NVLeatherWorx

Item #L-1191-NP This is available at Ohio Travel Bag, it is a bit larger than what you are looking at on the image you supplied. I recall this being a question that came up within the past couple of years and I think there was a thread on it somewhere here in the forums, just can't remember where though. Sorry couldn't be of more help for you.

It is in fact used to create pouch styled key pockets. The "W" portion of this hardware is sandwiched between 2 pieces of leather and stitched in so that when you squeeze it the pouch opens up and you can dump your keys out/tuck them away. It has been awhile since I have seen one of these but I still have at least 5 of these key pouches from my younger years. Were quite popular for awhile.

In lieu of purchasing a spray gun you can visit a local Hobby Supplies Store and see if they have the Preval Spray System. It is an air canister that attaches to the Preval Jar where you have the dye. Thin the dye down a bit and give the leather a spray to see where you are at. They used to be common with Tandy but they quit selling them awhile back; I have also seen them in the big DIY stores (Lowe's, Home Depot) and even on Amazon. They do pretty darn good without all of the more expensive investment of a full blown system. At least that way you can determine whether or not a spray system may be a future need.

Tandy leather is hit and miss for the most part and that is why anyone who is serious about creating nice looking finished pieces should invest in the better quality leathers. Besides, a person can get the best leathers at wholesale for much less per square foot than the best grade from Tandy; I do it every time I order my leather (I get Hermann Oak for $7.95 a square foot and it isn't the low end stuff; and that is the everyday wholesale price that anyone with an account would pay). Stay away from vegetable based oils for conditioning, they can go rancid as others have said and it also attracts unwanted critters; it is a food stuff and they can smell that a mile away (or more). And, as has been mentioned several times already) always dampen any fold lines on the flesh side (fuzzy sied) of the leather and let it penetrate a bit before you fold it over. This allows for the leather to be more flexible and by doing it on the flesh side you won't be risking some discoloration that you are sure to get on the grain side. Basically, you have been given several tidbits of information on everything that caused an issue for you and if you put all of them to use in your process you will find the success that you are looking for. Like the accent pieces that you put together for this one, gives it a bit more eye-catching detail. And don't over oil. You used the term "liberally" when mentioning how much oil you applied which typically means that you applied quite a bit; this can give the leather too much conditioning that will now not set and your leather will become spongy and won't accept adhesives very well regardless of whether or not you sand/rough up the contact areas for the glue. Too much oil will also result in color bleed no matter how much you buff; it has nowhere to go but out.

The Buckle Guy website is just like everyone else out there, they have an estimated shipping rate that is based on how each item is programmed but that is not ever the final rate. I have ordered hardware to the tune of almost 100 pounds total weight and it was shipped in 3 different boxes for a total shipping charge of just around the $19 mark. This is a common practice that you will find on many of the websites that we all use on a daily basis so dropping an order just because you can't understand the estimate process is kind of ridiculous. If it is that critical then just phone the order in and I can guarantee that you will have an accurate shipping charge by the end of that conversation. Most shipping rates are not estimates and only rough quotes; even Tandy has this issue with their site and I have never seen an order on their site ship for the higher rate that was estimated.

This needs to be moved to the category for actual machines.

You might want to post this in the category for sewing and machines, this category is for things like snaps, rivets, supplies, etc. that are not machine related.

Although Neatsfoot Oil will indeed go bad you took a shot in the dark by heating it up and you were right to do so. I actually heat mine up everyday and I apply it to my leather while warm; I have found that it penetrates the leather better and gets into the fibers much deeper and quicker. Just be cautious with warm oil though because you can over apply very easily.

Just an FYI but Saddle Soap is really a cleaner and not a conditioner contrary to what some may think. You should be okay with the Atom Wax but if you have some olive oil you can give it a light coating first; just make sure that it is very light because olive oil can be over applied very easily.

I too make my own blend but have never used Tallow in the mix; just use pure beeswax, pure Neatsfoot Oil (you want to stay away from the Compound varieties), and pure Cocoa Butter in my blend. When I was stationed in Germany and on Border Patrol along the Iron Curtain we used to waterproof our boots with lard (pig fat); got the idea from our West German counterparts who said it was an old Farmer's blend and it worked like a charm. It also gave the leather more of an insulating property than it already has so not only were our feet dry they were also warm and when you are walking around in the countryside in thigh high snow that is a very good thing to have.

This belt is indeed put together very well and, although the stitching is a chore when first getting going with it, I have to agree with everyone that it gets easier as you do it more. I have been hand stitching for over 40 years and just can't find myself doing it any other way. Like some have mentioned here you find yourself all of the sudden getting it done much faster but then you look for the next project to see if there is a new challenge to it that will fill your time again; just the way an artist works I guess. Like @YinTx said, he spends a full day on one of these and I am sure that you most likely broke it down into sections as well which doesn't matter because you control the flow and the outcome, nobody else. When I make a 2-ply belt both layers are 8 to 9 oz. and I stitch at 6 spi so now I have doubled the thickness that a standard belt would normally be and I have gone with a tight stitching pattern which adds to the difficulty but, having hand stitched a saddle or two in my day, I feel right at home with it but then again it isn't new for me so it comes much more naturally. But if you think stitching is something, I had a purse project awhile back that the client wanted laced so took the project and went with it, 14 hours of lacing alone on this project; total project time was 44 hours (heavily hand-tooled which ate up a bunch of time) but this is what I do so I don't really notice it. Still, very good job on the belt and you should keep with it regardless of what you are making. I am looking forward to seeing more of your works as time goes on, providing you want to share them of course.

Reality is that the round hole punches are just fine, the oval thing is just a visual thing and does not lend itself to any better performance over the life of the belt. Besides, who really looks at the hole style on a belt? The flash of a belt is in the overall style and design.

I was highly disappointed when Tandy discontinued the Neat-Lac but once I found ClearLac and found out that it is the original Neat-Lac I jumped on it and haven't looked back. I love that stuff; great finish and the finest resist.

This is not the same Neat-Lac that we all knew and loved, this version is water-based lacquer that does not give the same results as what we got from the original. The original Neat-Lac is still available but just under the original name that the manufacturer had for it all these years - ClearLac. You can purchase ClearLac from Springfield Leather.

I wish I had an answer for all of you but I haven't heard from him in awhile. I do know that none of his website concepts are up and running yet (based on the names that we had discussed) and I know that he was looking to get some samples from another manufacturer due to the original one wanting to change the "rules of the game" on him. Hopefully he is monitoring these forums and chimes in for us.

That is true but then he probably needs to start looking at some of these shows a bit deeper to see what, and who, is out there trying to peddle their low quality junk and then find an alternative venue. I do this all the time if I find a show that I am interested in the first thing I will do is visit it and spend some time walking around the entire thing to see what is out there on the "sales floor" and then talk with some of the other vendors to get an idea of what their processes are and all that stuff. If I find that the event is actually more inclined to gather the low-end seller community I move on and continue my search. This has worked very well for me as so far, for the past 8 years now, I am the ONLY leather craftsman that is in the shows I participate in and some of these shows have upwards of 200 vendors. I participate in shows that cover the entire Northern half of Nevada as well as some out of State shows that are in close proximity to my region. I can tell you that there are several leather workers in my area but none of them "come out to play" and it is because they admit that they just don't put the time into their craft to be good enough with their skills to sell in person. I know some of them have Etsy shops or sell on eBay but they often tell me that they are having a difficult time getting sales even when they drop their prices; they basically chalk it up to their unpracticed skills and end up giving their things away as gifts to friends and family. I even have one of them who actually purchases his personal use goods from me instead of making them himself even though he has a small shop in one of the retail centers in Reno; don't that beat all!? Bottom line is that you will not be successful if you are trying to compete with other "makers" or sellers of similar items that are just trying to get a little spending cash back on their materials; if you are trying sell serious you need to be in a serious venue/event/show and you need to sell your product for its value and merit. We have all fallen victim to it at one time or another but we learned from it that we need to change our "environment" if we want to succeed and that is exactly what the "big fella" in Jeff's story needs to do if he wants to sell some of his wares. I don't compete with other makers/sellers/craftsman because I am not them nor like them and none of us are the same as another and I darn sure don't compete with the likes of eBay, Walmart, and every other low-priced low-quality no value merchandise or the seller of such items; I am a business with all of the things that go with it and I know that what I make is quality because I have been making and selling custom pieces since 1978 and have customers around the globe that have never had to contact me with an issue yet, guess something is going right somewhere. And yes, I get to converse with one or two every now and then just to let them know that I am still around and if they need anything just holler. I don't make my bills and everything else on Etsy because that market is just flooded with sub-standard junk of all kinds and there are so many leather goods pedlars that make the same stuff as the other guy with a large number of them actually just finishing kits purchased from Tandy and calling it handmade and explaining all the work they put into the design and blah blah blah; have to laugh every time I run across one of them and it seems that there are at least 3 to 5 new "craftsmen" every day that fall into this category of skill level. I just have my shop out there for those who are serious about quality leather to be able to get in touch with me and have something special made. I spend a large amount of time teaching the craft and trade of leather work with the emphasis on the intricate skills and techniques required for detailed carved & tooled designs; which you have become very good at if I you don't mind my saying so. It is listed as you interest in your profile and I must say that you are achieving it quite well. Always love to see what you and others are working on and how you have all come along over the time since joining these forums and your successes are what makes the guys like me who have been lucky enough to be doing this as long as I have feel good about the future of this craft and trade.

Hey @YinTx Don't forget all of those "handmade" and "hand tooled" items that are spread across Etsy and every other Marketplace like that. I have a shop on Etsy and I frequently get contacted regarding why my pricing for the "same item" is more than "Joe So & So"? I have to explain to them that first of all, I don't have or make the same thing as "Joe So & So" nor anybody else; and the second thing I point out is that I cut each piece of leather I use on everything I make and then do all of the work by hand whereas "Joe So & So" and his buddies (the vast majority of the other sellers) purchase their items as kits from a supplier or have someone else make them for them and then they put their name on it and that the vast majority of the items made by others are not really made by hand. I end many of the conversations with the statement, "just because someone touched the leather doesn't mean that the finished product is handmade, it is just manhandled." Bottom line, if you want that "handmade" eBay, Walmart, Etsy Kit Crafter, or other "bargain basement" price then go ahead and buy it from one of those sources but don't expect me to come down to their valueless level because it ain't happening; I make items that will last you for decades and even a lifetime, not some garbage that is intended to be replaced within the next 6 to 12 months (and that is if you are lucky).

And isn't it ironic (more accurately moronic) that this guy is not truly a Vegan? Afterall, he obviously loves meat, furs, and everything else that a living animal can provide. It is the idiots like this guy that help us leather guys support out story and puts the fake leather material imitators out to pasture, with the cows of course.

Especially when you take into consideration that you said he has changed his wants so many times. Once I quote a person a price, and that is based on the reality of materials and real labor time, that is the price that they will pay, for what they have originally asked for. If I have client decide that they want to change things then I politely let them know that there WILL be additional charges due to the fact that I now have to redesign the project, change what has already been done, and that any additional materials will be added to the change; to make sure that they understand how much of an impact that/those changes have on things I almost double the labor that will be required to make said changes because they are now requiring me to let other customers know that their orders will be taking longer than expected due to an in progress project that will require additional time to make. It is kind of like a "shaming" thing but if they really want it then fine, if not then they get what we originally agreed to and things stay on track. Besides, the extra labor charged for such changes is to basically cover any discounts that I now have to give to those who have to wait longer; somebody has to pay for the time here and I have to discount something because of someone else not being able to stick to their order that was agreed upon then they are on the hook for potential loss in revenue. I operate a business and my business has expenses and they will be covered.

If you really want to know how these are made then I can lay it out for you but suffice it to say that there is absolutely NO leather elements on these belts at all. Even though the thin top layer/cover feels, looks, and sometimes even smells like leather, it ain't and there is no changing that fact. I would hazard a guess that even the "dangler" is made from an artificial material. These types of belts are so cheap to buy that it makes it a bit tougher to try and get anyone to listen to you about the advantage of buying a belt that you make so I have several commercially produced belts, some leather but most not, that I have with me to every show and market that I attend and I have partially disassembled each one to show the buyer how they are made. I even have big designer names on my example rack and they are not made as finely as one would believe. Most of the time the example rack experience gets the point across and it is a great thing when you can finally see that "the lights are on and somebody is home" but there are also those who couldn't find the switch if you put their hand on it for them and these dimwits will continue to think that there is still value in replacing their belt that is made from recycled cereal boxes every few months.

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I make my blend with Beeswax, Pure Neatfoot Oil, and Cocoa Butter; the portions are where the difference is and those I don't share too openly as we all have our own perspective of what feel we want. I must say that although my leather conditioner sets up very firm, once you get some heat on it (even from your finger) it turns into a smooth cream that you can easily apply where you need it. It also sets in a bit faster and can be buffed out a bit sooner than some other blends that I have made in the past. I don't go too low on the percentage of Beeswax because that is the ONLY water repelling ingredient that is in the mix and if it is too low you won't get any benefit from it being in the blend. I go no less than 25% on the Beeswax and I can sit at a show with a piece of scrap leather that I treat right in front of a customer and then put a hefty drop of water on it to show how it works. I have left that drop of water on the treated leather for up to 6 hours before you could see any potential change in the protection; this goes a very long way when a customer asks what the benefit of your conditioner is over that of others or store bought versions. Reality is that unless you leave your leather goods out in pouring rain or cover it with snow it will never be exposed to water as long as do on my demonstrations. And, during the demonstrations once you see any change in the surface, just wipe it off and let it set for about 30 minutes then add a light application and buff out for a beautiful unchanged look. There are those who use Olive Oil, and it is understandable why as it is a good conditioner, but as with all other vegetable/plant based oils it will go rancid and it will attract critters of the unwanted kind; bottom line is that is still a food product regardless of how it is refined. Some say the same about Cocoa Butter but even though you can eat it in its raw form (which is what I use in my blend) it isn't a food grade product that goes rancid and is one of the most widely used natural fats in the cosmetic industry; it is found in may facial creams, lip balm, soaps, etc. and is so widely used because it doesn't spoil like some other natural ingredients do that are used in these products.

Hello and welcome. Not to dissuade you any but might I suggest though that before you take on ANY projects that you learn how to work with leather, practice to refine some skills, and then start with the making of smaller items so that you can gain some experience? I say this because this craft is not as simple as it may seem by watching some YouTube video or reading some FREE PDF on how to work with leather, it is a true skilled trade and is one that takes many hours to even understand before you get to technique and other things; I have been working with leather for over 40 years yet there are still things that can be learned and these new things require time, patience, and practice before I can move on to the next new thing. Slowing down and actually learning how to properly work the leather and create the things that you want to make will turn you into a better craftsman who will be able to provide quality finished items to those whom you make them for; there is no "fast track" here with leather and the most important thing to have when entering this trade is a passion for it because you don't make millions with the end product. Again, welcome and hope that you will step back from any projects until you have some knowledge, practice, and time under your belt so that you can be a much more successful craftsman. You have come to the right place to learn all of this but it will only help you if you are serious about your intentions and truly want to learn how to be a good craftsman and maker of the finer things in life; we are here for you if you need us.

Nice addition to what has already been said @JazzBass and you are correct. I started learning this craft when I was 8 years old (that is about 46 years ago) and I have spent the time since then on a continual learning spree while also working the craft and selling around the globe. It was not the idea to learn this craft for the money but it was to eventually be at a level where I could make money with it. Over these years I have pretty much learned, and worked, every aspect of this craft from the simple little things like key case, through handbags and fashion items all the way up to Saddle making so I have committed to my craft and I do love it very much. However, we have all seen newcomers come and go here in these forums because they obviously thought that you just pick this up one day and be a raging success even though the information has been openly shared about what it takes. In your case alone, you have opened yourself up within these forums with the intent on learning as much as you can from those who are willing to share and in return you have been able to share some of your experiences with others which is how this all comes together. I remember when @bikermutt07 first entered these forums and introduced himself; he had questions that were abundant and had already made some simple little mistakes in direction and thinking before he got here but once he started getting information and guidance he was in search of more and has taken what he has learned, put it to use, and has also become a great contributor of guidance, wisdom, and friendship. I have seen how your passion for what you are doing has shaped your presence here and I am glad to see how quickly you have enhanced your skills enough to be able to give back for those who are where, as you said, have all started out. And one of these days I will make it down to Vegas, got some family there, and maybe we can get to together and chat a bit in person. After all, I am only about 386 miles North of you.

Production time is based on how much design detail you put into the intended product and how much time you will need to make each wallet as you have designed it. You control the whole process and that process will take more or less time based on our experience level. There is no fast and set rule on time as we all require a different amount. For example, there are wallet designs that I make starting at 2 hours for a plain Jane version with the same base design requiring up to 6 hours for an intricately carved and tooled version; the level of work and detail all have a factor into that. Now, with no actual experience or skill to put into the equation (as you have stated) these same wallets could require at least 4 (or more) hours as a basic version all the way up to 12 or more hours for the intricate version. Furthermore, the skill, experience and techniques required to all of these various tasks is not something that happens overnight or can just be applied on day one. These things require time and practice to get to a level where what you produce can be sold for a reasonable price; this price will be able to be increased as you get better but it should be said that until you have a grasp of the basics of design, cutting, finishing (dye, stain, seal, etc.), edge finishing, stitching/lacing, and everything else it takes to complete just one project, you will not be successful at trying to go down the road that you are heading towards at this time. Do not take this as a suggestion to not even try as that is not the case here. The suggestion, from myself as well as what @chrisash is getting at is to first learn all of the elements that go into making an item, practice them until you can produce repeatable results that look good, and then give it a go. If you do it the right way and take in any advice or guidance provided by those here who offer it, you can start working towards what you are trying to get to but you have to be patient. There isn't a single person within these forums or anywhere else on this planet who just had an idea, asked a couple questions, watched a video, and then went to work producing sellable items that made them money. Everyone has to start somewhere and you have come to the right place to get the help you need, as long as you are willing to listen to us and follow the guidance that we offer.