Art

Friday and Saturday, October 5-6. Art

Paints used today for ceramic or china painting (fire to 360F or let air dry) are acrylics. In the past, they used enamels but today it is acrylic that is the desired medium. Underglazes are used on greenware, and are fired at cone O4 or even hotter. These are ceramic in nature and there is a chemistry involved depending on the body etc. Glazes and underglazes generally develop their color when fired. I don't think they would ever be used on leather. Art

I can't say I remember problems with any of my orders. I prefer US tanned leather when I can get it, and the only large veg tanners left are HO and W&C. Art

Hi Ed, What I was describing as flakes is these tiny specs of maul head material that would appear on the piece I was tooling. Since I am using your mauls now, I haven't encountered it. Art

Jake -- that works, but the rawhide will start to flake pretty soon, the flakes are a real pain as you have to watch not to pound them into the leather. Deadblow hammer -1 when "walking a beveler, it just don't work for me. If you like a mallet, a poly works IF it doesn't start flaking. Rawhide Maul -- love them till the flaking starts, then dress them on a belt grinder. Wood maul -- hickory handle and ironwood or live oak head, again, dress on the belt grinder when it gets too banged up, which will be a long time. Brass hammer -- great, they are a bit heavy but they give a unique "made by Thor" impression. I guess you could walk a small one but mine are all too big for that. When the head gets buggered up or little bits start coming off, just dress it down with a belt grinder and an old belt (one you won't use again for anything but brass); never use a file or anything you want to use again unless you have a set just for brass. A Bearman maul will last you on the corner of forever so the price is not so dear. I've seen Bob Beard rear back and wallop the crud out of a big stamp on barely wet leather and it doesn't leave a mark on the maul, and there are no flakes. Art

+1 Art

Without going into a whole mechanical/electrical/philosophical thing, the brushless motors seem to have a lot more spunk in the lower rev range. Art

I have many Tandy groovers I have acquired over the years. The old ones ('90s vintage) were manufactured quite accurately and consisted primarily of an Allen wrench type cutter with a hole in it that went through a shaft attached to a handle. I have them set up for different widths to make two and three line edge decorations. There is now a new style that has a cutting tip in the end of the handle shaft and a edge guide. The new Tandy stuff has really abysmal manufacturing and tooling. The holes they drill to make the cutting edge are not placed correctly, and they seem to be placed randomly. I have noticed that the same tool from GoodsJapan is made correctly and is heads above the Tandy unit. My opinion. That being said, the only thing I use the old Tandy tools for is decoration. For any other grooving, I use the Douglas Versa Groover from Sheridan Leather Outfitters, and for free hand grooving I have three (different sizes) excellent freehand groovers (they work great with a ruler or guide too) from Ron's Tools. Art

I have one similar to the 222. When I order clicker dies, I specify 1 1/4 inch. I use the handwheel on top occasionally to make minor adjustments. Usually just turn it on and use it. As far as power assist on the swing arm, we all need more exercise, not less. I assume there is a need for more automation, but for leatherwork, I just don't need it. Art

You might want to give Bob a call, or better yet catch him at Wichita Falls and/or Nashville next month (October). Then you can wait about a year or so. If you don't mind a used one (they never wear out) you might try and convince someone here to give one up, but the tariff would be high, they usually go over $200 when one comes up on eBay. I've only seen one on eBay in the last 4 years. Art

Hi Cheryl, The pig I have worked with was usually meant to be liner material and was chrome tanned. The veg tanned I have seen has been pretty thick like 6-8oz and you could mold that. Judging by the soft texture, I would expect yours to be chrome tanned and you wouldn't be able to mold that very well. Art

Take either a leather hammer or a fitters hammer and polish the ends (fitters hammer) or the head (hammer) and use that to run along the stitch line. If you can't finish it, take it to a gunsmith and have him do it for you. Otherwise, I like the screwdriver round stock fix, but polish it up too. Art

This topic has wandered all over the place. We will close it now and recommend a new topic here. Art Moderator

Then it was Tandy, a different company than the current TLF. Tandy did not make the video either. Art

Remember that John's video was made around 1995. At that time and before, Tandy was selling some of the best calf around. I have no idea where it came from, but it was exceptional. It was not terribly expensive. Those days are gone. Art

A lot of it is used in the boot and shoe trade as a vamp and also a liner leather. This is usually 4oz or so. Luke should have some at Sheridan Leather. The Italian stuff is made of Unicorn Hide I think and way too expensive for bullet loops (although they would be nice bullet loops). Make sure you ask for veg tanned if you are going to dye it, otherwise chrome tan comes in a gazillion colors. Looks like John was using veg tan in the video, but any veg tanned tooling leather in 4oz will work. Make sure it is flexible enough to handle being bent to the bullet diameter without cracking. Art

I have a Cobra NP-10 which is the top and bottom feed. It will do thick veg tan without problems. Thinnest I have tried is 3-4oz which worked well. It will do any chrome tan all day. They are all a little tricky to adjust. Skiving a bunch of scrap will give you an indication of how it works. You can find some YouTube videos by Campbell Bosworth that explain a lot. Art

Hi Doug, The Swann-Morton retractable #3 handle sells for $9.50 shipped from England on eBay. It will fit #10 and #11 blades and is very like a carpenter's pencil to hold. It is also retractable so there are no suprises if you forget where you layed it. You do have to remember to close it though. Art

Top is a Swann Morton retractable handle (available in #3 only) with a #10 blade Next a retractable with a #15 blade Next a retractable with a #11 blade Next a standard #3 surgical handle with a #11 blade Next a standard #4 surgical handle with a #22 blade Next a standard #4 surgical handle with a #24 blade Next a #4 craft handle with a #24 blade Next a dime and a #3 craft handle Next a #4 Craft handle Next a #3 Surgical Handle Next a #4 Surgical Handle Next a #8 Post Mortum Handle and a PM60 blade Next a PM 40 handle and a PM 40 blade Art

It never ceases to amaze my wife how I can use all those words and several others (of course with certain adverbial derivations) in one coherent sentence. Art

How About Lisa Sorrell? Art

Doug, There is a No. 3 handle that fits the 10 or 11 blade (others too). The #11 blade is commonly used for filigree work and general cutting. No.4 handle that fits the 24 or 26 blades and is a bit larger. The above come in the standard stainless that can be autoclaved and also some crafter types that are bigger and have plastic handles. Most of these handles and blades go pretty cheap on eBay, a lot of it is Chinese, and the quality is good. There are also Swann Morton handles and blades (English) that are higher in quality and more expensive. I'll get some pics tonight and post them. Art

Other options: The traditional short clicker knife, Weaver 3" Leather Cutting Trim Knife# 65-2975. They make a wooden handled one # 65-2976 that is further down the page, I prefer the blue handled one. Weaver also carries an Art Knife #65-2866 that is further still down the page. Instead of the art knife, I use surgical scalpels in Numbers 10, 11, 24, 26, all the way up to PM 40 and 60. They are easy to use, come well packaged, are cheap, and will take your finger right down to the bone or further if you aren't careful. Art

When a moderator (me) shuts a thread down, it is because the posts, for whatever reason are turning nasty. Verbal abuse means something directed personally at another member. I caught the posts and made them non viewable and closed the thread. If this sniping continues, I will moderate both parties, which means simply, that a moderator will have to review your post before it is approved for general consumption. I don't do this to shut down the group hug. I do it before someone gets banned for saying something way out of line. Believe me, the mods (and most members) weren't born yesterday, and we read all posts, so when someone brags that they have driven business to a particular vendor, we usually just shrug it off, but remember that the guys at the top of the page pay dearly to keep this site up. The mods don't get paid, and the owner/admin doesn't get paid. The only ones making any money off this site are the web host and the software provider. Please give us a break, we are not out to get you. Art Moderator

This topic has been closed by the moderator. Art Moderator