Art

The round/head knife will be your template. Cut out your leather 1/4 -> 3/8 inch more than the cutting edge, and even with the back (unsharpened) edge, but don't follow the handle, just go straight across. That is for the top. For the bottom do the same as the top, but add some tabs to either side of the blunt back edge to fold over the top and keep the blade in the sheath. Measure and put the snaps in. Glue together and stitch where the sharp edge is, you can put a welt in if you are worried about cutting stitches. Also decoration would be nice, a basketweave or a floral. I've seen every size from about 2 inches to 8 inches, so an exact pattern isn't available. The configuration is different among knives, some are circular (hence round knife) and some are oval (head knife), then some follow their own drummer. Art

I have two 441 machines (big Highlead machines) only because they are setup radically different. One for sewing regular veg tan stuff and the other for fabric like Kevlar and Nomex. In a pinch (and about 20 minutes) I could set either up to backup the other. I have 3 hook and awl machines, 2 Landis 12s (current set up for different colors) and a Campbell set up for linen thread. The learning curve on the hook and awl machines is steeper, especially if you do your own maintenance. I don't know if I would go the extra 4 or 5 grand to get another Campbell, one is enough. I might get a Campbell Cyclone if one came my way, it's like dangling a feather in front of a cat. If you are close to Yokum, get some up close time with a Campbell, you might get hooked (and awled). Art

Well, that is a big depends. Depends on what project you want to do, and if you want to cycle through the cheap tools before you end up buying the good stuff. Depends again on how committed you are. First off, you need to get a knife, a three stone set for sharpening in either natural stone or diamond. When you get the knife and some leather, you can build a strop. Get some green rough for the strop. There is a Tandy up in Baltimore and one in Richmond, and there is the Internet. Springfield Leather and Sheridan Outfitters are both good Internet merchants and also brick and mortar establishments. The top "dog" at Springfield is Kevin who can help you out with everything. Vandy can help you at Sheridan, she knows her stuff, and Luke knows leather. Bruce Johnson knows old tools, which are some of the best tools. The thing about going to Bruce or Vandy for used tools is if you tell them it is for using not collecting, it should come to you sharp; all you have to do is keep it that way. So, let us know what you want to make and we can get you started. Art

Last time I picked up a round knife by Weaver, it was a Danny Marlin, maybe they've changed. I have two models of the CSO knives, dull as hell out of the box, but after sharpening, not bad knives. If you can't or won't get the knack of sharpening with a tri-hone, don't get an expensive knife to ruin. Add a good strop and some green rouge and you should be in business. Art

You are pulling the thread off the spool by unrolling it. The thread needs to exit the top of the spool going up to the thread guide above the spool and down to the thread guide that sticks up on the top of the machine then down to the guides that go to the tensioner. Also, back off your top tension. Art

Ron, Glue down anything you can lift up. Those just look like battle scars, and putting a patch in with the steel toe is way beyond where you might want to go. Art

Then definitely get the Chuck Burrows DVDs. http://www.wrtcleather.com/tr-books/books-1.shtml Order Here. Art

Hi Ron, I guess a pic would help. If it is just a scuff, buff off the uglies with some 300-400 grit sandpaper (lightly, only the edges of the scuff), put a good coat of Pecard's all over, let dry overnight or longer till the Pecard's is soaked in completely, then polish, buff, etc. If it is a big ole nasty gash all the way down to the steel toe, you will have to get a curved awl (like for bottoming insoles), wet the leather some, punch some holes, and tie in a football stitch pulling the two pieces together. Real shoe repair guys are hard to find on this board, and I ain't one, but that is what I would do. Art

Montana Pitchblend paste, Pecard's paste, Aussie, also a paste. Tan Kote is glossier than Bag Kote. Leather Balm with Atom wax better than shoe polish, in my opinion, I even put over Pecard's, MP, or Aussie sometimes (after Pecard's, MP, or Aussie soaks in completely). Art

Not bad for a "Mountain Man" or SCA reenactment. You need to find a Tandy, even if it is a day trip, and get some tools and advice. Knife, edger, thread or sinew, stitch marker, awl or even a drill for holes, slicker, some type of basic finish like Tan Kote, some glue or cement, and harness needles. Hanging around a Tandy for a day and asking questions wouldn't hurt. You need to build a pattern out of paper or a manila file for the knife in question. You can always modify the pattern and even chuck it and start over. I would highly recommend the DVD Knife Sheaths by Chuck Burrows, his work and teaching are excellent. Art

OTB Page two of the catalog. These are brass rivets with black coating made in Belgium. Good quality product, I use these all the time. Let about 1/4 of the rivet protrude above the leather, if the cap sets lopsided, the rivet is too long, too short and they don't hold well. The rivet/cap should compress the leather just a little. Use a concave anvil and setter or they will dimple. Art

You want bridle leather to be substantial. Are you saying you can hardly bend a 10 inch strip of bridle leather? I have never used their shoulder, but their backs and butts are exceptional. They should make fantastic belts. But honestly, if you can see some of W&C backs that they do for famous makers, Louis Vuitton comes to mind, you wouldn't be too fussy about Sedgwick. If color is a problem, talk to them at W&C and see what they can provide, I would put their finishing dept up against anyone. Art

Thread your machine up exactly as when you are having trouble. Take a very high resolution picture front on, same type of picture of the hook. Specify: Needle size and system Thread type and size both top and bobbin Material being sewn What material you were sewing before (when it worked), type of needle and thread etc. Art

The bell skiver you used was bottom feed, probably with a stone wheel. You could get a metal drive wheel, or find someone who has a top and bottom feed bell skiver. You can also rig the bottom or top feed skiver to run the bell knife continuously and drive the feed wheel separately (either with a clutch or a separate motor). This would give you easier feeding because of constant speed on the knife. There are two types of manual skiving. One is paring where you cut or pare the leather from the part you want thicker to the part you want thinner, this just takes a little practice on scraps. My teacher gave me a bag of scraps and told me to get to it. While I was sorting the veg from the chrome, she came over and mixed it all up again and made two piles, one of which she plopped into a bucket of water. "You have to be able to skive everything, dry or wet". She also taught me to do a cut skive in which you cut the skive line from right to left (or the other way for you southpaws). This is way easier for me if the leather is wet, but I can do it dry. The trick here is to sandwich the leather between two pieces of glass, the bottom one out from the desired edge and the top one back from the top cut. Get a half round knife for this or you will end up with bloody knuckles. Usually I use a #24 blade in a #4 or #6 handle (#6 scalpel handles have big plastic coated grips). Really though, it all comes down to sharpening and honing and stropping; you just can't do this stuff with a dull knife. Art

Master Quick Drying AP (White Can) works well. Use Master All Purpose Thinner to thin it down if the evaporation has made it too thick. They also make Petronio AP in the Yellow can that sets up slower, they both use the same thinner. Petronio #8 is their rubber cement that also works well. It has it's own thinner. Thinner is a wonderful thing, use it to achieve and maintain the consistency you want. It your glue gets a little thin, you can always apply two coats (dry between) to get the amount of glue you want. I am pretty sure our advertisers (Springfield and Sheridan) carry some of the Petronio products, and as long as you are only shipping a gallon of the stuff, it goes ORM-D which doesn't carry the hefty hazmat charge. Shoe findings companies also carry it, like Southern and Panhandle. Art

http://www.maverickleathercompany.com/ Art

The only company that I know of that is making Shank Lasting Pincers (Bulldogs) is USM. On the used tool market look for Christiansen and Barnsley, which normally go for north of $150 from good tool dealers. I also have found french makes (Bourdon I think) that have a drop lip which also work very well. If you get the USMs, put a wooden handle on them as that plastic is so, so, incorrect (doesn't feel right if you use your leg to last). Art

Since the terms Latigo and Sole Leather don't really go together, I'm at a loss to help you. However, if you want shoe leather (oak tanned) two companies come to mind. I don't know what you call reasonable prices, as oak tanned is always expensive, and the best. J R Leather J and FJ Baker Leather I like the Baker leather the best, even if somewhat harder to obtain. Art

Hi David, A little advice from an ex-oldiron aficionado. That stuff is heavy, and the older you get, the heavier it gets. Soon you have dollars invested in heavy equipment to move the heavy equipment, and machines to make parts for all of it. On 97s, parts are not getting easier to find, and knowledge and experience in foundry work and sand casting (or a nearby foundry and plenty of cash) get to be of significant importance. When you start buying machines "just for parts" you know it is time to get to know a therapist better. If you can't resist, learn to weld-up sturdy steel pallets and get a pallet jack; the lathe and mill need to be flat and level though. Nonetheless, I still have several battleships, but for the last few years my ventures into "old iron" have been Singer 221s, 222s, and the occasional 301a, 201s, and the like. Art

Al, Is that by law that you can't drink beer? We had a guy that went ballistic crazy after one beer, he could drink anything else but beer caused a reign of major havoc. Brings back memories. Art

Be sure to get the 153w101 or 153w103, but don't get the 102. Be careful as these are or were production machines and will usually have a LOT of miles on them. Pfaff 335 or Consew 227 are reasonable alternatives. Campbell Bosworth is also down your way in Yokum, and even if they don't have what you might want, their advice is always helpful. Art

Max is right about those Chinese manuals written in Chinglish. It is a good idea when buying Chinese machines to buy one that is a good clone of something common, by a known maker. For the 441 clones, it is not hard to find a Juki manual that is written in pretty good English. For Pfaff clones, the German manuals are pretty good in about three languages, including English. Singer clones have manuals up the wazoo, and so forth and so forth. Following the above practice also provides parts availability, both OEM and aftermarket. Art

The idea of you calling me a liar is the biggest joke I have heard. I am happy to hear that Artisan is doing well, but I only repeated comments made to me by SEVERAL of your former suppliers. Add to this the fact that we haven't seen any Artisan ads in the majors for some time, nor have we seen Artisan at any shows for a while. I did say that you were pursuing other interests as I was told by others that you had informed them. I am happy to find that the Company you started in 1968 (when you were 14 or 15) is still doing fine. I would be happy to pull a Lexis-Nexis search of You and Artisan next week to obtain hard copy of some of the other things I have been told. Why pray tell, is Dave now working for Steve (saw him in the Cobra booth at the Boot and Saddlemakers Roundup, hmmmmmmm no Artisan at the show)? As far as what companies I support, and to what extent; that is none of your nor anyone's business. Yes, I did purchase several machines from Artisan. I was told by you Jerry, that all the parts were made in the USA. You did not tell me the truth. You even printed these untruths in your advertisements, I still have them and so does everyone else who collects the LC&SJ and Shop Talk. Those two Highlead (Chinese, sure as hell not American) machines I purchased from Artisan are working very well to this day, despite misrepresentation, if I need parts or anything, I get them from Steve. Art

Hard to tell from the picture. Glue is an option instead of sewing. The easiest way is to use the turnshoe type of structure where you sew them inside out then when finished "turn" the shoe rightside out for a nice looking seam. There is also a method where you sew the outsole to the insole right up through the inside of the shoe, this could, of course, be done on the side of the shoe in the same manner. You could use either a chain stitch or a lock stitch to accomplish this. I have a chain stitch machine that was once used for exactly that. Everyone worries about the chain stitch coming apart, but with the right wax those things are in there to stay. Best talk to one of the true moc makers on here for the answer. Let them eat their bird first. Art

Then again, spinner could have just popped down to Melanie machine and picked up a 153W103 in good condition. Art