Art

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

Hi Jim, I think Artisan is done, I heard they are pursuing other interests. The 618 that is good is made by Highlead, but they now only distributed through Freedlander, I think. The other option is the TaKing 1245 which is a clone of the Pfaff 1245. The one I have seen is nice and will do a little more than the 618. Call Steve, with a little push he might handle them. The 206 machines (Consew clones) are also good, they are made all over God's creation so it depends on where you get it, again Steve can help you there. Art

Bob Beard is the best, with a year wait time. Bob's blades are the best for me. His beader and hair blades are excellent. Henley knives are also very very good, and available. Barry King makes a very good knife at a reasonable price. Art

B is correct, although I have never tried A. On a thicker blade knife, Bruce's way is better as it leaves more metal behind the edge. Seems that everyone likes the 1/16 inch thick blades these days, with those, I don't think you can get a good convex (I call it a teardrop) edge on it, but it won't hurt to try. I use a different method for slack belt, I cut an inch out of the platen and use the area between the top roller and the platen to get the teardrop shape. Art

6x48 belt grinder with the table laid down flat. From the end that isn't connected to the base and the belt running away. Hold the handle (or tang with vicegrips) approaching the belt at a 15-20 degree angle. I go from one tip to the other and possible back, then I flip the knife and do it again, that's all you will need to set the edge unless it is that CPM 35 V stuff, then you might need more. You just need to set the edge and get a burr, then you go to stones. After stones, buff or strop with green chrome compound. Since I know what I am doing, I use a couple of fingers of my off hand on top of the blade and apply pressure that way (not a lot of pressure). My fingers also tell me how much heat is in the blade. Art Art

While I have Burr-King and Bader belt grinders, I prefer to use a 6x48 grinder with a Norton Blaze ceramic belt in 60 and 80 grit for profiling; but just to sharpen a really dull blade, I use a 120 grit Blaze. I work with the belt running away from me. These belts cut like lightening so if you are on there more than a few seconds you will overdue it. After that, I use DMT diamond bench stones, although the natural stones work well too. Now a days (not back in the stone age when I was making) a lot of makers order their blades water jet cut to their specifications. With head knives, it is just a minor bit of work on the edge profile up to whatever finish suits you (120 or 240), then off to heat treat. Finish work takes the time. There is a lot more work for thicker knives both in profiling the edge and finishing. With head knives, water jetting allows you to maximize the sheet of steel, whereas the old fashioned way sacrifices a lot of steel to the grinder. Art

No, it is a nail or staple puller. Sometimes perspective can cause misidentification. I have several of #2 and a couple of the tool you mention which is a shank lasting pincer or "bulldog" in the trade. The tack puller in #2 is a lot smaller than a bulldog pincer. The shank laster has solid jaws to grip the leather, either with toothed jaws or an overlip. Art

Ferg, Just because there is a high probability that you might not be around to see completion of an order from Bob, doesn't mean that the rest of us should not partake of his capabilities. You don't think he should be making tools he can't deliver in a reasonable time? Everyone in THIS country has the right to make and produce their own level of quality product at a rate that THEY desire, unencumbered by the opinions of others who have nothing to contribute other than a whole lot of time and keystrokes, signifying nothing. Art

Bob is a great guy and pretty much honors his waiting list, which is a little over a year, I think. Folks from all over the world want his tools and are in line for them. He does bring common tools like bevelers etc. to shows, and you can walk away with something useful at a show. Sometimes, if you take one of his classes he will have some tools with him. If you want Bob's quality and creativity, you will just have to wait in line or go to a show, or take a class. Next show is probably Wickenburg. Art

I have been using DMT stones for years (about 25), and find them excellent. I purchased a Lansky recently, and was not impressed with it. It works, but just doesn't feel right, it is a fine grade that works a lot more like a course, it now lives in the kitchen. Good stones are not cheap \, but one of the tri-hone setups will work for a start. Art

A strop is a piece of 2-3oz veg tanned leather glued to a board. You put some rouge (usually green) on it and stroke the blade on it to hone the cutting edge. You can do this with any blade, even the utility knife, but for utility knives, the Irwin Bi-Metal blades are the best I have found, about $20 a hundred, make sure you get the bi-metal. Knives are a personal preference for leatherworking, I know folks who do great work with just a utility knife, and I am talking big name makers here. So get a utility knife and make yourself a strop. Learn how to sharpen every knife in the house, but especially your knife of choice. Until you learn to sharpen and use the knife, just stick with the clicker and utility knives. Art

I understand the fascination with knives, and I have quite a few. If someone was to hold me up and tell me I could keep a hundred bucks worth, I would keep the following. Good box cutter with quality blades, About $10. Scalpel with #10 and #11 Blades about $20. Clicker Knife (Blue Handle), About $16. Good Skiving knife like Bob Beard's or one from Shoe findings supplier. $20-$55. Note that none of this is worth a darn for very long unless you develop the ability to sharpen, and really, I mean cut you when you look at it sharpen. And, how long have you been leatherworking and you haven't made a strop yet? Art

Gregg, Some of the "Brand Name" machines from top factories are really from smaller factories inland. Some of these are quite good, usually. Even the "big" factories specialize to a high degree (their bread and butter stuff) and get "exotic" machines from other factories. AnKai makes a lot of stuff for the biggies that is simply re-badged (well it never was badged) and shipped. Nobody over there makes everything, unless slapping your badge on it means making it. Art

Hi Gregg, That is why I harp on knowing just which factory a machine came out of. This IS of paramount importance as the QC and even sometimes manufacturing can run from 0-10 on a scale of 2-8. Enough of that. Even if the machine is from a lesser factory, a good sewing machine mechanic can usually put things right, especially on clones as parts are readily available. This is another reason to buy from an established dealer, they have real mechanics. Real mechanics are folks that work on machines all day, everyday. I am not a real sewing machine mechanic, and I don't think Wiz or Al can fly in that company either, we may be good, but not Tony (Cobra), Bob (Toledo), or Bobby (Toledo) good; I take care of laptop computers for a living, and Wiz does a little of everything, but is a musician. Your machine needs to come to you through the hands of a professional sewing machine mechanic, preferably the industrial variety. There isn't any way one of the brick and mortar guys is going to send you a machine in a box that hasn't been opened and gone through, and with someone like Tony or Bobby going through it, it will run well from the start. Now for all you other 1/2 mechanics like me, who get some masochistic pleasure out of figuring what's up with a used or abused machine, the Internet may be for you. Art

Just be careful, the finish is only skin deep. If you use chemicals, the whole finish can just lift off like a sheet. Most of these finishes are sprayed on. They can even release if you get them too wet. If you mechanically break through to the grain, then you will have a peeling problem. I would suggest calling LCI in Dallas and see what they have to do the job 214-920-9524. Art

With 277 or 346, forward, back, forward will leave a noticable pile of thread at the start of the stitch line. Going backward first will look better, but you need to hold the thread to the side throughout the back/forward transition till you get past the starting point. Don't pull on the threads too hard as it can deflect the work and cause the needle to hit a narrow slotted needle plate. While you technically need to hold the thread ends for only a couple of stitches, they risk getting in the way and stitched over, particularly on the bottom. Art

OTB Catalog, pages 55 and 56. Art

I didn't know they had stripes on their parking lots out there. That place has grown up since my last visit (42 years ago). About buying tools on eBay. A lot of folks say it is Gomph when it isn't. Somehow, they make the pictures look great, but they aren't. Some auctions are 75% awls, nobody needs that many awls. Sometimes there is a gem buried under other tools, those are auctions I bid on. Watch out for Tandy resellers, they are selling for often much more than you can buy it from Tandy. Determine what tools you need, then contact Bruce Johnson or Vandy Douglas of Sheridan Leather Outfitters 888.803.3030 to buy tools that are used in great shape or reconditioned to very good shape. Springfield Leather is a good place for some of the Osborne tools and also some of the Tandy level stuff. Kevin will also cut leather if you are on a budget and if you are creative and can sew, the scrap bags are great. You are better off with a good Gomph, Osborne (preferable Newark), Douglas, or other older quality edger or other tool than a newer lesser quality brand. However there are high quality newer tools like Ron's tools. There is much data about knives in other posts, search for them. Art

It is supposed to do that when you lift the presser foot. You are right to take it to a technician, you need some experience before trying to fix the machine. Art

Might be less expensive, Dixon is in England and Blanchard is in France. Art

My dad used to like them with Duck fat and honey. Now duck fat is about the greatest of things for frying eggs, but I drew the line at putting it on biscuits. I like just butter or SOS on biscuits. Butter AND SOS. You can use duck fat to make the rue for the bechamel sauce, but it is a waste of good duck fat, it doesn't make enough difference to matter. But I digress. Art

The Taking is a very close and good copy of the Pfaff 1245. Any sewing machine shop should be able to order the part for you. I am not sure what your country is, but if you can find a sewing factory (where they sew garments) one of their technicians should be able to help you out, it is a simple fix once you have the part. Art

Hi Rich, Lily Stitching oil will do fine, also Sellari's stitcher oil. Any light oil (mineral oil) works, just make sure it is NON-detergent. Art

The Chinese ones (very good btw) run about $16,500 for a 16" (420mm). Steve at Cobra can get one for you. If you want a Camoga, call Campbell Bosworth and talk to Dan. Art

Your top thread tension is too high, probably because the broken part is the thread check spring. I don't have a Taking manual handy, but that is what it looks kinda like on the Pfaff. You need to get a new part, it won't sew very well without it. This is also why (probably) the thread tensioning device is loose. Whomever you bought your machine from should replace the spring. Art