ramrod

i like the pattern. it's not as full s a mexican round braid, but still fills out the edge nicely. i gotta learn how to do that as nice as you did.

wow! they are beautiful. i don't normally like that much bright work on any belt, but those are well done. they look like they are well used already.

i think what i'm looking for is a solution that is basicaly a bath where you can prep the hide and let it tan in a bath for however long. hair on. i'm not sure if there's anything out there like that . i've done a search on the intenet, but haven't come up with anything like that.

+1 on the osborne 86. i bought one last year on fleabay and i love it. i'm not sure how old it is, but it looks like it's beenaround a long time. it works perfectly. easy to set up and use.

i have found that feibings oil dye will not rub off. you might give it a try.

well, what was the problem??!!

well, the solution is on the hide as of an hour ago. the instructions were to apply it by hand and let it do it's thing. my impressions are that there isn't enough of it on the hide, but i followed the directions. tree reaper - what product do you use? is it hair on? (apologies to the original poster on this - i didn't mean to hijack your thread)

not having used linen yet, i'd say to wax only what you'll be using at that time. seems to make sense only because you wouldn't have to respool a large amount after having waxed a couple hundred feet.

i've got one soaking in brine right now. i'm going to buy a tanning solution at tandy tomorrow. i was going to clean up the hide a bit more (just a little bit of meat and membrane still on it) and then stretch it and tack it to a pallet. does it have to dry thoroughly before applying the tanning solution? should the tanning solution be applied while it is stretching? this is my first time at this.

i got mine at tandy. i can't remember when or how much it was, tho.

i usually line my belts with pigskin or a lighter leather. i don't have to worry about the flesh side of the leather.

try buckleguy.com. they might have what you're after.

i'm with UKRay. i'd avoid stitching across the strap at any cost - including the "x" pattern. this is essentially stitching across the strap, although at a safer angle than 90 degrees.

just a thought......would it make sense to loosely lace them first (somewhat like the shoe lacing that trailfndr spoke about) so the dowel wouldn't interfere, and then slip it on the already glued dowel, and then tighten the lacing with a hook?

i've also touched the edges of the item to a grinding wheel - very lightly. this has given a nice worn look to the edge. try it on some scrap first to get a feel for the technique.

great idea about the fishing line. however, i don't think it will stand up to UV rays very well and might be a detrioration factor someday.

i wondered the same thing when i first started to handstitch. but stohlman also has that procedure in his book of handstitching. many times you'll stitch only a straight line, so it would require a backstitch to start and end with.

uncoated copper wire will eventually turn that beautiful green patina. but it takes a long time. it will darken to a bronze first and then a chocolate brown and then eventually to green. i personally don't think that a green patina would be objectionable. that patina would eventually leach into the surroundng leather a tiny bit.

i'm not too sure what it is, what it does and how to do it. does anybody have any pointers? Thanks James what a welt does is to allow the leather to form corners without having to be split. if you've looked at a sewn pillow, it will usually have a welt going around the perimeter. if you can imagine that same pillow without a welt, you'll see how that pillow wouldn't look the same. the corners would be puckered without a welt. you might want to look on youtube for an exaample of someone sewing a welt. it will give you a great visual on how and why it's incorporated into leatherworking. whether it's done by hand or on a macine, the purpose and execution are basically the same.

i've used the USMC black but i really don't like the residue rubbing off and staining everything it touches. you sould try feibing's oli dye. i don't know how - but it does NOT rub off. it's the only black dye that i use now.

o.k.....wow! this is a real oldie, but i had to resurrect it. hilly - or anyone for that matter - how did the rifle case turn out? i am thinking about making one in the near future (i tried my hand at one a few years ago and it was a disaster) and i'd love to see some pics, leather weights, etc.

they're great with bangers, ray. try 'em.

you're welcome dwight. looks like these boys will get you on the right track, too. and no, they don't look too difficult to build. they're awfully darn short - sort of like half chaps.

i guess i'll take a shot at this. my personal preference is unwaxed for belts. i use polyester machine thread in all of my stitching. i have occasionally used the tandy waxed thread, but i found that there was way too much wax on it. it got gummy and ended up on the leather at the stitch holes. i also had a lot on the needle hole when i ran the thread through the eye. now, that having been said, i guess i could have tried harder to remove the excess wax before stitching -but i didn't really try to. that is an option. YMMV if you try the waxed thread. edit: on the other hand, you could always get the unwaxed and drag it through a cake of beeswax. or not.

how's this for a pic? i actually got thses from alvin farrier supply. they have a few more aprons to look at.