Darren8306

Gave it a go. It's a much better result, even if my circle IS off a bit. Thanks again. Also, I didn't see the hairs sticking out until I was processing the photos. Guess I need improved lighting on my work.

That sounds worth trying. Thanks a lot, @chuck123wapati

Thanks guys. The stitches are layed out in the die, and the stamp couldn't have been stamped any harder (short of breaking my hardwood stamp). One of the other problems, pointed out by a stranger who didn't see it, is the quality of leather. Bought some cheap from Tandy, to try as liner. It dyes weird, is strange to handle and probably has problems I am unfit to describe well. The 'stranger' was 'Armitage Leather' on youtube. He has a 2h sewing presentation, and early on, he told me something I've known a long time, and keep having to be told. Buy quality. Leather of high quality, he says, works consistently and that limits the errors to the worker, simplifying troubleshooting. This leather, as I said, is the opposite. I think it will be worth going back to Hermann Oaks, or whatever other quality stuff I can find in Canada. It's better, and the errors are more often 'mine'. I will try to make tension consistent, and avoid the backstitch, so thanks for that. I'll be banging out a few of these crappy ones, while meditating on some of these issues. The quality stuff will be after I've got a better result, as I do still have some HO scraps around somewhere. As a side note, it seems to be too slow to include sealhide in this fashion. Also, the hairs look too long for this size of project, I think. Anyhow, onward and thank you guys.

Those are BEAUTIFUL! And the messy bench makes me less ashamed of mine lol. (currently a similar mess on the kitchen table, while Sweetheart is away)

I ordered a cheap clicker die from Temu, and can now make use of some of my scrap. The die is CRAP lol. I knew that going in, but it isn't the problem I'm having. I'm not even SURE what problem I'm having. This thing looks like boiled ass, and I'm not even sure why. The stitching, often a favourite part, looks like I never learned how... Sometimes I have trouble seeing my work properly, until taking a break and looking the next day. Still looks bad. Can you fellows try to say why? At the moment there is not yet edge kote, or a finish on, by the way.

Ya, this morning I stumbled across a quote attributed to Friedrich Hayek: The other thing is more...um...mechanical. I can have quite a lot of 'success' from grant money, but then how would I know that my work was good quality? I know a lot of people take advantage, and some of those that I know do very high quality work, but there really isn't a leathercrafting community here. The best really clear feedback I can expect is money. The grant doesn't care at all about the quality of my work. At least as far as I can tell from here.

The sandals are the ones used my Mr. H, for his trailrunning. The Tandy offering looks to me like a product from China, which doesn't really count. (in my crazy counting mind)

I used to wear a cowboy hat for running, when I was training for ultras. So many hours under the sun, and I really began to appreciate how suitable that hat is for protection. Can see everything but the sky, and mainly keeps the rain off. Comfy to wear for hours, and you can fill it with ice if it's really warm out.

I have used sealhide spats to improve 'normal' shoes for use indeep snow. Still had to get shoes from China...

That's a nice dream, but I haven't seen a good way to make running shoes. Sure, work boots are important, but you have thousands of years of workers' product development to build on. Athletic shoes are less obvious. There is a local guy who wears sandals of some sort, but I haven't seen him running in winter. It may help you figure out how to build running shoes for me, if you were to take up the sport for a few years...;)

Thanks man. Great looking boots, by the way. If I had a local cobbler, I would probably be sold. As it is, I still might... One of the retailers is also an artist, who sits on a board making grant decisions. I've known her for years, and was talking with her about how I figured costs on this batch. explained that my price had enough room that I can buy some more leather, and even some tools if most of this batch sells. She immediately told me about the grants, and said I was more prepared than many applicants. (knowing pricing, time per unit, plans for expansion etc.) Grant money would leave me feeling like these leather goods weren't good enough on their own. I didn't want to leave an 'artist bio' at the store either...to me, if the wallets aren't good enough without my handsome face or story, then they just aren't good enough. I'm not deciding immediately, but I'm leaning toward keeping grant money out of my life. I can't help but think they would eventually require me to put a 'made in canada' label, or 'inclusive and diverse', or 'government approved'. Bureaucrats can't help themselves. Poor things.

I approached a few local galleries, shopping my wallets around. Got good and useful feedback, and had one place take a dozen on consignment. All said my pricing was reasonable, quality adequate, and that from the retailer perspective. So it felt like a few compliments. I think I'll stitch a few while I think about it.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

That's not bad. Might consider baseball hat patches, too. Actually, everyone here wears the same black parka when it's cold. Sweetheart used to make crochet flowers to help spot yours in the pile...come to think of it, there are a heck of a lot of steiger boots here, with the same problem. But sandals are tricky to get right. You need the correct tread for ice, AND the thong has to be no-stick, so the medic can extract it without damaging frostbitten toes... This could require some thought...

Would. My Mom made them like that. Years later, I saw that in restuarants and other places, they make a very high merangue. I prefer this ratio, as too much merangue disagrees with my bearded state.

I'm lurking curiously. Hoping that @chuck123wapati has answers that will make me a wealthy leather sewer in northern Canada

Ya I think ornaments might just be treasure

Block heaters from cars come in a few testable formats. I have one which is a plug, the heater, and a magnet to mount it to the offending oilpan. It was cheap and I keep it around for emergencies. There are more modern versions which come as a pad, and are made to be mounted under the battery, or onto the engine at a suitable location. They may also be a bit cheaper than something marketed to pet fanciers.

Brassy and classy

I failed at making one of those months back. I think I used a too-heavy veg tan scrap. I think I'll try again with the chrome tan stuff. Thanks!

I don't understand the witness marks... It looks like regular marks from cutting, but I can't imagine what gets cut like that, over and over. Cool tool mod, by the way.

Yeah, I am more surprised than anyone that I'm a runner lol. Maybe I should say jogger though, to be more honest. Three came running with me yesterday at 2. There wasn't one of them I can't beat in a footrace without cheating lol I needed cardio a few years ago, and on the treadmill, my heart rate wasn't getting high enough for my goals, so I reluctantly started running. Became unreasonably affectionate toward it. Before, I would have said (DID say) that runners look like they are in pain every time they run. Anyway, winter is a treat here. I used to live on the East Coast, and Ontario. Both of those have a much more brutal, intolerable cold. Here, the temp drops, then it's 'cold' (-20C and below) until spring. I call it 'poetically cold', since it sounds cold, looks cold on the thermostat, but really office workers will still take off a mitten and shake hands out in the street. I do try to xski now and then, but honestly I'm a bit lazy. It's easy to step into my runners, and go jog around trails for an hour. For skiing, I have to add the skis, and usually drive somewhere appropriate. I just so rarely bother. Also, I can run around Frame Lake faster than I can ski around. I don't think I'm a particularly fast runner, so I must be an abysmal skier. Actually, I can't really ski without going hard. Any time I ski I am soaked in sweat and exhausted, whereas with jogging I can moderate my effort better, and am more at ease. On a random leather note, I ended up with a bunch of chrome-tanned leather bits, and don't really enjoy that stuff. Have you, or other posters, got a simple thing a novice can try making? I enjoy your work, @chuck123wapati, and if you have a design to share, I wouldn't mind having a go. I've thought about using the big piece of weathered bison for a camera bag, but that's a complex and large project. I'm not even sure how to approach that. Got some latigo, couple smaller pieces of 'bag leather' etc.

It's kind of the opposite here. I have a trail network through and around town that I like running. It's sled trails, mixed with city trails. The winter arriving opens up SO much more trail. Every lake can be crossed, all the swamps are runnable. Even Truck Lake (where the trucking company stages their ice road loads) can be crossed, and it's fun to see the b-trains stretching the ice down, as they idle on the ice surface. For the last week or two, I've been avoiding bringing my dog on runs, because while good-looking, Ethyl isn't smart about ice, and would fall through somewhere. She doesn't mind being wet, but dogs can fall through in dangerous places. I know a few people who have lost dogs that way. Anyway, the ice is pretty much in now, at least around the edges. I'll wait til I see trucks rolling across the big lake, but for now, all my alternate trails are open! I may not describe it well enough. I strongly suggest joining me for a long run, sometime between late December and April. Headed out to the craft sales today. Going to look at it with an eye to possibly starting with that kind of venue myself. Wish me luck! Pic from years ago. Those sealhide overmitts are still in service as running mitts. Their 'patina' is nearly progressed enough to call it rot, but I still like them.

Yesterday, I was invited to run a short trail around my house. I call it the Fitsters Trail, since two very athletic sisters were the first to show it to me. It's not usable in warmer weather due to deep puddles, but now things are frozen! I only got the 4 lovely kilometers yesterday (with one of the sisters) but today I'm thinking I'll go around there again, and run the airport fence line all the way to the road. I've really missed winter (not to mention those sisters...been almost a year) Pic somewhat related. Ice road crossing back when we still had the 'Robertson Headframe' in our skyline.

THAT'S a good practice I didn't think to do. Thanks, @PastorBob