on the machine. It looks like this: The only sewing I do like this is toe plugs on holsters and I do that by hand, I don't think I could pull it tight enough to pucker the leather, but then it is heavy leather at that point. I guess you have to tread lighter with lighter stuff. Art
  9. Hi Ed, 40 TPI Art
  10. Hi Elton, Try backing off the bobbin tension a little. Whenever you can't get enough top to pull up the bobbin, the bobbin is too tight. Of course check for sharp/straight needle and make sure you are threaded correctly. Art
  11. Art

    thread

    Ed, Why not just wind up a weeks worth of bobbins at a time or just buy two spools of thread? Art
  12. Art

    thread

    Hi Ed, SFS - shoe factory supply - Dan Bussey - small orders of thread, any size in all colors. Coats Thread. They also carry a large supply of shoe findings. 1-800-256-3892 Art
  13. Hi Ed, That is really a function of make not clone model. Most all of them use Metric cap screws but use English set screws. If you go to a "real" hardware store, they will have a screw gauge for both metric and English. You can also lookup the parts list for the Artisan 4000R on the Artisan site as that is pretty much a 441 clone and usually lists the screw sizes. Art
  14. Hi Nixon, The 6/6 is a Chinese machine, I think. It is a clone attempt of the Classic which is an American version of the No.9 which is a US clone of the Pearson #6. Of all the above I would rather have a #6 or a No.9 stitcher (I have the No.9). The Pearson #6 with the treadle stand is really the holy grail of this type of machine, you'll never find one under $5,000. These are absolutely the greatest harness machines ever made and my No.9 is used exclusively for that. I have had offers of two 6/6 machines for my No.9 and I was obviously under impressed with them as I still have the No.9. The machines that are probably best in your price range are the Artisan 3000 and the Artisan 618-SC. although the Artisan 1797 is also an option for the price conscious. These are Chinese machines but that is not a bad thing anymore. Artisan machines are about 3/4 made in China and then finished in California. I can attest to their reliability and so can many other famous names in the leatherworking field. There is also FERDCO who also import machines (China) and both the machines and the people behind them are excellent. There are also some importers who are having machines made as cheaply as possible and these you should stay away from. Generally, you get what you pay for in an industrial sewing machine. For the person new to sewing machines I always recommend a new standard threaded needle machine, the industrial version of the home machine, just bigger with separate big motors. Art
  15. Hi Ed, Just back from Fort Worth. At 800 spm it will take some time to wear out the shuttle you have. I would do that before ordering a Japanese one, but when you do get a titanium one if you can, although this is again not really necessary at slow speeds. Quality parts usually last longer, but I feel it is questionable to replace before you get any wear. Now they do make machines that stitch at 12,000 (yes you heard me right) spm and for those the hooks need to be made of unobtanium to get good wear characteristics. I talked to Jerry and Steve of Artisan at the show; their number is (888) 838-1408. Concerning Leatherworker.net, if you are having trouble with ANY machine and you can't find the help you need here, you can call Steve and he will help you over the phone, no charge, no obligation. Between Steve and Jerry, they have over 60 years experience with many types of machines and they are willing to help. Art
  16. Hi Kevin, 1/4 inch foot will work fine, if you can't get that a 3/16 or 5/16 will work too. If you're going to be doing corners, see if you can get a cut back foot (it is relieved on the back corner of the foot so you can make a sharp corner with it), if not it may be grinding time. The first, most useful, and most dangerous power tool in the shop is the grinder. See how the back is relieved: Art
  17. Hi Kevin, Buy it by finished size, like you would buy it on the roll. Art
  18. Hi Kevin, Your DNU-1541 uses the same feet as a Singer 111, Artisan 618, Consew 206, Yada, Yada. Did you want to make cord, install zippers or what? For zippers you can use just a left or right foot. For making or installing welts, you will need a welting foot set, they come in a bunch of sizes up to 1/2 inch or so. They work for making cording and installing in upholstery. The feet are usually available from most trim shop suppliers for the 111, Pfaff feet are a little harder to find. This guy has an eBay store and is pretty reputable: http://search.stores.ebay.com/CuTexSewing-Store
  19. As I remember they sold for around $18,000 for that bag, 35 Birkin Croc. With the current exchange rate, probably $27,000 new now. You can get that bag under $10k if you keep your eyes open, really know what you are buying, and bide your time. If you want it right now, then you'll pay what you'll pay. But honestly, they are very nice quality and well made bags. I really like the Kelly a bit more though, but I'm an old fart. Art
  20. Hi Romey, From many years of government contract experience, I can tell you that it is most always possible to put a "simple button" on something, quite often at little or no cost. However, when you want that button to DO something, all bets are off. Art
  21. Hi Ed, I have oil on my pedals too. You can over oil a regular machine without any other problems than a messy drip here and there. However older design machines like the Campbell and others have some places you want to be very careful oiling. The Campbell clan are very secretive about things like this and if I told you, I would have to kill you. Actually, it has to do with the way they got the jump foot to work in those mechanical monsters, there are just parts that can't have any oil because they depend on friction to work. Most modern sewing machines can be slathered with oil at least where it won't drip on the work. Try not to get a sea of oil on the shuttle race, although it won't hurt it but it sure can collect dust and thread bits. Art
  22. Hi Jordan, LZ 586 is a great machine for sail work. I would pass on that one for holsters. That machine is really made to sew 92 thread all day long and I am pretty sure you can get 138 to run in it; 207 might work if you play with it a lot. For holsters, the biggest problem is the flat bed, it is just difficult getting close to things on holsters and bags. A cylinder arm would serve you better and a singer 153W102 or 153W103 might come in around $350 or so. Art
  23. Hi Tim, You went in the wrong direction. Tightening the top tension will result in pulling the bobbin thread up further into the leather. Think of the tension as positioning the point where the threads lock in the leather. Leather too thin or top tension too tight and the bobbin thread lays on top with the top stitch which effectively runs along the top of the leather. Too little top tension and the lock will be on the bottom and the bobbin thread will run in a straight line across the bottom of the leather. The happy point is for the lock to be IN the leather preferably in the middle. Now if you tweak the top tension to get the lock in the middle and the stitches are loose, you have to increase the bobbin tension then readjust the top tension and see if the stitches tighten-up. Try to send questions to the Leather Sewing Machines forum so everyone can benefit and more folks can help, I'm here a lot but not always. Needle should be sharp and straight and the correct size for the thread. Art
  24. I have them in a bunch of different sizes (diameters) most of them are elk sheds. Any smooth bone will do, but the tines are good for getting into belt slots on sheaths and holsters. Woods like cocobolo, paduk, and other oily woods work well also. Art
  25. Hi Luke, I'm not the expert on Pfaff, like Adlers, they have a zillion different numbers depending on what options are installed. The 345 would be a great machine if in good shape, a lot like the Singer 153 except with reverse I think. If it has been used commercially it might have a fast motor on it that you might want to change. As always, try before you buy. Art
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