Relly

This post is a short review of the Tandy Hand Press (AKA Craftool Hand Press). I am using this press to set Tandy Line 20 snaps into leather bracelets. The press itself cost $170 (Gold membership) but you have to buy the setting dies separately for about $100 per die set. The press and dies cost more if you don't have the Gold membership with Tandy. How I have set snaps in the past: I use a 1/2 ton arbor press with a handmade jig - about $50. I will set 40 snaps in one sitting. First, the bad: I found that the top die often won't come out easily when I am done with it. $300 is a lot of money just to set snaps. It will cost me another $100 for the rivet setters. Setting the press for bottom or top snaps requires changing out the dies (a nuisance). An adjustable wrench is not included with the press, but there are plenty of bolts that could be adjusted. The directions are very basic, and a manual would have been appreciated. Now for the good: Setting snaps is now a brainless, fast and easy task. The hand press does a great job! I do sometimes have to make sure that I pressed the lever down all the way. The tool needed no adjustment straight out of the box (so, no need for the wrench). There is an adjustable "stop" on the top of the press that prevents me from crushing snaps. The dies are spring loaded. The press lever is on a spring, which is convenient. This tool is probably great for rivets, I can see that some rivets won't be accessible to the press. Using this tool is about 2-3X faster than using an arbor press, with no waste so far. Using an arbor press required concentration and sometimes resulted in bent/ruined snaps (even with a jig). If you set a couple snaps occasionally, using a hammer and the Tandy snap kit is probably all that you will ever need. I would not recommend using an arbor press for snaps, although I once did. Fifty bucks could go towards better choices. Overall, I like this tool. For the 40 snaps a week that I will do, it was worth it. If I was doing larger runs, a motorized snap setting tool might be a better choice.

Thanks Arthur! =)

The Tippmann embossing machine looks like a superior purchase, but I like the Tandy embossing rolls better. Can I use the Tandy rolls on the Tippmann? Are there online suppliers with a better variety that will also work? Thank you everyone =)

Correct. They are a wholesale business, and you will need a Tax ID to buy from them. They are not the only option out there, though.

I second the Tandy hand press. That's what I am buying when budget allows.

First, three cheap basics: A carpenter's square. This is basically a metal rule with a 90-degree angle on it. Get the flat one with no handle. 6" Dividing calipers. This tool is for using the same measurement over and over. Faster than a ruler once set up. Vaughan soft face hammer (sold at Home Depot or Lowes or online). You need a cutting mat and a decent work surface. The best tool is knowledge. The Tandy kits are good starts, and come with basic tools. A fourth tool: The Tandy hole punch kit. You are probably going to punch a lot of holes, but you need a mat and a hammer.

@Highlands858: I use three stitching punches from Tandy. One has four prongs, one has two prongs, and the last has only one post. The punch works best on dry leather and produces diamond-shaped angled holes plenty big enough for even the clumsiest sewing. It is much easier than using a drill, generally. Lots faster, too. It takes a little practice - you don't want to punch too hard, just hard enough to make holes. Here's a link to one: http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/en-usd/search/searchresults/88044-04.aspx They are calling it a "Pro Line Diamond Stitching Chisel 4 Prong (5/64" (2mm) Spacing)". Hope that helps =)

@Andy: I am feeling that exact way right now, and I just finished a project. The project looks nice, best I have ever done ... and yet, yeah, bummed out for no good reason. *Shrug*

Okay, here it is, Relly's second marvelous bag of random topics: On making straps: - The Tandy Lace Cutter is called "lace cutter" and not "strap cutter" for good reason. You can make straps with it - just not nice, even straps on 6 oz leather. - A Weaver hand-cranked strap cutter looks like the cat's whiskers. It costs $1300. Too bad. An electric strap cutter costs $2300. Even worse. - The hand rotary cutters (knives) are garbage for most uses (my view), but a box cutter with a decent grip has yet to disappoint. - Home Improvement stores sell carpenter squares and clamps. Clamp that square down and cutting a straight edge gets lots easier. - a Dremel can take the sharp edge off straps, but a half moon knife makes prettier, larger bevels. - a Weaver strap edge beveler can cost up to $2200. That's a month's wages for simple folk like me. Ouch. I wanted some Weaver tools real bad, but not bad enough to sell a kidney, you know? My hand tools work just as well, but not nearly as fast. Good useable hand tools cost about $10 each. Bracelets with snaps: - Line 20 snaps will work just fine on 3mm leather, but no thicker. You need not reach for the skiver. - Leather skived to 2.5mm is a great thickness for bracelets. Thicker looks regal, but also a bit thick, like a cuff. - Buy a cheap brass 4" hand caliper ($10) for measuring leather thickness. It's handy to have, sturdy, and will last forever. - You can drill out snaps that you ruin. Keep a drill handy. I hardly ever ruin snaps anymore. - a half ton arbor press works just fine with the line 20 snap kit - be delicate, don't crush your snaps! Mine are slightly loose on the leather, and they work just fine. Dyes: - Fiebing Leather Sheen and Tandy's Eco flo dyes do not play nice. However, the lifted/smeared dye is an interesting look that you may like. - Next time that I apply Fiebing's Leather Sheen, I will use a sponge and not a shop rag. The rag is for polishing the dried finish. - Sumi ink is a surprisingly good black dye! It's a watercolor, and of course leather loves water. - Neetsfoot Oil can be applied with a rag, as you don't want too much on the leather! Finishing leather: - Should always be done before any hardware goes on. - Expect to use multiple layers. I use a minimum of four different layers of treatments per side. Relly's Top Secret Leather Finish: - case the leather - add one very light coat of neet'sfoot oil applied with a shop rag (allow to sink in) - add one coat of Fiebing's Leather Sheen with a sponge (I have been using a rag. It's not enough) - let dry and then buff with shop rag - add Mink oil (I use Kiwi Mink Oil in a can) and allow to sink in - Wipe off excess mink oil with shop rag (I use disposable shop rags) Do this on both sides ... the flesh side is harder to do. I typically do both sides at once. This is my secret proprietary method .... SO TELL NO ONE Pyrography on leather: - Works very well. I cut outlines and brand lettering - it's a permanent, deep look. You can do anything from the branding that I typically do, to the most gentle shading. Laser cutting, Weaver tools, anything automated: - Wonderful for the professional who is already making plenty of sales. Impossible for the home artisan. Just plain too expensive to own. Buying leather: - Go on, buy at least a shoulder. I bought some cheap-o crappy 6oz at a discount, and it has lasted me months! And it looked great! - My next leather purchase will be a high quality side. I have delusions of being an Artisan, and I'm hooked! - Fit the weight of the leather to the project. You could buy heavy leather and skive it down, or just have the right weight on hand ... Cutting Leather: - Do all cutting before you start any finishes. So, it goes like this: Raw leather -> all cutting and beveling and hole making -> dyeing/artwork/finishing -> hardware -> finished item (for bracelets, anyways) I am not really following the forum, but I think that it will send me email if you reply! (email notification activated) Oh yeah - to my fellow Beginners out there - my most necessary tools for cutting leather, making holes and such cost under $10 apiece! If a tool costs more than $20, take a good hard look at it. Chances are, that tool is a "want" and not a "need". A wiser man than myself could outfit himself pretty well for under $100. Heck, probably under $50. I do not have anything more to write. I just had an itch to post, and had to scratch it.

Round knives are portrayed in Egyptian hieroglyphs ... and the knife is older than that. Relly

I plan on doing that, yeah.

I have been looking at airbrushing, too, thanks to the *crosses fingers* fat tax refund that I'm getting soon. So here's the deal, I bought this book first: "Airbrush: The Complete Studio Handbook" by Radu Vero That book is not really optional reading. I needed to know what it contained. Knowledge is power. ... and based on that, here's what I am going to want for my rig. 1. a foldable, portable spray booth. 2. a face shield or goggles (probably goggles) 3. a face mask (okay, I lie ... probably not going to use that unless I am indoors) 4. a pressure regulator 5. a pressure gauge 6. a dehumidifier 7. a compressor and maybe an air tank 8. a dual action airbrush My thinking is that, if I am going to get a rig, I want the necessary tools to make it work, and work well. FWIW. Relly

Well, I am guessing that you are too aggressive when rubbing in the sealer. Rubbing the dry dye out to remove excess dye seems like a good idea to me, but that would have to be done before applying the sealer, not after. After that, why rub the sealer in so deep? It's just a top coat, and not even totally waterproof. I use Fiebing's leather sheen, and the bottle says water resistant, not water proof. Relly

My opinion as a new artisan is that all leather will dry out eventually - adding oils and conditioners just slows down that process. A piece of cased leather dries out in ten minutes. A properly conditioned and sealed piece could go for months and possibly years - but I would not know that for sure. Keeping leather in good condition means oiling and cleaning it eventually. I can tell you that a leather bracelet without proper finishing gets dirty and nasty fairly quick (I work in a home improvement warehouse, and I am hard on my dainty accessories). When I am making something, I use a light coat of neatsfoot on the leather after I have dyed the leather. One coat, no more. A light coat will dry like water, only more slowly - that is, the leather darkens initially and then becomes the color of "dry": After applying a layer of finish, and sometimes polish, I add a thick layer of mink oil. I let that layer sit on the leather for hours and then rub it off. The mink oil may do nothing - in fact, it's probably a dirt magnet - but if there are any cracks in my seal, that's going to get minked. Since I use natural oils in the bracelet, and a somewhat porous finish (fiebing leather sheen) and then the mink oil last, my work should last quite a while before needing touchup. My plan is creating a flexible and durable seal. I add hardware last of all. The best tool for applying oils is an air brush. I do not own one, so hand rubbing with a rag is what I do. If you oil something too much, it may rot - so go easy on the conditioners and oils. If it smells like petroleum, be wary. Gasoline may break down leather. I would never use "Johnson's paste wax". Even mink oil, which I do use, I only use as a top coat after all the other finishes that I apply. Good luck. Relly

If the holster hasn't darkened much, I suspect that it did not absorb much oil. So - and this is the dangerous part - maybe soem deglazing compound will take the finish off it. Then you could add back a new finish. My advice could totally ruin your gear. Or you would be able to dye it. You should not use too much neetsfoot oil - it makes the leather hard and brittle instead of supple. One light coat is all that I use. Then again, I always use test strips of leather for experimenting with new finishes. Good luck!

Thank you ... that gives me a lot of confidence on using the blue loctite. A bike vibrates plenty - if that didn't shake off the conchos, then I should be fine.

Will Loctite keep the button stud screw-in base from coming loose? I thought that I might notice if the base loosened, but no. The stud only lasted three days, then it went missing. Is there any special trick other than Loctite? I could add a metal washer and a lock washer, but that seems a bit extreme. Plus, it may not work at all if I do that (might be too thick). Relly Button stud http://www.tandyleat...s/11310-02.aspx

It seems like a lot of cultures practiced archery. So, a "traditional quiver" can mean a lot of different styles (and a lot of those are worn on the back).. You want a Navajo-style quiver? Robin Hood? Ainu? Mongol? Scythian? Parthian? Try using Google Images to research different styles ... this tool is your new best friend (okay maybe not that good, but still pretty good): http://www.google.com/imghp I suggest definitely avoid making a standard arrow canister like you'd see on the movie set for "Robin Hood". Make something really different! Was that helpful? I tried to give you a good start and fill yer head with craziness ... Good luck!

This post is for my fellow new posters who may not be as tool-fancy as I am. I am a newbie, too, so your mileage may vary ... :D One thing that you might notice is that many of the more useful tools that I mention are less than $20. Leather is a very affordable hobby and many of the tools are readily available. My background in a few words: I got my start in leathercraft when I bought a Deluxe Leathercraft Kit from Tandy. Recently I have been making leather bracelets similar to the ones that you might buy at the Tandy Leather store. I have no room for anything that I am not using to its fullest - my living space is very small (but cozy!).. Okay, now here are some things that I found really helpful A granite block It's heavy. It's obnoxious. I have one. Mandatory tool. I use mine for setting snaps, punching holes or for tooling work. Sometimes, I glue a workpiece right on the top! Thick self-healing cutting board I do all my cutting and hole making on one of these boards. Mine's a half inch thick (more or less) and about a foot on both sides. In my opinion, anything smaller than this is pointless. Hole punch kits I use the Tandy Mini punch set often, and now I have the Maxi punch set, too. The reason that I use these stick punches is that I can really give one a good tap! I have my cutting board underneath the workpiece, and the granite is under the board. The benefit of the granite is that it provides a rock-solid base for hammering. The cutting board provides some shock control, and also protects the granite surface. Leathercrafting requires a lot of hole punching. At least for me, it does. Soft-face hammers I use two of these, a 6-ounce and a 12-ounce. The small one is good for tooling. The big one is good for whacking things! I use the big one all the time. My hammers are by Vaughan - red rubber on one side, yellow plastic on the other. The tips are replaceable and non-marring. The big hammer is item # 651446 at Home Depot, and item # 348341 at Lowes - $15, cheap! The small hammer is harder to find, but I got one online, maybe $8? Needle-nose pliers (medium size) ($8/each) I use two of these. One is mandatory. Two is very helpful. I used two when stitching - it made hand sewing easier for me. These pliers are good for trimming light wire, which I use when holding a workpiece together while it dries. Sometimes you need to grip something small, and that's what these pliers do. They are also useful when a punch won't come out of a workpiece. Calipers This is a mandatory tool. Without a caliper, you may not know how thick your leather is. It's not fun when you put time and effort into a leather project, and then the snaps don't work because the leather is too thick (or too thin). I have two calipers, but the one that I use all the time cost $8 - "4 inch pocket caliper" - item #501570 at Home Depot. Carpenter square (steel) I use this tool for cutting straight lines and marking up leather. Nothing fancy ... 8"x12", costs about $5. Light gauge wire (24 gauge) Wire is for holding a workpiece together while it dries. Wire is so cheap and useful that I think that everyone should have some. Good clamps I own two bar clamps, about 8 inches long with a pad on the tip. About $8 each, mandatory tool for my work. Clamps are for holding stuff together while it dries and also holding a piece down while you work on it. I skive my bracelets by clamping down one end on the cutting board. Clamps are like an extra set of hands. Don't scrimp on clamps. Hobby vise with suction-cup base I used this tool only once, when I was learning to sew. It was helpful, and at about $25, worth it. It's like a clamp that can hold a workpiece at different angles. Not mandatory if you don't sew, but I do not regret buying it. Round Knife I own one, but I took the nice edge off it trying to "sharpen" it. This tool has thousands of years of history behind it. That's one reason why I own one. Now, about that ruined edge ... If you get a round knife, you will also be buying sharpening stones. I spent $40 on the knife and $120 on the stones. There are cheaper ways to cut leather but I WILL master this tool ... eventually ... This tool is something that I understand is really useful, but I am still too green to appreciate as yet. Mebbe once I sharpen it ... heehee ... Box cutter / Utility Knife I use this tool all the time! Mandatory tool. I bought the knife with a quick-change feature and soft rubber grip. Don't go cheap! A "Utility knife" is $10 for the super nice ones. I have the Stanley 10-788. Painter's tape Mandatory tool. Super cheap! I use this stuff all the time. I use it to hold down tracing paper, tape stuff to the granite ... lots of uses. Finishing compound Mandatory tool. Lots of options. Tandy supershene, Fiebing Resolene. Bag kote. I put this stuff on by hand with a shop rag. A project is not done if it's ... well ... not done! Shop Rag Mandatory tool. I put a workpiece on a rag when dyeing, staining or finishing it. Okay, there's more tools, but I'm done now.

I like both of those ideas! The screw-in studs would be a lot simpler to use, and they will look nice. Conchos open up some creative possibilities, too.

I make bracelets as a hobby. Every bracelet that I make has two brass snaps, because it's sturdy and looks nice.That's what I have always done with my bracelets. I have thought about using magnetic snaps, buckles, and/or lacing. I like the idea of lacing, except that the wearer must be able to close up the bracelet himself - even tying a bow is difficult one-handed. Buckles use a fair amount of hardware. The magnetic snaps reveal pins which need to be hidden. Bag clasps might work, I guess, but that's more hardware, which eventually would break. I could use a hook and loop system, maybe. I thought about lacing on small d-rings, using binding posts to anchor the D-rings. What are some other sturdy, easy and crafty things that I could do to close up a bracelet? I have a lot of options, but none of them are exciting me much.

Tandy sells antiquing liquid in several colors. Make test strips, and when test strips come out the way that you need it to look, you are ready. I am new to leather, really, but test strips are cheap to make and the antiquing fluid is something that I like to use. Also look at vinegaroon as a dye. Good luck ! Relly

I love the laser as a tool, but it has a couple drawbacks. First, there are the cost issues. This is my biggest goblin. Decent laser engravers cost about $10,000 to start (Epilog, Rayjet). A laser generates smoke - add $3000 for a filter and compressor. Add a special cutting/lasering grill for about $1000. Second, there's the size issue. The decent, $10k lasers? Only good for small items up to 1' x 2' (roughly). Sure, there are bigger systems available ... if you have the space. Third, there is the quality issue. Laser work definitely is quick and clean. Too clean. It's far too neat for some types of work. And why not skip the whole handmade deal and send a blueprint to someplace in India? Your laser or their laser, what difference? Maintenance has got to cost $$$ on a laser system. I would love owning a laser engraver, except for the cost, space and results looking just like anything else produced by a machine. That said, if someone dropped a Rayjet on my porch, I would gladly use it for profit. It's a great tool, and can make money for the right person. But I have delusions of being an Artisan, and laser engraving kind of compromises my pretty dreams. Relly

There are finishing techniques spread throughout the forums, and getting the better ones all in one place seems like a really good idea. Do we have a formal cookbook of recipes for finishing leather? If we do not, I would like to see one. You could practically have a chapter on vinegaroon by itself. Does anyone else think about using index cards for their own favorite finishes? That's something that I might do for myself - put my favorite recipes on cards. Maybe I missed it and there's a cheap, wonderful book on leather finishing out there already? It seems like Amazon.com isn't a great help on this topic. Okay, back to my sample pieces ...

Tandy Leather has a nifty book, "Leathercraft tools" stock #61960-00, less than $20 for Gold members. That book tells you plenty about the round knife. I just bought a round knife, and here's what I learned: * The book is smart and I am dumb. I will be buying decent stones and learning to sharpen the blade their way. (I took a new blade and ruined the edge, then almost got it sharp again ... but not "like new" sharp) * Even a "dull" knife is pretty sharp (No blood, I tested it out on scraps!) * You can skive onion-like layers even with a dull blade * The round knife has been used since prehistory. It's older than the Egyptians. * The knife is relatively cheap My thought is that a $4 bag of leather scraps, a sharp knife and a lot of practice will make me a better artisan. For what that's worth Relly