NVLeatherWorx

That is true about sharing the info yet there are plenty of resources that Tandy has provided over the years that gives you the very answer to this question so it isn't really private after all. The reality is that the final weight used is going to be based on the item being made and its intended use, the heavier the use and the more durability required, the thicker the leather or need to make it 2-ply. That is always a personal choice and one that the maker has to decide upon. When it comes to the PM's that I have sent out I have been giving these people the very same direction that you can find, today, on the Tandy site (or other places) if you so desire and then give them what I base my decisions on. No secrets here, just giving them some direct and personalized guidance. Most of my items are made from 4-5 with 2-3 or 3-4 internal components, larger items and bags are typically 5-6 and the heavy use bags are 6-7, no need to go any thicker. The only thing that gets anything thicker is belts and the lowest I go is 9-10 for most belts, 8-9 for the casual style line. I have walked away from pigskin a long time ago as even just liner as it really detracts from the more refined look that the modern consumer in my area is looking for, it is all about that rich leather look around here and pigskin just doesn't fit into that any more. So there, now the secret is out.

What size are they? Have you checked out Ohio Travel Bag? OTB has a wide range of stuff so don't let the name of the company fool you.

My dye/stain station is a simple 2' x 4' work top that has been covered with some cheap clear contact paper which then put a full sized piece of heavy craft paper over. Anything that does bleed through is easily wiped off and nothing gets through to the wood surface. I also have a section of another station that is done this way where I use any adhesives that are required (such as lining gluing); contact paper lets you just peel any drops or other stuff right off with no issue.

And there, WinterBear, has nailed the whole thing on the head. The clerk/manager who rang up the transaction is solely at fault for the whole thing, period. Adding a charge to any future transaction that is based on their mistake is just flat bad business and, I am sure, would violate some laws out there. Tandy is no different than any other business out there, they have all of these "mistakes" programmed into the business model and accounting and that is a fact. Those of you who have a business should have the same thing factored into your operations. There are always things coming up short, whether it is an item that has been shoplifted or a clerk gives back more change than they should have, every business has something like this happen and none of us are any different. Knowing that, is it in your best interest the next time you see that customer that you gave too much change back to or just missed ringing up a smaller item only to charge them for it or ask for it to be returned? The answer is NO! The error was made and you suck it up, just make sure that everyone pays better attention from that moment forward. The manager in question regarding the OP was dead wrong and should have actually been fired for their actions; I know that if I were the one over this person they would have been gone for that. These types of actions bring a very negative light on the business as a whole (as found within the contents of this entire topic) and that negative light is what will create a firestorm of public lashings and loss of business, and that all happens company wide, not just the local store level.

@JosephConnell: PM sent.

Just hope the user of the belt doesn't decide to change out the buckle. I only use Chicago screws on my belts; they are more secure than a snap yet still allow the user to change out the buckle if they desire.

Hopefully it was the "corporate option" that he was offered and that he didn't get away before he could be called out on his shortcomings.

The outcome of the finish is totally based on what product you use and what resisting technique, if any that you use. If you want something colored in full coverage then you use a dye, if you want something to have more of a highlight effect then you would use either a highlight stain formulation or even an Antique finish. The outcome is controlled by you, not necessarily the product. I have used Fiebing's since I was 8 years old (and it has been a long time) and have found no reason to switch to anything else. I have experimented with some other formula's and found that they just weren't as flexible as the overall Fiebing's brand of products. I buy direct from Fiebing's, as a wholesaler.

You can really apply the oil before or after, your choice. When wetting the leather at a fold location be sure to wet the BACK side of the leather (the flesh side) so as not to cause the dye/finish to discolor (and it will happen, especially if you use any of the water based products). Treat it just like the casing process: dampen the leather, let it sit for a few minutes until it looks like it is starting to return to normal color (but you should be able to still feel some dampness to the touch) then carefully fold your lines as needed. Above all, do not try to flatten it out with a mallet as you can put the fold at risk of cracking, regardless of whether or not you oiled it, and you can also bring some of the moisture out to the grain side being as you are no forcing the leather to fold.

I know there are still some places where there may be one, or if you are really lucky two, employees that may know something about working with the products that they sell but that is now a very uncommon thing as it is not part of their business model anymore. I have been told very clearly by the store manager in my area and some corporate level staffers as well that they are there to sell product not work with it. This was very obvious to me one day when I did go into the store around here to see a friend of mine (who works there) and got into a conversation with one of their M.I.T.'s (Manager in Training) about a side of leather, more specifically, there was a side of Craftsman Oak that looked better than the same weight side that was marked as Oak-Leaf yet the Oak-Leaf is supposedly their next higher grade. When I commented on it she told me to my face that all of their leather is really just the same quality and that the only difference between the two was in the pricing that was applied. I found that very interesting that a person who was being trained to be a Manager of a store was saying that and when I asked her where she got her information on their product lines from her training materials and discussions. With this now out there, it is painfully obvious that the Tandy name has long since been tarnished and unless the corporate minds pull their heads out of their fifth point of contact their company has a very bleak future. The Leather Factory itself was not doing well as it was but Tandy was in that bad of a situation that they couldn't fight it off and ultimately had to give in. And it is also very true indeed that the rest of the Tandy branded ventures sucked the life right out of it and caused the debacle that we now know as Tandy Leather Factory.

The Leather Factory was an independent business that came to be in an effort to compete against Tandy and the other guys; they got big and eventually bought the Tandy brand name as it was more readily recognized and had a solid following. I considered it much like a hostile takeover but it happened and here we are. Tandy was much better when the entire staff knew about their product and how to use it. You walk into a store today and ask a staffer to demo a tool for you and they have no clue how they even work. As has been covered previously, they are a corporation and all they see is the bottom line, they forget where that bottom line originates from and apparently don't quite get it that you have to keep your customers happy and well treated if you expect that bottom line to maintain and/or grow. I get all of my supplies from other sources, mostly from the origin source. I have a direct buy with Fiebing's, H.O., Maine Thread Company, etc. and can get anything that Tandy has available for a fraction of what they could give me as a business customer. Why should one waist their time, and money, with someone who doesn't care about anything other than just money when they can do themselves better by shopping elsewhere? Just doesn't make sense.

Well that is a good thing to base an existence off of, returns! The fact that Tandy is good at that type of program pretty much answers the OP's original question then. This discussion has finally solved itself. The quality of their tools today, even their "Professional" line, is well below an acceptable standard and there are several "cheap" tools out there from other sources that perform far better than the current Craftool line. In fact, Tandy should be ashamed for still using that name as it once meant quality and it was also the Gold Standard at one time. If it wasn't for the fact that the quality of the Craftool line took a dive you wouldn't have those other tool makers out there in the number that you do; they exist because we demand quality and reliability. All of this started when the Leather Factory decided to make the move on Tandy Leather; ever since that take-over it has been all down hill, and there is still some distance to be covered.

All of those names have pretty much disappeared.

Hey Art, is Gateway even still around? Haven't seen that cow box around here in a very long time.

Every once in awhile I run across a piece of leather that just has this issue written all over it and I handle it by soaking it to the point where it can't hold anymore water and then just set it aside and let it dry out for 2 days. Typically it will tighten up a bit as it has shrunk from the soaking and drying process, but it only tightens up a little bit. Down side is that when I use a piece like this I don't really put any conditioning oil to it as it would just make like it was in the first place. Hopefully, you will be able to work something out with the seller but we all know how they can be. Good luck with your endeavor and it would be interesting to hear what comes out of it.

That is an indication of fatty leather; either it was a very fat cow or it is close to the belly. I have worked with some pre-cut straps before that did the same thing but I knew to expect it going into them because the leather was overly supple for its weight (10 to 11 oz., should be pretty stiff/firm if from the correct location for belt/strapping use). You also can see this happen if the leather has been over conditioned (too much oil/conditioner applied, makes it spongy and this is what it can look like on thicker leather).

Too much alcohol will dry out the leather and leave it brittle. I use a blend of white vinegar, lemon juice, and water; nowhere near as harsh as the other methods indicated.

That specific cut of leather is not of the premium grade and the reason that they have it is that they have cut some shorter belt straps from the side that it was part of. In other words, you have basically purchased a piece of scrap (so to speak) and this is cut from their Craftsman grade which is advertised as having such marks. There is no need to go "warning" people about purchasing from Springfield. Many of us use them and have had no issues, but that is because we know about the various grades and cuts and only purchase the quality that we are looking for. Budget priced materials, regardless of what they are, will yield a budget looking result.

If I understand correctly you have already applied a stain then the oil, right? If the stain color is a very light one then you will want to apply a resist over the areas that you want to maintain the lighter shade on, I use Clear-Lac from Springfield Leather. This also takes in the assumption that your intention is to apply a darker Antique of course. If you have applied a dark stain/day with full coverage then there is really no benefit available from wanting to apply an Antique as it will not enhance the final appearance enough to even show or matter.

I like your thinking. Modify the base item that you CAN'T get small parts for to work with the parts that you CAN get from another source. Hmm.

Ralph Lauren does.

PM sent with some details for you. Good luck with your projects.

I know that you can get individual dies from Ohio Travel Bag but I believe they are for the Osborne press (or something very similar in design); don't know if they are interchangeable but you may want to give them a look.

The best results that I have had for resisting are either Super Sheen (works best for water based products) or Clear-Lac (works for all products but gives best results with non-water based products). I have been using the Clear-Lac (used to be Neat-Lac) since the 70's and it has never let me down. The trick to all of these is to apply at least 2 coats before doing anything else and always make sure that it has had ample time to properly dry and set (typically 8 hours min.); always test your results on scrap first. However, you cannot use any of these products or the resist technique with actual dyes as they are chemically engineered to penetrate through such things and get into the cells of the leather; there is no resist technique for dyes. Have worked with some of the other items such as Leather Balm and such and found that they are a great conditioner and protective coating for after you have done your coloring but not very good as a resist product.

I know that they have the entire set of dies for the line 24 system but don't believe they actually sell the individual components.