Art

Very nice work. It is what it was supposed to be with some of the "character" left in, which in restoration is very important. You've really done well. Art

It seems to be 14" according to the sellers. Years ago it was 20". Mine is not where I can check it right away, however it has done everything I have wanted. Art

The first thing you should consider is that you really need both hands to control the leather, especially if you are strapping a side or back. The AK-20 from Cobra is 20" width, their splitter (not slitter) is 14" width. The Morpan is narrower so that lets it out and the Weaver is hand crank, though you could rig up a motor. For no other reason than I have one and it works, get the Cobra AK-20. Art

The more remote you are, the more opportunity for nefarious goings on. Small population equals small PD, with little time for keeping their finger on the pulse of the community. Beaumont TX is another example, lotta fraud going on there on a nationwide scale. Rural areas of southern Utah, you call 911, help is just 30 minutes (if you are lucky) away. Art

He is a good Christian man, and is obviously waiting for the second coming to take the picture down. At least he didn't put your name in his ads, so you won't be getting calls when he doesn't provide product. Art

CC, It is hard to tell the condition of the leather by pictures, but judging from where you started, I wouldn't think that this saddle has had the best of care. Power washing seems a little intense, but what came off was probably destined to come off anyway. The philosophy that if oil is good, more oil is better is just not right when it comes to leather, ESPECIALLY working leather. You oil when it NEEDS oil, and never back to back. I recommend assessing the need for the second coat of oil after a week or two. I use Pecard's or Montana Pitchblend paste. Cops are the worst at over oiling and Cowboy Action Shooters run a close second. I worry less about the cops now since most gear is going to plastic, and you just can't over-oil oil. That saddle is a production saddle circa 1975 or so, and while leather was better back then, it is a production saddle. It has been "rode hard and put away wet" more than just once so check the rigging, all the leather and attachment points. I don't think this is any kind of a collector model or anything like that; and please don't be influenced by prices on eBay, they are just there to separate some folks from their money. That being said, replacement of worn or weak parts is not going to hurt the value too much, and it might keep you from getting dumped on your head. If the saddle received as much care underneath as it got on top, I would check the tree and rigging thoroughly. Art

Was it Mike's on Backlick Road, or was it Artie's, Coastal Flats, Ozzie's, or Sweetwater, all in Fairfax? Art

What are you using to fill in the leather? I've never done that before, on a seat I will just recover it. How is the filler going to take the dye? Remember, dye it is Not paint. Not really a problem, if it doesn't work, just make a new cover (using the old seat cover as a pattern if necessary). With restoration, it is often a dilemma as to how far to go. Sometimes just getting the fuzzies off and a re-dye is enough, sometimes replacing panels is necessary. I have recovered a trashed seat, leaving the old cover in place for sentimental purposes. The major factor is getting the customer's expectations straight. Art Boy Howdy! Art

Even the acrylics don't last forever, however, when an acrylic finish starts to go, there is nothing you can do to repair it easily. Any of the "breathable" finishes will only require another coat to brighten them up. Art

Pecard's or Montana Pitchblend paste. You do't want to use things like waterproofing to often on the heels as over-conditioning will make the leather too soft and flexible. A little Mink Oil (the real stuff) mixed in might help also. Art

Try Bob Kovar at Toledo Industrial Sewing Machines, he has many ancient numbers, and knows them like no one else. Art

If you dye by totally submersing and rubbing the dye onto and into the leather with dyes that are heavily cut with DEA, then yes it is possible to produce high quality with an even color. When you start using dyes that are heavily cut, the process is much slower. If not dark enough, you can dye again until you get it just right. To get struck through leather from the tannery (I'm talking veg tan), you will have to buy a drum load at one time (10 to 20 sides). I will do this with black, as that is a real PIA in the first place, but other colors are easier to do as above. Tanneries like Wickett and Craig also have a finish line that can spray them pretty much any way you want, and provide whatever split you want. Art

Acrylics make nice shiny painted surfaces. However as a "top" finish, they seal-up the leather and don't allow it to "breathe". To that end, if water gets in, it stays in. Also as Bob says, it has a very "plastic" hand. Now artistically, it is your and your client's call. I used Bag-Kote for decades, later switching to Pecard's and Montana Pitchblend. You find something you like and you stick with it, in other words, keep your mind open, and buy small bottles of stuff 'till you find what you like. Art

That paid off!! Great work. Art

Yep, however, look at the premium package. If you buy one of those feet or plates later it could very well make up the difference. You get a lot of feet and the stirrup and holster (bag) plate table etc. etc; all will cost an arm and a leg if you buy them later. New needles can solve a bunch of sewing problems, and you get a bunch with the premium package. Overall, it is the best upgrade people wish they had purchased. Art

Tallow, has a lot of salts in it. I guess a lot of the salt is in there to at least deter it going rancid. Neatsfoot, the real stuff, will also go rancid unless some preservative is in there. If something is put on top of the oils to keep the oxygen away from them they should be ok. I have seen tallow dressed skins go white, which is decay. This can be rubbed out and fresh oil applied. I prefer Pecard's as a synthetic product (with some beeswax added), or Montana Pitchblend for an all natural (and naturally antimicrobial) product. Tallow is fine if proper engineering is accomplished to stabilize it; although the salts can damage the leather fibers over time. Art

Double 8 is 1/4 inch. When your partner or your buddy is backing you up and you're going where you probably shouldn't, I want his hand around quarter inch of leather, not my jacket . Art

I would say the best thing (that I didn't have when I started, when Pontius Pilate was a Corporal) was YouTube videos. Ian Atkinson and Nigel Armitage come to mind, but there are many others. If you just pick-up one little thing and try it, it may be worth it. In addition to that, just making stuff is the greatest benefit. Watch videos, make stuff; even if it is turning to scrap before your eyes, finish it. I'll still have my first sheath and my first knife; didn't have a clue what I was doing, the knife turned out well, the sheath, not so much (engineering was way off, execution was not that bad); no, you can't see it. First tooling project you could call impressionistic at best and modernistic at the more realistic end of the spectrum. If you don't try, you don't learn. Draw your own patterns, they will be way less complicated than those pattern packs, and they will actually fit the item too. Art

Joe, There are probably more holsters make with a Campbell, or a Union Lock than any other machines. They are primarily used by manufacturers as they have huge bobbins, and generally will sew anything. That being said, custom makers use the 441 clone machines or the Adler machines, probably more 441 clones than Adlers. As modified by a few of the distributors, the 441 are particularly setup for holsters. Cobra, Cowboy, Artisan, Techsew, and Highlead are the names that come to mind. They are set-up with special feet specifically designed for the task. Several of these machines are made in the same factory. Quality is definitely there but the dealer does quite a bit of work to get them right for leatherwork. The Highlead machines are more expensive, but the three that I have (one gets abused beyond belief) have been excellent for years with very few problems (generally operator induced). Get a machine with a 16" arm, the smaller arm machines are cheaper, but you can get more and larger stuff into the longer arm. Get the 25" if you can afford it, but the 16" will do just fine. Go with Bob Kovar at Toledo Industrial Sewing Machines if you are in Omaha, machines are great and he is closer if there are any troubles (there generally aren't any). If you are up for a road trip, pay them a visit and learn to sew on one. Art

Hi Joe, I don't make single belts for duty as the holster puts considerable twist on the belt. I usually double-up 6-8oz backs. i definitely don't make "economy" anything for duty or off duty use. I do make single cowboy belts for period use, but I use 10oz or more bull backs when I can get them. Leather today isn't what it was 20 years ago, lighter leather especially. Availability also not what it used to be. Art

Chelsea, Forget the 29-4, it is a shoe patcher that you buy when you need it. They are cantankerous and have what may be the smallest bobbins on the planet. The 5550 is a good machine for flat work, such as sewing (decorating) boot tops of 4-6 oz leather. The Highlead might be a good buy, if it is a needle feed (looks like it has a safety clutch) 618 type so much the better. Remember, that is the type of machine that comes with a safety clutch, speed reducer, and servo motor NEW for $1595 and you should assume an older one without all that stuff should sell for way less. An older one may have been used hard and not taken care of, so be careful. If you are in South California, take a trip over to Ontario and see Steve Tayrien at Leather Machine Company. Take some of your leather over and sew it off, push him for a deal and make him deliver it for free. Get what you want and need so the machine will last a long time. Paying a little more is ok if you only have to buy it once. Art

Ok, the first thing is to get the dirt and rust off, good scrubbing works, after it is good and clean, a deglazer may be used, a little judicious rubbing and plenty of deglazer can help some of this. After complete drying in low humidity, but keep out of the sun, you can use one coat of saddle oil, or Montana Pitchblend oil (MP without the Beeswax). It has to dry after this for a couple of days till the oil goes all the way into the leather. Pecard's also works here, one coat only and let it dry and absorb for two days in DRY place. The oiling will help it take the dye more evenly. Now do whatever repairs you think necessary, make sure you don't' do anything that won't take dye. I would completely re-dye by immersion in a 50/50 Dye/Denatured Ethyl Alcohol (wal-mart by the gallon) mix with Fiebings Royal Blue Oil Dye. After that, let the saddle dry. When dry (day or so) Dye it again using the mix of Fiebing's Black Oil Dye and Denatured Ethyl Alcohol. Fiebing's Dyes are pretty good, the more you put on, the darker they get. The alcohol helps the leather take-up the dye better but also dilutes the dye, which can be quite strong. When immersion dyeing, you can pull it out at any time, and if it isn't dark enough, you can put it back in. I generally rub the surface with a sponge wrapped in an old t-shirt to circulate fresh dye to the leather. Wear Gloves, the thicker ones from Harbor Freight are good. Each time after dyeing, when the leather is dry, go after it with a clean rag and a shoe brush (like used for buffing shoes) and get ALL of the residual dye off, it can be a problem later and it wouldn't even hurt to do it twice. Then buff it again. After all that alcohol (in the dye, not that glass of Wild Turkey you've been sippin' on) another coat of Pecard's is in order, and after it dries for a day, buff it up. This won't fix where the grain might have been ripped or scuffed, but it will all be sort of the same color and should look much better than it did originally. This is what I do, and is my own method, your results may vary. Art

Hi Jill, If you make or repair leather bags of medium weight (heavy weight mould be messenger or "lawyer" bags made of veg tan where you need to use large thread in construction), a post machine is not a necessity, but pretty darned near so. A cylinder arm is ok if you plan the construction of the bag around the machines limitations an do decorative sewing while the bag is deconstructed (or not yet constructed would be a better term). Some construction jobs on shoes or boots just can't be easily done without a post bed, but any bespoke shoemaker can sew everything by hand if required. Answer to need? Yes, of course you need one. Post machines typically can use 92 thread and down, they have smaller hooks and 138 is really pushing it. The good thing here is that sizes 69 and down have a lot more colors available. If size 46 thread can hold shoes together, it can hold most things together, so size is just not that important. As far as posts go (and there are a lot of configurations). I've never used one with a horizontal hook shaft (that means the bobbin stands-up vertically, confusing as hell, but just know you want the bobbin and hook to lay flat and the bobbin to "drop-in" and this is usually called a vertical shaft bobbin), so get the vertical shaft. You want a single bobbin to the right of the needle, this gives you a drop-off to the left of the needle, here again, you can get the bobbin to the left, but to the right works and the parts are easier to find. A 7" or so inch post height will be sufficient, more is not necessarily better as the cost skyrockets the higher you go. For feeding, there is the standard undriven roller foot and a lower wheel (driven) or feed dogs. A good example of this machine is the Cowboy CB-810 from Bob Kovar at Toledo Sewing Machines. These machines have a roller top foot that allows you to sew very close to the edge. There is a reverse lever on this machine. Then there is the triple feed or the version I have. If you don't buy this one, you will hate not spending the few extra bucks. This machine is a dual roller foot machine where both wheels are driven AND the needle feeds also. This is more complicated and more expensive, but for leather, it just works better. If you run the edge off the rollers, this machine still feeds with the needle 'till you get back on course. This machine is a copy of the Pfaff that was and still is used in industry, the Chinese didn't try to re-engineer it on the cheap, it is all ball and needle bearings and with care will run forever. This machine DOES NOT have a reverse lever, typical German design, always advance never retreat. Honestly, sewing machines got away without reverse for decades, I don't miss it on mine. A good example of this machine is the Cowboy CB-8110 from Bob Kovar at Toledo Sewing Machines. I've had confidence to take-on a few handbag repair jobs and knew I wouldn't have to spend hours either deconstructing a bag or hand sewing in an unfavorable spot to get it done. All around, I like this machine and recommend it highly. A note; when sewing leather, short stitch lengths are not so good for construction, for decorating, a smaller needle and thin thread can and do work. If you go too short with a larger thread and thick needle, your sewing machine will sometimes cut the leather or make a very weak seam. Art

Back in the day, when a 1 1/2 hp motor weighed about as much as Silver and half of Trigger, they used a clutch designed after the one on the 1929 La Salle to connect motor to sewing machine wheels and allow smooth operation. Nice thing was, they lasted forever because you could service them. Today, they put all of that in the 30 lb disposable motor. Art

Get the dirt and rust off with a good soap, murphy's oil soap or the like. Let dry and then rub in Pecard's and let soak in for a day or two in a dry area, use a second coat if necessary and only if necessary. Let dry again for a couple of days. Buff up and see what you get. I've had Pecard's paste and/or Montana Pitchblend paste bring back zombie hides. Art