bluesman1951

Wow! Very nice ! Eyes made about six laps and never found a bump . That in my opinion is as good as it gets . Well done . My compliments !

Very nice! Wonderful gift ! Stitching is perfect the border is razor sharp and very crisp looking. Size is just right dimensions are spot on . Very appealing over all the eye moves from one detail to the next smoothly with no snags . Thanks for sharing this with us . This was time well spent . Seasons Greetings and Merry Christmas ,warm regards Bill

Wow . Very interesting ! Amazing history . Thanks Ed for posting this . Seasons greeting with warm regards , Bill

I was surfing the web last night and came upon some rings of similar designs with different materials. They were using a braid called spanish ring knot . It was done in both leather and metal wire all woven or braided . Nice idea . Good luck with this project . You might wish to explore "braceletts " as a bigger version of what you are currently doing . Thanks for being part of Leather workers.net and thanks for sharing your work . Bill

Wow! Very sharp ! Nicely done ,excellant contrast with your colour selection . I can see this easily as a bag handle with a dozen different bags . That colour combination with the braid would make excellant applique on a hand bag . This is like a fireworks explosion of ideas . Make some nice bracelets too. This is a outstanding job no doubt about it . Big round of applause for this project ! It has plenty of WOW factor ! My compliments ! Bill

Dont know exactly what to say ,are these going to be "Rings " to wear on ones fingers ? Armouring stuff is out of my area of expertise . I came I looked and I want to say thanks for sharing your work and welcome to the site . Perhaps if I knew more about this area of leather work I could say more . Its nice you shared your work and hope you will do so again . Bill

Thats one fine bag sir ! Clean well constructed ,sewing is sharp tight straight and clean . Its a mighty fine case ,you can be very proud of this its well done . Your mom will enjoy this a lot . My compliments its very nicely done . Time well spent ! Big round of applause for this project ! You have set the bar mighty high here LOL so now lets see number 2 . All my best John Merry Christmas to you and yours thanks for showing this . I am impressed ! Bill

Nicely done ! Efficent clean simple functional a very nice job .

Very cool nicely done . Stitchin looks good ,finish is nice . What does the strap look like ? Keep up the good work and thanks for sharing your work with us . I enjoyed seeing this post . Bill

Flawless craftsmanship as always ! First class all the way ! My compliments very well done . Bill

Very nicely done ! Stitching stands out very sharp and clean . The eye just keeps making laps around the project not a single snag very smooth . I like this a lot ! This will give many years of good service . My compliments ! :thumbsup:

Superb Craftsmanship ! Well Done !

First class all the way very pleaseing to watch . Nice belt and a quality video that was a day well spent . My compliments ,well done ,flawless work . Bill

My personel opinion is I would cut off a couple small pieces and sew them together like you were making a bag . See how the seam holds up when you twist and stress it . Next I would give it the wad test simply do to a small piece what would happen to a bag or tote in its normal life . Here you want to see if the top grain will crack . Over all feel is a matter of personal choice ,I have found that people do not wish a bag to feel too thin ,next they want it to have some weight but not too much . Weight has a very fine line between to heavy and to light . Something with the buttery soft feel sells before something that feels dry . That has been my experience . Market research helps, cut a small piece and hand it to a woman with the question "What do you think "? Pay attention the feed back here, touch matters here and is a important part of making a sale . There is simply no substitute for research and doing your homework so pass a sample around and see. The only opinion that matters here is the customer the one with the cash. Its their perception of what you have made that gets you a pay day . I wish you good luck with this . All my best Bill

Thank you for your post and sharing with us . I am not qualified to comment on holsters and tooling as those items I do not make . However I can say The craftsmanship is outstanding .Its very tight and clean in a small space . Its visually appealing and the eye flows over its details smoothly nothing to slow it down or hang it up . My impression is it says : "I am Quality " quite nicely . My compliments sir this is time well spent something to be proud of . Bill

What else do you do ? Like to talk to you about some contract work . This is interesting not my style but interesting non the less . Bill

Hello Emilie!!! Welcome to the site . Bill

What does one say at a time like this ? To quit or not to quit ? Shall the powers that be pull the plug or keep the patient on life support in hopes of better days . There is a sad reality to the last line on the yellow pad it says either what you are doing works or it dont . You can look at it and protest if you wish ,might even convince your self its not true ,but in the end it remains . There is lots of truth in the saying "Throwing Good Money After Bad " Choices : You must ask yourself if having more knowledge and skill will fix things . If so then how do you get the knowledge ? Who is willing to give you what you need ? Disicipline to get to the bench and work all day is a must nothing happens if you have no disicipline . Having no avenue of retreat is a big key to sucess when you must have sucess or go off the cliff is a great motivator . I ask myself if it was my money would I continue to back this enterprise ? The solution to your dilema is : A larger skill set and more knowledge ,better disipline and a guide . How you acquire them is your challenge . Best wishes for a harmonious out come . Bill

Nice idea those should be a great revenue producer for a long time .Thanks for posting your pics . I enjoyed hearing of your craft show adventures as well . I keep saying I am going to do one of those and never get to it . Maybe before Christmas there will be a pow wow I can do . Like those better any way . Thanks for all you do here and may I say I always enjoy your posts . Good to know you are enjoying life and your time at the bench. Bill

Nothing at all wrong with this . The key to the edge is sequence ,cut your stitching grove while the leather still has a shoulder on it . The tool used to finish the edge is called a "EDGER" they come in different sizes according to the thickness of the leather . Some cut a round edge others a flat edge ,that will be your choice . The edge can be sanded and shaped before its burnished . When you consider the line between being too close to the edge and too far away is maybe a 1/8 of a inch how can you find fault with your self for that ? Its a good looking project ,a good design ,should give you good service for a very long time . Bill

Nicely done for first attempt . There is a oval punch available for the holes ,just a small detail for later . Thanks for showing your work . Bill

I have no expertise in holsters ,but they certainly look well done . Thanks for sharing your work . The stitching is perfect the whole project is "Tight" any one would be proud to be using a fine piece of gear like this . Bill

Done all delivered cash in hand . Finally got the draft paper I need to complete the patterns for the horse . Cant belive large graph paper is 22.95 fo a pad . Send the patterns on Monday and off to Santa Fe on Tuesday . Long trip by train takes all day up and back . Need to learn something new this week end so its back to the bench . Time to make some bags that I havent done in awhile . Bill Thanks for the kind words and encouragement . Bill

Must be the technique these copper rivets are good enough for rodeo gear correctly installed they arent coming apart . After you have set the rivet punch a hole in some belt leather scrap ,place on the post and use your setting tool to bottom it out . Use your nippers to cut the post off close to the scrap . Take a fine file and file the post down to the leather taking care to file flat . The scrap should be large enough to prevent the file from making a hickey on your project . Now remove the scrap and take the domeing tool and give it a couple of good hits to dome the post . Makes a finished look to the post ,looks just right . Might wish to pick up a good hunk of steel for a pounding /setting base . It makes a difference a real big difference .