whinewine

Yes! One time for an intricate figure carved belt is ONE TIME TOO MANY . (Another reason I don't make belts ...)

Absolutely!

When I used to do my own photography, there were hot stamping presses available that could stamp things like "copyright 19_ _ by whatzizname" on photos in gold letters. You might want to inquire at LARGE photo supply houses in major cities or get into some of the online photo sites & ask there. These presses were hot enough to imprint the gold lettering on photos, but not hot enough to burn them, so they shouldn't burn garment leathers either. Cost wise, I don't know, but I do know they're still out there. I think this is what you're looking for, though. I would check the photo sites. You might also check out Columbus Camera Group (in Columbus, OH)- they buy/sell used camera stuff- maybe they have one. Good luck. russ

IF you would want to use glass, NEVER EVER put a photo next to glass without the use of a mat between. The photo emulsion will eventually draw moisture, possibly mold, & will stick to the glass so it can't be removed.

Perhaps a lacquer based leather finish, applied deeply into the leather beforehand, such as neatlac or clearlac, might do the trick? You might try Pecards, also- it's a pretty waterproof finish, but you should contact them first & ask if it would mess with the exotic woods. Pecards is often used as a waterproofing finish on motorcycle seats. Good luck. russ

Not to be a knowitall, Spinner, but the reason the water is wetter is that a surfactant, such as a detergent (unlike soap) breaks the water's surface tension. When I used to develop my own photographic prints, negatives & transparencies in the darkroom, I used a kodak product called "Photo-flo" to break the surface tension of water in the washing process: otherwise, the prints, slides & negs would dry spotty. russ

Congratulations, Alex! russ (I wish PA had something similar)

I have 2 of them that I use fairly frequently. They work better in some leathers & not as well in others, so I'll generally try them first. I only use the angle blades. What they're worth is what people are willing to pay. There're a lot on ebay that are in bad shape- chipped, cracked, etc, so it pays to look very closely. If someone has a friend who cuts gems or who uses diamond powder a lot, a chipped blade could be re-ground fairly easily. Normal red rouge won't work in stropping, diamond will (ruby/sapphire is the 2nd hardest natural substance, diamond, the hardest). If properly sharpened, they don't need to be stropped frequently, if ever (contrary to what Charlie Davenport says in Tandy's blog). russ

Try Siegels: they have white alum tanned . Not sure, but I think it's stiff, so it would be better for armor.

Call Springfield (one of the banner ads at the top), speak to kevin Hopkins or one of the girls. They will cut leather, so you don't need to buy an entire side. Call, don't use the website (I guess too many people are afraid of speaking to a human & expect everything to be on the website- they have lots & lots of stuff that aren't shown because the quantities are too small to list).

Gorgeous! Absolutely gorgeous!

, John. It seems a very vocal small segment of the population wants to politicize/demonize Everything they don't agree with. I guess what we've lost in this Country is the ability to agree to disagree in a civil manner. If someone on this site would have made up similar images of, say, Glen Beck, or Rush Limbaugh, these very same people would be crying & running to Johanna. screaming, "This is SO ". russ

This was a number of months ago- it was a special... As with many of Springfield's items, it isn't listed on their website, because it is a special- limited quantity, not in enough quantity to list on the site... You need to call & ask. Quick, easy, free call. It was in a very nice turquoise color. Maybe other colors available, maybe no longer available???

Very nice work! And I don't think anyone would be angry at you for showing off your website! (I used a very nice translator to translate to English: http://www.dicter.net.) russ

I can relate! But you can freehand your drawings, & that's a definite plus for you- I wish I could put what I see on paper or leather... russ

Springfield had some horse in chap or bag weight. Try them.

Just a simple question, please: what is the most common strap length for a small bag that will rest against the hip? My wife doesn't have a shoulder purse & I can't find a tape measure right now (yes, I'm disorganized as anything, trying to get ready for Celtic Classic in Bethlehem the end of September...) Anyway, thanks in advance. russ

Hi, Skald: A straight, thick blade is best used on thicker leathers, on long, straight or slightly curved lines & an angled blade is better on short, highly curved lines & detailed work, although, there are people who can do highly detailed, fine work with a straight blade- but I'm not one of them... I'm one of those who absolutely detest ceramic blades (I have 2- an angle & a double line blade & I'd throw them both away if I hadn't have spent so many $$ on them...) I like the old ruby blades (have 2 which I use frequently), but mostly I use Henley blades, either their angle or their fine angle (I also have their double line beader blade & their wide, fat 1/2 inch straight blade, which I do use on occasion when needed.). [At some future point, I'd like to try Paul Zalesak's knives & blades (I think they're called SK Knives- he's on this forum also), but I just can't see putting out $135+ without trying them out first]. Anyway, good luck with tooling- keep practising. For what you are mostly doing, I would think you would be better served with angled, thinner blades, rather than a fat, straight blade. russ

Jan: Option #1 would probably be a better (ie, more invisible) option, but, at any rate, the old leather should definitely be treated/conserved in some manner to try to preserve it, otherwise, it will continue to deteriorate & rip & fall apart. It might be already too late, but my first suggestion would be to contact someone who does conservation of historic leathers at one of the numerous museums in Europe. Aside from that, one could use gel superglue to re-attach the entry area. Would it hold? It would depend upon how dry/deteriorated/cracked/beyond repair the leather actually is. Speak to a conservator at a museum first... Good luck russ

Whoops! Actually, I accidentally made a blank post when all I meant to do was just read it- so here's what little I know about oil dyes, since I tend to use mostly standard spirit dyes... I don't believe oil dye has oil in it (according to many people here on the site). They say it's just a more concentrated (depth of color) spirit dye, so mineral oil won't reduce it. Whatever, but your basic hardware store standard denatured alcohol or isopropyl alcohol from the drug store will reduce it- no need to buy special (read $$$) reducers.

Short answer, NO, if the dye is an eco flo product. Eco flo is water based, so, in a moist/damp/wet environment, it needs to be sealed against H2O. Carnuba is only water resistant, as is tankote & a host of other 'finishes'. An acrylic top coat is ok; my personal choice is neatlac or clearlac or saddlelac: I would rather go for a shiny finish than have someones' clothes ruined because of dye bleed. Certain things like Aussie & Pecards do quite a good job (haven't tried Snoseal, but that might work well, too), but they can leave a greasy/oily finish, that, until totally absorbed, can also bleed onto clothes. Stuff like that is better suited for motorcycle seats, boots & the like, primarily as a water proofing & conditioning agent. I did a sheridan finish on a purse once, using antique, neatsfoot & Aussie:I packed it away at the end of the season & when I took it out for the first show of the next year, it was covered with a great deal of oily/waxy residue (obviously too much neatsfoot & perhaps Aussie). By wrapping in paper towels & using a heat gun, I finally got most of the oil/Aussie to migrate into the paper towels. Just my experience: the key is to experiment & find what works, but just remember, if it's water based, it needs to be appropriately sealed, especially in damp environments.