Go2Tex

Yeah well..... as bad as things appear from watching cable news, and watching the stock market tank day after day, and watching our culture being torn apart one institution at a time, we're a long way from the End Times. Even at 10% unemployment, that means 90% are still employed. As long as you don't have to tap into your 401K right now, you haven't lost a dime on that. A down market means a buying opportunity. Raise some cash and buy some cheap stock and sit on it, brothers and sisters. On the other hand..... if you don't have any cash, just lost your job, have no insurance, and live in California, or worse, in Canada..... damn, you're screwed dudes and dudetts. But fear not, ya'll. President Obama, (AKA: The Masiah), feels your pain and he's sending some assistance your way. Yep, got some pork in that spendulous bill to build some bike trails so you can pedal to your new Government job handing out spoons in the soup lines they're gonna have all across the new Socialist States of Amerika. He said so in his latest Fireside Chat, just like his mentor, FDR used to do back in the day. Ah yes, the good ol' days of the Great Depression..... Arlo Guthrie, ridin' those trains and singin' his songs of the poor working man, starting unions, causing riots. The Big Brother government, handing out everything. Socialism and Communism on the rise. 'Cause, you know...when you got nothin', a little bit of somethin' looks pretty good. So no, we're not heading for the End Times. We're just heading for full blown, unabashed, open and accepted Socialism. And for those of you who were victims of the American education system, Socialism is just the transition from Capitalism to Communism.....according to Karl Marx.

Got an email from a customer who saw one of my saddles on Ebay that I had sold on Ebay back in 2007. It was the exact listing, pictures, description and all. Someone had stolen the pics and description and was attempting to sell another saddle using my old listing. I new that the saddle I made was not being re-sold now so I knew that it was definitely a fraud. I notified Ebay and they pulled that auction. I hope they tracked the guy down and will refer it to the cops, but I doubt they do that.

JW took the words right out of my mouth. There is no substitute for the guidance of a good teacher.

Yes, I rather like your tile affect. I'm thinking you just layed it out and cut and beveled the lines? It looks too big a pattern for any kind of stamp. Turned out very nice. Also, that Fiebings antique will wash off with time. It needs a sealer. Angelus makes an acrylic antique that won't rub off but will add a lot of color if you leave it on too long. Actually dries really quick.

I'll be looking forward to seeing that one. Please do.

Don't tell me, let me quess.... a modified association by any chance?

Yeah, there is some interest in Wades down here, but it looks like I'm gonna have to start building some swell forks so folks recognize that it's supposed to go on a horse. I'm also working on a more typical South Texas ranch saddle finish...... yeah, neatsfoot oil mixed with sand, then drug through some cactus for that "antique" look. That oughta turn some heads. heheh And, I've come up with a new carving feature to adorn them..... the poison oak leaf design with cutter ant bite holes in everything else. It seems poison oak is about the only thing they won't eat.

Yeah, I kinda figured as much. Still, it just pains me to see you have to cover up all that beautiful carving.

You could try using several coats of resist on the carving, just hit the highlights. Then dye and quickly wipe off the black from the highlights. If it isn't black enough for the customer, you could darken the highlights a bit with antique. Same with the lettering, to get at least some contrast.

I can just hear the conspiracy nut theories now..... "oh, they must have planted those geese in those engines."..... That darn Mark Fuhrman is at it again.

WEll, if you can't decide, put them both on there, a head knife crossed with a rawhide mallet or saddlemaker's hammer..... then again, considering how the country is headed, maybe a hammer and sickle?...... be more patriotic.

Great, thanks! I will.

Sorry to sound like I'm beating a dead horse but, there are so many different products out there for dye I have to ask, was that Fiebings pro oil saddle tan? I really want to try your technique, so I want to get this right. thanks

Well, all I gotta say is, if the firefighting thing don't work out, you have a career ahead of you as a sign painter. heh heh

Thanks for sharing. That is very nice work. I see no mistakes and that lettering is great. What tool did you use for the matting around the letters? Also, was that saddle tan antique or highlighter or what? I assume that was mahogany dye on the edge? The combination works really well.

Yes, you do good work! What do you seal the black dye with to stop the rub-off?

It would have been nice to see the before and after pics, but I have to say, you are one heck of a sign painter! That lettering is perfect. I am in awe. And yeah, just put a glass over it so your, ehem...coffee mugs, won't spill..

I've got a question myself about these reinforced mouths as such. On IWH, do they really work all that well? Seems to me from just looking at them, if you reinforce it enough to hold it open against the strain of a belt holding up the average guy's pants, (not to mention donut guzzlin' gut), doesn't it kinda defeat the purpose of putting that bulk inside your waist band?

What, no skulls? I thought that was a prerequisite for bike seats.... heheh

Ah yes, I can see why you can command the prices you do. There is a lot of work goes into them. Now, I'm wondering how you achieved the effect. I can see you carved the flames, and I presume you then painted them after the overall dye. Am I close?

So, I finally received the black antique and acrylic copper paint. This picture frame I pounded out just for this experiment, dyed dark brown, then applied copper paint with a sponge, just as I would apply a resist, just hitting the high points. I let it dry for a while and tried the black acrylic antique. It pretty much covered the copper. It dries real fast and once dry, it don't come off. So, I reapplied the copper as before and this is the results.

It's drum dyed chestnut from Wicket & Craig.

Yeah, sounds like you have the right idea. Tear it down, clean it, deglaze, then dye, then seal. Black dye has a nasty habbit of rubbing off forever, as you probably know. Have you tried vinegaroon? I don't know how it would work on a previously finished leather, but if you were able to strip it good enough to dye, it should work for vinegaroon?

Well, go ahead and get the ball rolling. Start a project and post pics as you go.

So far it doesn't look that bad of prospect for what you have in mind. Tear it down and take a good look at the tree. That will tell you if it's worth recovering. Leather is not cheap. But, it's a learning experience and might be worth the price of the leather if the tree is worth building on. If nothing else, you will learn how not to do it.