reddevil76

Ok, why not share this "business idea" with her. Tell her that from the forums, you spotted a new trend where leather workers are taking distressed leather to a new level. They are now taking these expensive european single bends, and using nails on a 2 by 4 to scratch up the grain side, and create this new "traumatic leather" which they then use to create personal items for sale. However, thoroughly scratching up the grain side takes alot of work, so some enterprising individuals have bought some of these bends, do the scratching, and re-selling them to leather workers at a 50% mark up, and they are selling like hot cakes! Tell her you are considering buying about 200 of these european single bends from Tandy for a start, and throughly scratch them up with rusty nails, to see if there is a market for them.

Cool down Bryan, if you look at it, companies do this to each other in business. But of course, you are angry because she is a friend and you don't expect her to treat you guys these way. But if you start looking at her as a business competitor instead of a friend, then her actions may seem more predictable and you will also treat her accordingly.

I was looking at this because it is ideal for home use, and my projects are mostly wallets. Made by an Australian company. Quoted me $1500, not sure if that is in aussie dollars or US. Still haven't found the funds for it.

Hi Julia, I am in Singapore, born in Malaysia. I grew up here, and even served in the military. So I ain't so familiar with Malaysia anymore. However, here in Singapore, most leather crafters still have to order our leather online. The only source here has hides only from India and the qualities aren't desirable. I doubt you will find any dedicated leather craft supplier over there. But there definitely will be leather suppliers for saddle repairs, shoe makers, etc. You can have a chat with the guys doing saddle repair for the local equestrian club to see where their leather come from if you want a local source.

Hi Rayban, do you mind sharing which thread is it? I also have Tandy's, but it is the Tejas waxed thread. It is loaded with so much wax that my stitching holes are a mess of wax after that. I've stopped using it after just one project.

I remember seeing a video of someone using it.. here it is Looks WAAAY easier to control than the lousy Tandy Super Skiver.

I have tried thinning down leather with a hand skiver and safety beveler. Both without much success. Usually end up overdoing it and getting a hole in the piece. These are best reserved for edges and generally thinning small specific areas. If the entire thickness needs to be thinner, without the luxury of a splitter, i would just get leather that is in the correct thickness to start with. For beginners, TwinOaks suggestion of a kit to start with is pretty good. It is less intimidating and would allow your son to build some basic skills and his interest.

I've ever made a tool bag for my bike which the grain side split on areas which were bent (the opening flap). This was after it was applied with a spirit dye which dried it badly. I should have applied something like neatsfoot oil. Anyway, I have since moved on to water based dyes. I've also have experience with flesh splitting away from grain on edges of belts. This happens when the leather has hollow spots in it. Usually the shoulder. Though most people cut their blanks from double shoulders due to the ideal length for minimum wastage, I decide to cut from backs after bad experiences. If you cut from backs, you will get probably a 60+ to 70 " blank, of which you only use 40+ inch. The remaining 30" is too short for another belt, but I use them for straps or cut them up into bracelets.

That's y'all for the replies. I've ordered 12 spools of Tejas Waxed Thread in 3 different colours from Tandy a few months back and after using some, have delegated them to use as paper weight. These stuff has so much wax on them that it leaves a huge mess of wax at the stitching holes after you've pulled them through. I've tried de-waxing it some by pulling it through a piece of pinched leather. Not much help. I've since moved on to a waxed polyester which is ok I guess, since i mostly make wallets.

I use www.hardwareelf.com which is an associate site for www.ohiotravelbag.com Very good service I received so far.

Pete, I believe they now use this which you attached to a swivel knife. http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/search/searchresults/3204-00.aspx

Thanks Bryan. I guess i do need to see things from a different perspective sometimes. As a kid, I used to draw alot, do my pencil drawings without an eraser. Any mistakes, I throw away the piece and start anew. But leather is so much more expensive that paper! I've thrown away alot of projects since. This one, I am keeping for my own use. Right now, I am in the midst of making THREE more just to spite the first one! Hehe..

I am one of those who participated in both Ferg's thread and Bar C leather's thread. And yes, I have never bought from Siegel before. In Ferg's thread, there was a comment regarding posters who participated without having been a customer of Siegel. That same comment likened us to rabid dogs. Not very charming. In Bar C Leather's thread, similar comment, but the description is mob mentality. I beg to differ here. I believe most of us who participated, but were never a customer, simply expressed outrage at the situation described, no personal attacks. In my own separate thread in another section, when I tried to explain why I was stuck with a bunch of camouflage leather that I have no application for, alot of people expressed outrage at the way my friend played me out. Do they have to know my friend personally to express themselves? NO. Most of us do this hobby in similar budgets and situations, and they felt what I felt and simply expressed themselves. A few years ago, a young girl from an immigrant family here in Singapore was murdered by a family friend. There was huge public outrage and sympathy. None of the millions who donated money and lobbied for a heavy sentence for the murderer were related to the young girl. Conversely, the murderer did nothing to the families of these millions. But I can't imagine someone entering the crowds and telling them to shut up and go home and that they are acting like rabid dogs simply because the victim is not their family. It is an extreme example I know. Bad service does not equal murder. But I am trying to illustrate my point. And remember, your opinion of me having an opinion is also an opinion. Geddit? In any case, from my bad experience posting in Ferg's thread, I thought I'd hold my peace till Johanna posted the comment on advertising. It was then that I expressed my personal opinion that the forum should enjoy equal support from members and sponsors to keep it from bias. I was motivated to do my part, however little, and I did it. This is the last I will speak of this since there seems to be some objections on other's having an opinion. But the last opinion I would like to offer is this: If Mr Siegel is sincere in making amends, I DO HAVE TO AGREE that the email is the best possible way. Note that he has opened the offer to the last 100 years. If he makes such an offer, then he must have been prepared to have people take him up on his offer. Now, even if he focus all his attention on hobbyists and not the big guys, he still needs to attend to daily business, take his meals, go to the washroom, and what have you. Suppose you are that customer who decides to give him one last chance, and you call just conveniently when he is out for lunch, and you go "Bah! Nothing has changed". What happens? If I am expecting a flood of calls, and I wish to single handedly resolve all of them, and make sure I do not miss any, and make sure I understand them correctly, and make sure I have details for tracing back records, the written word is still the best and this means email. However, I might go easy on free gift offers as the intention might not always be interpreted correctly. Over and out.

Thanks y'all for your tips. I think I will stick with this white cement as I like how clean it is at the edges. I've put the wallet to own use. There's no damage really, just not commercially pretty. I've found a product on springfield's site that removes stains and glue and i'd be sure to include that in my next order.

Got a #2 craftool edge beveler. Only when I started using it then I realised it gives a flat cut and that I should have ordered a keen edge beveler if I wanted a round cut. Looking at Craftool's keen edge bevelers, there is the keen edge beveler(obviously), and there is the #126 keen edge beveler. Both comes in sizes 1,2,3 etc. So what's with this #126? It obviously does not denote the sizes as sizes are already denoted in 1,2, 3 ,etc

I found leatherwork and subsequently this site when I went jobless and had free time. I had been meaning to contribute the moment I found a full time job. But as it is, I am still jobless. However, this thread is motivating me to contribute NOW, as I would like my favourite site to go on without being held hostage by advertisers who thinks our business is their right, rather than working sincerely to earn it. As per the story in Luke 21: 1-4, I would make my little contribution right after this post, hoping it would make a difference, however little it is. And more to come, when a full time job comes knocking.

Bill, I went from rubber cement to white because the rubber cement is tricky when trying to burnish edges. Just a little too much and it will show between the layers. I don't have the deglazer, but do intend to include it in my next order (will be some time till i finish up my current stash of veg tan). First time I am using this and wasn't expecting it to be so liquid that it flowed over. I was trying to glue a lining on and needed the whole piece covered and thought it would be easier to just squeeze a bunch onto the piece directly and then spread. Bad move. Anyway folks, thanks for all the reply. I've finally decided to just use it for myself Walletman - will revert

Its like the other time when another member received a hide with tractor marks on them and said perhaps Tannery Run means to run over it at the tannery. I got a good laugh out of that!

http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=29373

Thanks guys, but I hate to try to cover things up when it is not the intended look. I don't know why, but such little things always seems to happen just when the wallet is completed, not during. I have threw away so many projects at the last stage due to these kind of things that I am starting to think maybe I should just throw away the hobby as well.

Just finished a wallet and was feeling rather pleased with myself. Then as I was applying leather balm on the exterior, I noticed 2 spots which wouldn't soak in the balm. Upon closer look, it looks like somehow, 2 drops of leather craft cement (the white very liquid type) has gotten onto it. As I have success washing my cement brush simply by soaking it in water, I decided to wet a small cloth, apply a little white saddle soap and work that area. Turns out, the spots not only remained, the area became burnished. I'm about to throw this wallet out of the window in frustration, it's probably a goner but just wanna try my luck and see if anything can be done to return it to its natural colour.

After reading this post, a bulb came on. There was some camo leather I was trying to move, it had the same finish as mentioned by Doug, and recently I tried using it as a lining in a wallet and I found it difficult to slide bills into the wallet. I decided to check and I've just realised the 2 camo prints that I am trying to move on the For Sale section was actually produced for military and hunting gloves, and the matt finish is actually meant to be non-slip as it is gloves leather! Here's the specs I've found: Water resistant Pittards WR100X tannage offers an enhanced resistance to rain, humidity or working conditions, and greater insulation to protect the hands in all weathers. Perspiration resistant Pittards leather has been chemically treated to prevent absorption of moisture, including sweat, into the glove and thereby retains its softness and feel even after repeated exposure. Exceptional fit Pittards WR100X leather offers exceptional softness of touch, natural fit and unique flexibility for ultimate comfort. Breathability Pittards Camouflage leather has been processed to guarantee unique breathability and comfort at all times. Do you guys think it's probably better for me to find a glove maker here on this site, and send the whole batch of leathers to be made into gloves and then try to sell them as finished goods instead of leather?

I have found that areas applied with Satin/Super Sheene will not age.

Doug, I use a Goodsjapan pricking iron myself and the holes made does already help align the thread as long as you are consistent with your needle entry. Eg. right needle always before the left or vice versa. In any case, this stitching method itself also helps to align the thread by making a square knot in every stitch, even for round stitching holes. Edit: example of my stitching produced by the pricking iron, and the particular method. I hope it is what you are after.