ramrod

very nice! the color is beautiful....but you need to get rid of that barn door license plate. wow! they make them big over there. nice leather work.

here's what we did when we sealed cans of EPDM adhesive used for roofing (5 gallon cans). after sealing them, we turned them upside down for a second or two. that way the contents of the can will seal any possible air leaks near the lid. works every time.....i used to do this with the weldwood cans.

i personally don't think it's expensive. i guess i'm thinking more about convenience than anything. it's premade and ready to go. i'm thinking about trying some.

rather interesting topic. on any of the projects i've made, i've left the overlap visible. most people i've talked to like it because it shows a "real" handsewn technique. i kind of like it myself - especially when the customer has asked why the overlap is there.

even if it were more expensive, i would think that the time and effort to make a batch of beeswax / rosin / oil would be offset by just about any cost. this stuff is premade. no muss no fuss. thanks for your opinion, st8line.

holy crap goldstamping!! that is a lot of hardware. looks like much of it is made in the u.s., too.

i've been wanting to put together a batch of code, so i've ordered up some rosin from a musicians supply store. but i also noticed that one of "my favorites" on my computer is a place called 3 rivers archery. now i know why i have it in my favorites - i opened a window into their bow string wax. it's premade (and tacky it appears) and used by bow makers to put together their bowstrings. has anyone ever used it for bowstrings? if so, could it be used for waxing our linen thread? i'm probably going to order up a batch if my cooking skills go down the toilet.

so i did have it right...first time this year! thank you, dwight.

ok...that was a cool site! and a very long story.

sweet! thank you, CR....i'm gonna check this out.

im sure that the average homebody in centuries past has had to make do with only the items that he could make to make his necessities out of leather. i would like to see what was available commercially around, say, the mid eighteenth century for leathercraft supplies - if any. i wonder if most people didn't make their own needles and tan their own hides. but what about thread? something to ponder. this thread made me think of stuff like that.

well, i don't want to step on the toes of the OP, but i have a question that goes along these lines. what if you are putting conchos or some sort of decorations on the belt? how do you make sure it is centered as you look at it from the back? i'm assuming the center concho would fall behind the center belt loop on the pants. but is there a measurement or formula for getting this right? upon asking this question, i might have answered my own question.....would the center be: half of the distance from the center of the commonly used hole to the tip of the buckle?

i am a delivery driver for staples. my route is duke hospital - exclusively. i love my job.

from what i can see jfirth, he has corners that are a lot less than 90 degree. his are more relieved than yours....but, yes, he cut a separate strip for the edge. BTW paul.....excellent job on this. dayum! this is a beautiful briefcase. i've been wanting to try one - but more of an attorney's bag instead. but, this is achievable - even for me. very, very nice.

i think you've answered your own question. seriously, i was going to mention this, only on the inside.....if it were possible. i'm not sure what your seam configuration is. but, i'd say a strip over your seams would do the trick.......and, as you brits say, bob's yer uncle.

i believe stohlman's first book on hand stitching leather has instruction on making a dice cup. it's got good illustrations. i made the dice cup. and if I can do it, anyone can. of course, if you don't have this book.....well......i'll shut up now.

in reading the OP's description again, i focused on the term "one of the awled holes will tear when the stitching is pulled tight". i think that is the key - along with the thickness of the leather. the "bearing surface" , if you will, of the thread is extremely small. and if pulled tight enough, it will rip out any hole. or, in the case of a punched hole, will rip into the leather regardless if it is round or not.

not quite my favorite look, either. the leather is beautiful with it's patina and age, but i would add a row of stitches down the perimeter of both sides - as well as line it.

i'm interested in ostrich. hopefully you can get some pictures posted. i'd like to see what you have.

if the roon has changed the leather, you might have to neutralize it after treatment.

i totally agree with black dogg. i see this sewing across the entire strap being done quite frequently. i can't understand why anyone would do it like this. the most stress i've put on a watch strap is exactly in the area of the buckle as shown here.

ok...well i appreciate your candor.

yup....i know about priorities..........cool website BTW. i really enjoyed it. i'm a self confessed amateur photographer and i really loved some of the pics.

as an adjustable anchoring system, i'd use a piece of 1" x 1" wood the same length as that board is wide (3 or 4" it looks like). i'd place a 1/4" or 3/8" dowels in it on each end and drill a bunch of corresponding holes in that board to match. you could just pull the block up and move it closer or farther from the jaws and reinsert it, install the flexible wood. it seems like that would work without too much trouble.

LOL....so THAT'S what "rustic" means.