whinewine

Sorry: I hate this format, I feel it is horrendously cumbersome, I don't like ANYTHING about it. I had to go to a different browser even to get this far- on my previous browser, I couldn't even get in to see any posts- everything locked up! This makes me even not want to make the effort to try to get into the site- it's such a PITA to deal with. Hell, you have to click on a link just to see a picture. I don't like it. why ruin a good thing? :wtf: russ

Springfield leather. click on the banner at the top

Ok, an update on needle use (& not for my arms, either)... I just put together the old tiffany lamp kit from the '70s that I got from Timd (Thank you, Tim!). I used my usual flat lacing needles to assemble the first & second sets of panels, but when I needed to lace 2 sets of completed panels to each other, I thought I'd try the small permaloks, and boy, was I impressed! They are great for things with round holes, but I still won't use them for things that have lacing slits, as I still think they spread the leather too far apart for my liking (& I won't shave them down, either). So it's true- you CAN teach an old goat new tricks! russ

Very, very nice roses, Tim! russ

Cowboy316: I think the problem is that the leather was wet when you rubbed 'the tar out of the whole piece' ... first of all, you spread/diluted the color & ruined the piece (think: water + water-based dyes= mess + rubbing= greater mess), and secondly, after the flannel ended up spreading the mess further it seems that you inadvertently ended up burnishing the piece (think: burnishing edges by rubbing briskly with a cloth on damp/wet edges). Just my observation, my $0.02 worth.

I've not had a problem getting Fiebings at Tandy- I picked up a bottle on Saturday at the Pgh Tandy's. [maybe it's just in california??? ] To add my $.02 worth on eco flo (not that anyone cares, but...) I use ecoflo and Fiebings spirit (& the now defunct Tandy's Pro Dyes, [if I can locate any, that is]). I do prefer spirit dyes over water based dyes, but I must say that the ecoflo coal black is quite nice, as it doesn't crock like the black spirit dyes. Having said that, it is absolutely important to remember that all water-based dyes MUST BE SEALED PROPERLY, EVEN THE EDGES! I've said before, in other posts, that I've made coaster sets (to be used under wet glasses), using ecoflo products, but I always make sure they are fully sealed, including the edges. I seal very well with a lacquer (neatlac)- I would never take a chance trying to seal with a water-based finish over a water-based dye in a water-rich environment- that would be just plain stupid to think that would work in that kind of area. As far as dyes in general go, I still prefer the old Omega dyes from the '60s & '70s. russ

A jerkin is a close-fitting, hip length collarless jacket having no sleeves, but often extended shoulders, belted & worn over a doublet by men, esp in the 16th century (def:# 1); a short, close-fitting, often sleeveless coat or jacket, usually of leather (def:#2). Source: American Heritage Dictionary Nice work! Nice leather! Good price- you should have picked it all up! russ

Somawas: at 65), I still don't know what I'll be when I grow up... ...but I'm gonna have a lot of fun deciding. After all, life is too short to get too serious about it. russ

We have an adopted greyhound. Racing greyhounds are all crate trained... because when they are not racing, they need to be controlled in a small environment (for transporting & otherwise) & so they live in crates/cages. We got ours with the crate, and, during the day, she pretty much had free reign of the house (although the crate door was always open if she needed to 'get away from it all'), & she only went into the crate at bedtime. However, she realized early on that she was a family member (she being the very bright girl that she is) & since she was a family member, she gave up her crate. [To prove & to reinforce that point she broke my wife's ankle (but that is another story entirely).] Bottom line: for a dog, the crate is a secure area- a SAFE area. Some dogs NEVER wish to give up their crate, & some do. BUT IT IS A SAFE HAVEN for them, and once they learn that, they know they can never get in trouble when they are in the crate, & they like that! It gives them limits & they know that, and that makes them good dogs.

runic stamp set... you can see one listed under item #400066705670 on ebay under 'leather tools & treatments' category .

I was on the road yesterday & quite by accident I came across a Rune Set, unused, that the owner sold to me for less than $22.00! I passed it by several times till I actually took a look at it & realized what it was... And no, it's not for sale- these are much too hard to come by . russ

Marlon: didn't George start Hidecrafter? Did he sell out, or what? Regardless, that's awful! russ

lael: I think the biggest thing is to seal in the dyes well, whether or not if you've used spirit dyes or ecoflo (or any other waterbased dyes). I have, for instance, made coaster sets using ecoflo dyes (primarily because of the color ranges they come in) & they haven't bled- BUT I seal them with neatlac or saddle lac, including the edges. AND I make several applications, just to be sure. I am NOT a big fan of the super/satin sheen stuff- I just feel you are asking for trouble by using a waterbased finish over a waterbased dye in a water-moist environment... russ

Question: how is it 'bleeding' (ruboff, sweat, damp environment)? Is the dye black? If so, did you buff it well enough to remove the excess pigment? (Other colors will crock, but not as badly as black). I assume the sheen is water-based? That may in & of itself, be the problem... especially in a moist environment. The problem with acrylic is that it is primarily a paint- a surface finish. In areas that rub, it'll eventually wear off. I would try to deglaze & then seal the finish with a lacquer-based finish- saddlelac, perhaps, or neatlac, if you are lucky enough to have some. I think Kevin Hopkins (Springfield Leather) has something called 'Clear-lac', which may be a replacement for neatlac. Others have used Bee Natural products or a good coat of shoe wax or perhaps Sno-seal... I hope this helps a bit. russ

Hello: could this be the reverse? Just speculation, but... In other words, could there be too much oil/wax in the leather? I had a problem with some 'true sheridan finish' stuff I tried for the first time last year. It looked fine when I first did it (NF oil+ fiebings sheridan [wax] antique finish over top... looked fantastic, but when I took it out of storage several months later in preparation for a show, it had a severe oily/waxy/chalky buildup on the outside that was white. i ended up using a heatgun & lots of paper towels to absorb as much as I could. russ

Deglazer, then dye (or re-dye) with a darker color. You may need to spot dye the 'scorched' area to try to even out the color. russ

Thanks, Tim- I forgot all about the crazy glue. The better kind is the gap-filling kind, NOT the standard runny-no-gaps-allowed-or-it-won't-stick variety.

To make sure they won't peel off, like the 'self stick' ones do after only a few openings/closures, you'll have to either sew them on or set a very small rivet on each part to keep them on permanently, David.

'Cuda: I forgot to mention that on joining the leather on the back side, I don't overlap and snap, like DCKNIVES. I do a butt joint, run a series of holes on both sides & do a cross-stitch with thread. You could also overlap, skive both sides & use rivets, or sew/lace using a running stitch. If riveting, you can set on a small anvil placed inside the coozie. russ

Oops: I just found out that I was given misinformation from a normally reputable source (a secondary vendor)... the PA 004 tool has NOT been discontinued, it has merely been out of stock & Hidecrafter has them on backorder. I just called Hidecrafter this morning, confirmed it & ordered it. (I really should have checked at the actual source, like I would normally do, rather than going off half-cocked & believing what someone else told me! Mea culpa! Mea culpa! Mea maxima culpa!) russ

Bottle or can? Generally you can get the foam can coozies almost anywhere- kmart, wallyworld, & anywhere they are giving away promotional crap (hats, keychains, etc- and they're free at these events). Usually you can find foam coozies in the sporting goods sections of these stores. If you don't see them, ask. Make a paper pattern around the outside, cut your leather slightly oversize to allow for the additional thickness, do your tooling, staining & finishing (3-5 oz is a good weight), re-wrap to see if the leather has stretched. Trim so that it will be a snug fit, sew or lace up. Insert the foam liner inside. Quick & dirty! (or, you can get complicated, get a sheet of foam & do your own liner, but why make extra work if you don't have to? You can also use heavier leather & do without the liner & attach a leather band at the bottom so the can won't fall out or you can actually sew a full bottom on...) russ

Iwata BCS. It's double action & I got it at AC Moore with a 50% coupon. russ

Hello: I am in dire need of a Hidecrafter pebble tool #PA004- it's the middle size pebble tool. Hidecrafter has discontinued this tool, for some reason. If anyone has a duplicate they can sell me, please pm me with price. Thank you. russ

Holly: my point entirely- you need to know the market & what will sell there. You're in a University town, and that's fortunate for you. Others may be located in 'artists communities' (like Berkeley Springs, WV, for instance, which is a 'destination location'). Others, however, are not fortunate enough to be located where there is that appreciation for 'neat stuff', like the coffee wrap. (In my area, [1] I would never try to sell leather at the local farmers markets or flea markets, and [2] I absolutely know that 'western', or 'floral' or 'sheridan' carving won't sell, so I don't offer it {I do have some stuff that I do take to shows, but I take it to show what I can do in that style of carving}.)

Sent a PM.