Art

My 18s also work fine with thinner thread. One is now setup for fabric and has v-46 in it. A lot more colors are available in that thread size. It also sews well with V-69 , 92, and 138, although that was before I turned it to fabric (timed for 135x17 round point or ball point), It has one of the brush motors on it so you just turn a knob to set speed. Wife has the machines with all the buttons and stitches but still uses the 18, and the Singer 222k. Only problem is no cylinder arm on the 18. Art

Remember Vinyl ain't leather. For vinyl use 303 Protectant. Art

I have no problems with you buying a class 18 from them, but please realize that a cobra 3 or 4 or any 441 machine is not designed to run V-92 and lower thread. If you want the truth, have the guys at SLC to set up a cobra 3 or 4 with V-69 thread and then you should have enough material set-up to make a wallet, right there. You will more than likely get a bunch of excuses. Usually when you want someone to sew on thin material on a 441 at a show, they use V-346 or V-277 thread (old sales trick). The 441 is designed to handle big thread, it isn't that size for nothing. Your best bet is a 227R, from Bob or whoever. If that is what I wanted, I'd order it and have it delivered. If your second choice is a class 18 and you don't want the arm, get the class 18. Buying a 441 for sewing thread that is really too small is going to be a headache. If you do a lot of work that is medium range, get a medium range machine. Class 18, 227R, take your pick. Just to throw something extra into the mix, SLC should have the Class 20 which while still a flatbed, will sew thicker material with bigger thread (like maybe V-207) as well as the low range of threads. I'd rather see you get a flatbed that sews in your range than a cylinder arm that doesn't. Art

The thread I use in my Landis 12s is in the 500s somewhere and is very close to 1 mm. Believe me, it is rope compared to the V-346 I run in my 441. I've seen Cyclones run that stuff all day long, but I don't even have a desire to put it in my 441s. Art

I do not have, nor have I sewn on a Techsew. Ron just never comes to shows down here, so I haven't got my hands on one. I have not heard a lot of complaints about them either. The cobra machines are ok, like I said, I have two 18s. The were made by Highlead (some are not), Highlead makes very good machines, overall, I am pleased with them. Cowboy has corrected any problems they had years ago and are also a very good machine. If I needed another machine in this class, I would buy a Cowboy CB227R just because of the versatility, and for an extra $85, I sure would get the table. Art

These machines are all veritable sons, grandsons, etc of the Singer 111 or 153. They can all be adjusted to sew fabric or leather down to piecing a quilt. They will not sew 2oz to 18oz without a little adjustment, mainly to the tensions, top and sometimes bottom. I leave one machine set-up for fabric, with the 135-17 needle and the other one is set-up for leather with a 135-16 tri. I treat them a little hard as they are easy to fix if something minor breaks, usually just a needle. I usually (had to say usually) put the limit at v-138 thread and 20 oz max thickness. The whole lineup is pretty good, stick with the brand names mentioned here. Art

I'm with JLS on the Cowboy 227R. I think the cylinder arm would be a lot more useful than the flat bed. You can also see if the dealer can hook-up a flat bed attachment for you, but you will find that the convenience of the cylinder arm trumps a lot of things you may initially like about the flatbed. Now, if I was doing apparel all day I might go with the flatbed, but would cuss like a sailor when I had to put a sleeve in a jacket. I have two cobra 18s, two long arms. a post and roller flatbed and myriad other machines from Landis 12s to a Singer Model 20. The cobra 18s work fine till they don't, then it is just starting from scratch to fix them. The oil tank in the 18 is an illusion, that machine must be oiled, even the hook (which is the whole idea of the oiler). Good machine, no complaints. Learn to service it yourself. In the sewing machine world, unless you have a hundred machines and hire a tech full time, don't depend on anyone, learn the DIY route. Art

I've found that the ejection port is variable with the gun. On a .45 ACP not a problem. On a Glock, I have had times that the molding on the ejection port has worked, shall we say, overly well. So while still wet, I reach into the holster and push the molded piece back out, or at least ease it a little. As far as looks go, I don't like molding the holster to the gun except maybe a little. As far as retention goes, sometimes, on off duty stuff, it is necessary. Glocks in particular have all these places that you can really mold into, and while they come out of a wet holster ok, they can really get stuck in a dry one. Also, with any of them with the flat (i mean really flat) top, or of course a high front sight, a channel is really important for the front sight; a fair amount of relief (like the old breakfront) is another way to cure a lot of retention problems. There are many ways to skin a cat (but they are too thin for holster material). Art

If you get to Arkansas, Nicks is great, Excellent BBQ, great catfish. Nick's Bar-B-Q & Catfish Address: 1012 Bobby L Glover Hwy, Carlisle, AR 72024 Phone:(870) 552-3887 http://www.nicksbq.com Art

If you are in Richmond Va, try this place. Best Brisket anywhere but Texas (and not many there to match it). Bring your own sauce, but you really don't need it (I mean that). Their sauces are mediocre at best. Buz and Ned's Real Barbeque Phone: (804) 346 4227 8205 W Broad St Richmond Henrico VA 23294-4124 Art

Good advice from all. Get an Barry King awl haft at Lekoza, nice medium handle, much easier to push. Size zero or 2 JJ needles for 1mm thread. If you have to use pliers, get a smaller needle or bigger awl. Once you use oil on a natural stone, keep using it. If you have diamond stones or new natural stones you can use a 50/50 mix of water and Simple Green, we use it for everything but the Tormek and the Makita, just plain water on those. Water Stones, use water only. Art

Not quickly enough me thinks uh huh. Art

They will work with you if it has to be through Pony Express. Tell them when you are available if you want them to call or whatever. Communication only stops if one party wants it to. Art

Call ANY of these leather sellers and talk to them. Tell them you have no idea what you are talking about and tell them what you want to do. Tell them one of the mods on leatherworker.net sent you. Please try and use our advertisers, as we have a relationship with them and they won't sell you crap, or something you don't need. If one of our advertisers sends you something shoddy, let me know and I will take care of it for you. Since you are in Arizona, Springfield Leather and Sheridan Outfitters are the closest to you. Call them. Kevin at Springfield and Vandy at Sheridan. Art

Everyone who works in a shop, or hell, a kitchen for that matter, needs a first aid course, and maybe an advanced one. When the SHTF, well we should have avoided that situation, so assume we did, and when the Manure Hits the Windmill (a more serious situation) make sure the patient is alive and breathing, if not, the hell with bleeding and get him/her breathing and heart going. Call 911 whenever you can. Get them safe (you have to temper this with the first part, if they are on fire, move them or put it out first). Stop the bleeding, put pressure on the wound and continue the pressure, you will be surprised how much this will work. If you can't get something to apply pressure against, just try, and if it doesn't stop, go for the tourniquet, belt, BP Cuff, rope and stick, if you have to, just go McGyver on it. Treat for shock as they're probably going to be in it by now. If you encounter an open fracture (where bone is sticking out or might have come out and went back in) don't mess with it, if it is bleeding profusely go with a tourniquet away from the fracture. Remember, after you call 911, the fire department is only 10-15 minutes away unless you live in a major metro area. Sometimes you just have to transport them yourself. What's this got to do with a cut in a leather shop? Whenever I see someone reverse cutting with a head knife (they say they can follow the line better) all the above kind of runs through my mind again. That being said, and continuing, learn (from a Dr. or Vet) how to use Superglue and how to suture. There are veterinary school videos that are pretty good, there are some videos on youtube that are NOT (but there are some that are good). At one time I collected head knives and used them for almost anything. I've CHANGED (my hope and change things work). I now use Utility knives (fixed blade and box cutter), Clicker knives, and Scalpels. By far scalpels the most. They are sharp, and if you cut yourself, you will bleed. They cut anything, but 2-4oz leather the best of any cutter. One of the problems I had with scalpels was going on the road with them. Even if you make a sheath for them, the blades fall out or come loose from the handles etc. So I found these: These have bigger blades than the No. 3 handles but the 22s will handle small work and the 60s and 70s handle big jobs..If you have to cut through an 11oz hide, the 115 will do it well, and can handle most any meat they serve at Outback. This is a pic of my ultimate portable leather shop. Art

Oak means oak tanned, using tannins derived from oak trees and a longer pit process. I only know three tanners that do pit tanned oak, two in England and one in Germany. There have got to be more, but I haven't found them. Most US Vegetable Tanners (pit) use Quebracho from South America, Mimosa from South Africa, or a combination if they make their own liquors, which I know one does. Most true Oak Tanned leathers are used in bespoke and other shoe industry and cost three or four times the prices Leather Unlimited charges. Call and ask them, find out the tanner. But for that price, you could just give them a try, and let us know the quality. Art

Yours is great too, I just have my favorites! And Just where is catsass, haven't seen him around lately. Art

I don't have any experience with them; it is the first time hearing of them today. Art

The videos are available from Tony. He also has one for the No.9. Art

Cool, but I still like CatsAss.

The air world is all over the place, at least they haven't went metric. Art

Isn't that a violation of the Mann act? Oh that's right, she's more than 18 years old. Art

This goes back a way with leatherworker.net. There was never any idea of a class structure on leatherworker.net. To this day, money is tight at LW. The technology used to host and maintain this site is pretty heavy. More people = more blades = more storage = more backups = $$$$$. The advertisers help, but when LW was just getting going, infrastructure costs were heavy (not as bad as now), but there were zip advertisers. Thank ghod some folks wrote checks, with no benefit asked for or given. It was decided to acknowledge these folks with the tag Contributing Member, that's all they got, that's all they will ever get. The fact that you are a member here (Contributing or otherwise) just means that you are in the most important membership class. Contributing is a method of "paying forward", but Members pay forward in other ways that we see every day by helping someone along or a lot of gifts we don't see. Members pay for this site every time they post, every time they buy from an advertiser, and even though they don't realize it, every time they log in. No member should be concerned that they can't for any reason send a donation to Leatherworker.net (any donations will however, not be returned). Just take our humble THANKS for being here. Art

The compressor end is 1/4 The Badger uses a 1/4 on the airbrush The Iwata uses a 1/8 on the airbrush Just about everyone else is going to 1/8 When I had badgers, I, in a peak of pissed-offedness, put quick disconnects on everything including all the airbrushes, and hoses. Never regretted doing that. The cheap and medium priced fittings work just as good as the expensive ones. I might have got some of mine from Amazon or TCPGlobal, probably both. Nowadays there is a good selection on eBay, buy from Hong Kong or the guy in England, not sure what they are selling from China as the real Veda stuff is made in Hong Kong. eBay:veda airbrushes. You can buy hoses with 1/4 and 1/8 female fittings if you don't like the quick disconnects. When spraying spirit based (this includes Fiebing's Oil Based) dyes, the alcohol will deteriorate (turn to glop) any rubber seals, so use an airbrush with teflon seals. The new stuff is pretty much using neoprene o-rings and Teflon seals, but the old airbrushes used rubber. Art

Ok, So, I say Ray Hackbarth made that stamp, and I know I am wrong but I just want to be an SOB (nothing new). The op uses my info to sell his tools. Is it my fault or his? It is his obviously, but the wrong info goes out about the tool and somebody pays a Hackbarth price for a Midas tool, and it will probably be a leatherworker.net member. See where this becomes dangerous? It is not technically wrong what he is doing, I just want everyone to know what he is doing, and where the pitfalls are. Art