Eddie Collins

What kind of tooling leather did you use. Super carving.

Yeah, I still think of them. I've been carving and just made a knive case. Some 9-10oz shoulder from the LTF, that was on sale 2 Christmas ago. After putting the welts around the blade, the thickness was 3/4 inch, so I got the Dremal Tool with a small Craftsman bit and drilled the stitching holes. On some thick leathers, I use a cordless orange Black n Decker Drill for the Rivet Holes, I cannot believe it works better that a leather punch on layered leathers that become so thick. Are you heading to Albuquerque for the leather show in October, if you are make sure you get some Mexican food at Sadie's on 4th.st. and Solar. Some good stuff.

I also use the Ivory Soap, it is good stuff. I also use the wide Masking Tape and Duct Tape. Put the wide Masking Tape on, then the Duct Tape, for wallets and some belts. Used for stretching leather when it's being tooled. I used to use Rubber cement and cardboard. But my saddlemaker friend "Steve Harper" here in Farmington did'nt like the sticky flesh side. Masking tape is easier to peel off. Duct Tape by it self is harder to peel off. Also, Robert Beard use lemon juice from a fresh lemon, to clean the blue steel marks on the tooled leather. He told me this, when he used to live a few blocks from me back in the 80's. Also, Ellis told me to use Vodka with a small brush in the background area before using the Bargounder. He said it prevents from the leather sticking inside those small holes. I used it before. But it took more time. Distilled Alcohol is what Ellis said. I guess Vodka has this type of alcohol. Steve Harper use Freezing Paper for his tracing paper. Draws the design on it with a No. 4 or No. 3 pencil, so the lead won't smudge that bad. Oh yeah, have been to Globe which is east of you. There is a cowboy clothing store with a saddleshop in the back. I believe a man name Eddie which was in his 80's and his son ran that shop. He had a crockpot with Neatsfoot oil on low setting for oiling is leather. I visited him when I was working in that Hot Copper Smelter at Miami. They both had some old stamping tools. Geometric stamps with no name on the shaft. Happy Carving.

Have you used the Micro-Green Rouge on a business card, for stropping your swivel knife blade. I never have to sharpen my blade quite as often. Some Woodcrafter website carries this green brick for around 20+ dollars.There might be a store in Phoenix, there is one in Albuquerque. It sure is good stuff. Especially if you use HO, it should work great. Not like me using the import stuff. Really works good if you use a Dremal buffer. Even old Tandy blades from the pawn shop, it makes it carve great. I cleaned up some old rusty swivel knife blades from a box, I purchased at a pawn shop. Use W40 and sandpaper to remove the rust, resharpen the blade with a Tandy swivel knife jig, then use the Micro-Green Rouge, with a small Dremal tool buffer wheel, go slow, to control the Dremal tool. Then have a business card with Micro Green Rouge on it for a tune up between cuts. I taped my business card to a hard wood surface, the size of the card. Sure is pretty fine stuff. I really like the JOY dishwashing soap you mention in the casing article. I tried it, I notice my sponge is cleaner. The Olive Garden and Red Lobster business cards are better. Also works great on Edgers, fold the card in half with this Micro Green Rouge on it and use it on your Edger. I use it on my Utility Knife for cutting lining leather. Works good on the Head Knife.

Very beautiful carving. I'm always studying carvings. I like Chuck Stormes, Jeremiah Watt, Rick Bean, Taka Fine Leather, Kawazairyo, Tessoh Leather and Links, Jim Jackson, Robert Beard, Al Shelton, Al Stohlman, Chuck Smith, Oh Yeah I forgot Lefty's Leathercraft Blog. A very interesting Blog is by Jeremiah Watt. He makes his own saddle trees, saddle hardware, silver engravings, and his own leather stamps. On day I might visit you when I'm down in Phoenix. I used to hang out at Ellis Barnes down at Elfrida.