Art

Hi Gary, Wickett and Craig makes leather for Louis Vuitton, probably for bag production. I have seen it and it is right pretty stuff. If you need chrome or other tannages you might want to give Horween a spin. Their shell cordovan is the finest quality you can get. Art

A2 is a good tool steel once you have something made, but getting there is a pain. If you have to work it, like grinding or drilling, cooling is a definite necessity, get even a micro layer of it hot and back off and you won't break through it again until you anneal it. Once you learn how to work it you will be fine, but it can be a steep curve. It is the most "air" hardening steel of any of them. Art

Hi Lee, You don't neeeeeeeeed two machines. The bigger machine like a 441 clone will sew 2-4oz with 69 thread as readily as 45oz using 346, just change needle, thread, and tension. However, it is easier to switch back and forth with two machines, or three, or four. Art

Hi Chris, You will be needing a 441 Clone. Call Steve at 1-866-962-9880. He will talk with you and explain the options to you. Then shop the other dealers at the top of this page. I have five of Steve's machines and a couple on order, they work perfectly. Steve also has the best customer service IMHO. Art

Hi Jerome, Sole leather, especially the good Belgian stuff is pretty hard. Dry, a knife won't cut it very well. Wet, it can be handsewn. A shoe and a sandal will consist of an insole and and outsole. The insoles are usually made of shoulder, but not the stretchy stuff up around the neck. I use 12 iron insoles (about 1/4" or 16 oz) but 9 or 10 iron will work for sandals, maybe even thinner as you don't usually have a holdfast and lay in a welt. Outsoles are soling leather, the hard stuff, which you will need at least a 3-in-1 or a Tandy embosser/cutter to cut. I have seen a few 1-in-1 machines too. Then again, there's the band saw and it works great. If you wet the soling for about 6 hours, it will cut pretty easily with a very sharp knife. You can use rubber soling and glue it on. You need to use really good contact cement and triple coat it. Nails I wouldn't use as you will need a repair last to clinch them. If you have someone around with a sewing machine like a Landis 12 (shoe repair shop), you can have them sew the soles on after you glue and trim them. You need to groove the bottoms or the stitches will wear out, the Landis 12 does it for you. Keep in mind I am not a sandalmaker and build them like I would shoes. Hopefully the folks who do a lot of sandals can give you a bit of help. Art

Read the pinned article by Wiz. After that the LU-563 is a needle feed walking foot machine with a big bobbin. If the machine is in good shape, it is the machine for medium work if slowed down, most of them are set up to run like a scalded cat. Bob Kovar carries a motor that has speed reduction built-in which should be a drop in replacement for the probably clutch motor on board now. This is a Juki machine of good quality, but make sure it hasn't been used up or abused, check for tightness and play, sew it off if possible. It will sew 3/8" or about 22oz total but will be more comfortable in the 4oz-18oz range. Thread will be about 138 max, but it may do 207 acceptably, try it to find out, they either do or they don't. A new machine of the 618 type will set you back about $1500. A good used 563 should go for about $600 or a bit more depending on condition, add $170 for a gear reduction motor. Art

Hi Darren, I have used a treadle patcher and more than a few bigger treadle machines. I'll go with the new motors every time now. Since the advent of the modern and cheaper servos (as opposed to the German ones that really are good) the motor industry has been coming up hill and produces a pretty good product. With the new (about a year since they were readily available) brushless motors (which do make a little more noise), the torque available throughout the speed range makes them a joy to work with. Very seldom do I have to wheel the machine, like almost never, I can creep the needle up and down and keep both hands on the work. I am not totally sold on the internal reduced motors for big machines, but they work great on medium and small machines like 5550s and 618s. When I said that the new brushless motors whine a bit, I was serious, however it is not a negative. They are just a little bit noisy and you shouldn't go looking for something wrong with the machine. I have a Metabo grinder that I bought in 1974 that has the same whine or noise in it that it has had since I got it. Best grinder I have and it's got a LOT of miles on it. It's nice to have another hand when sewing, especially heavy stuff, give me the new motors every time, if I want to crank, I'll use the ol' No.9. Art

The Chinese have started producing brushless motors, they tend to whine a lot, almost a new pump (that's all I can think of) kind of sound. I don't know if it gets any better with wear either. Art

Hi Ray, A servo motor set on damned slow might work for you. If you get a chance to go to any of the shows, go see Steve, he is wound a little tight, but has the patience of a saint and will work with you, possibly after show hours if you ask, or call him if you can get down to his shop in Ontario California. You need to get on a machine to see what accommodations can be made. Art

One would think logically that a mold or impression of the foot would be a good thing to make a shoe, I would agree on the shoe, however it would make a terrible last. The exact replica of the foot would make a shoe that wouldn't feel good or look good. The last has to provide some semblance of style while making a comfortable shoe. The thing a cast of the feet gives you is a model of the foot you can go back to for additional measurements or even to just rethink things. Almost as good as a cast is a really good set of measurements and an imprint or trace drawing of the foot AND a load bearing impression of the foot. With all of the information, the customer can select a style and the shoe/bootmaker can bubble, buildup, or grind down a pair of lasts to provide a good comfortable fit AND a little style. Art

I figured an inch, but that is the best I could come up with. Art

First question, What are you going to buff? First statement, If you are asking these questions, you are too inexperienced to use a 3450rpm 8 or even 6 inch buffer on anything. The bigger wheels go faster which is not good, but they also have a lesser angle which is good. I have a 3600 rpm Baldor throwing 10 inch hard felt wheels which I use 140 and 240 Polish-O-Ray on to remove scratches from metal, hardened metal. I'm the only one who uses it, and I only use it when I am in the shop alone and it has a foot switch with a valve spring in it. I use a 1800 rpm for finish work and finer grits. I have a little 1/4 hp or so Baldor 1800 rpm with 3 inch medium felt wheels with grooves that I use for edges. Why Baldor? You only buy them once. Next one I buy will be 3 phase and I will put a VFD on it. All I have ever needed for leather edges is the small buffer. When shoemakers and cobblers finish shoeleather, the finishers run the grinders (sanding belts, cutters, and wheels) at a higher speed than the brushes and buffs which go pretty slow. The cutters do run pretty fast, but everything else is not very fast though. Buffers run at light speed compared to a finisher. Grizzly makes a 1725 or so rpm knifemakers buffer with long arms which is a good buffer, they also make the same one in 3450. Not real expensive. Art

Hi Chris, It gets so much response because lasts are not only near and dear to the shoe/bootmaker, but because good ones are so hard to find. Most lasts today, except Jones and Vining Custom Division (and precious few more) are made for production machines and the ease of making production shoes. The custom shoe/bootmaker does not want to make production shoes, there is just no way to justify the price for a pair of production kicks. Custom makers have to deal with hammer toes, fronts of feet bent at odd angles, heels that don't fit length (too narrow or wide), heel to ball doesn't fit length or width or both, duck feet (short and wide), EEEEEEEE (can I say more), flying buttresses for arches, you name it. Somehow a shoe has to be made that has some vague appearance of style while being comfortable. This is why this topic gets so much response. The other reason is that almost all shoemakers are pocket philosophers, and can go on and on about anything, especially lasts and fitting. Art

It looks like 6 cord (346) at 6 to the inch, the bottom pic might be 7 cord, it is hard to measure on the monitor. Art

If you check the Marketplace section, jbird has a Cobra Class 4 for sale at somewhere around $2000. This would be the exact machine you will need and it has all the accessories with it. Of course, Steve's service will come with it. Call jbird and talk to him about it. http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=32121&pid=200915&st=0entry200915 Art

Hi Tom, I have a 96oz BK, great for setting my maker's mark. I thought about neutering the Tom with it, but for some reason he hasn't been around lately. Art

Hi Natalie, I can tell you what I would do. I would skive the cover, then during assembly, roll the cover over the edge and sew it. Then use a straight edge (a thin one) under the rolled over part to trim right up to the stitching. I usually put the straight edge under the leather right next to the stitches so you don't cut the liner. You need to work out the corners, some of the books show how this is done or you can go to your Tandy and they can show you. Do a couple of practice runs before you do the real thing. With 4oz leather, you might not have to skive, maybe just relieve the back with a groover or french edger (gently). Contact cement can help a lot. Art

Sim is correct in his assessment. The machines on http://zeusmachines.com/ are old household machines that are quite rugged, but are not really up to the task of leather sewing on vegtan. The problem with a mid range or upholstery machine is that quite often we run it at the top range of it's capabilities. Take for instance, 2 layers of 9oz, that's 18oz plus glue of vegtan; at the bleeding max for that machine, and I wouldn't want to make even a good one do it all day every day. Then you oops, need a welt in there, well you can get it under the foot, so now you can do that, till one day it won't do it or the stitch line will look like crap, or something, because we are always pushing the envelope. So, instead save up and buy a 441, one from a dealer that advertises here and can provide the service you need. That machine will have the headroom, setup, accessories, and service you need. Art

Hi Paul, Indeed Panhandle has the pegs, and a lot of other things that aren't on the website. Pleasant folks to work with too; I can't say as much for some of the other suppliers. Art

I think you will enjoy them. I was hesitant to recommend them because of the price, but DW has been very helpful when contacted. Sometimes I yell and scream at the cameraman when watching the videos, then I go back to the book which usually helps. Also, the Crispin Colloquy is helpful. Watch the videos all the way through before doing anything. Good Luck with it. Art

Dealers have ads at the top of the page, just click and you will link to their website. Art

Never heard or have seen a 7-3. 7-5/13/31/33/34, the 7-34 being the one "really" designed and equipped for sewing leather. I had a 7-33 or so and since I acquired the 441s there is a happy tent rental shop with those canoe footed buggers. Art

There aren't very many machines today (especially 441 class machines) that aren't Chinese clones. Just keep in mind that the dealers provide support and modifications to make the clones sew leather better. You could buy the mods and install them yourself if you knew where to get the parts and what to do. If you have to save up to get the right machine, just do it, you will probably never realize the problems you are saving yourself from. When you can call someone like Steve and get a response darned near 24/7 and get your problem resolved, there is just no way to put a price on that. Also, the GA 5 machines are made by more than a few factories over there, you really have to depend on your dealer to select the right one. Art

Call Ryan, don't they have a lifetime warranty? Art

153W101 153W103 Pfaff 545 Enough left for gear reduction servo motor. Art