NVLeatherWorx

Pretty much any office supply store sells those transparency sheets that used to be used for overhead projection. The modern versions can even be printed on with either an InkJet or Laser printer if you have the patterns on a computer. Either way, these sheets are much thicker than any of the tracing papers, films or even vellum and can be used several times over. This is what I use and to ensure that the film has a longer life span I use an old fine point ballpoint pen that has long been empty of ink as my stylus. This gives much more control over the flow of the lines and also gives you a more comfortable feeling when using it which prevents the fear of applying too much pressure when tracing over a line. Been doing it this way for over 20 years and haven't had any issues with it yet.

Thanks for the heads-up on that one Bruce. Don't know why the label would be too big for the box considering I have always used their label sheets anyway and there is no different information that prints out on them; customs documents are a separate form so that would not apply. However, knowing how the USPS tends to operate within a zone of confusion sometimes it would not surprise me if it wasn't thought through very well before the decision was made to eliminate it from our options. Good thing is that I only ship the larger packages overseas anyway as it is really not cost effective to ship a small box with a little old wallet to Europe or anywhere else anyway. Again though, thanks for that info; guess we need to keep an eye on other unannounced changes coming out of the USPS.

I have found that UPS is used by just about everyone from the overseas areas and that their involvement with standard letter size items has increased as well. When you look at how much the Postal Service now handles items that are technically UPS or FedEx, who in their right mind would even think about using those two? For that reason I have made my primary shipper the USPS; not to mention, the ability to obtain free Priority Mail shipping boxes and such items makes it even more beneficial and to be able to just go online, log into my business account, and then print my postage and other documentation for anywhere I need it to go, was a no-brainer. Now I just walk into my local Post Office and just set my stuff on the counter and walk out because I already have all of the tracking information I need and they have not let me down yet. Best move you can make is to keep the Postal Services alive because we all know that it ain't easy for them nowadays.

I am USA based but I only use USPS Priority for ALL shipping, domestic or international, and I do that because I refuse to give UPS or FedEx any of my money as they are the biggest gougers out there. Sometimes the USPS rates might seem high for the international customers but anything going over there is a high dollar value item anyway so it is all relative. We have both UPS and FedEx using the USPS to finish delivery of most smaller items here in the US anyway under their special shipping programs and we are always charged their higher rates for these packages. I pretty much don't even give anyone my business if I don't get the option of selecting WHO I want handling my packages anymore; why pay twice as much for a shipment when it isn't necessary? I also prefer to support my smaller package handler versus the big guys as they are always here for us; can't say that about the other ones. What was UPS using as a tagline not too long ago: What can Brown do for you? I always looked at it this way: What has Brown done for you? And FedEx with their "The World on Time", who's time? They have the worst record for prompt service so they obviously meant on their time and not that of you or your client. If you can get good rates and service that meets your needs through your local postal agency go with it; cut out any need for UPS and FedEx when you can.

I was taught long ago that you should apply your Neatsfoot Oil after your leather has dried from stamping/tooling and before dye/stain application. I pour some oil into a small glass bowl, put it into the microwave for about 30 seconds, apply liberally using sheep's wool/synthetic wool pads, and then let it set for about 8 hours so it can penetrate. I apply a second treatment following the same process. Once the second treatment has set for at least 8 hours I can then apply my dye/stain and then let it dry for at least 8 hours. Apply another treatment of dye/stain if necessary and let dry at least 8 hours. Once my dye/stain has set, buff off any excess/pigment materials, apply another oil treatment (following same process as in the beginning) and let set at least 8 hours. From here you apply your top coat/sealer/protectant as needed and you should be done. This is how I was taught years ago (before microwave's we would heat it in a small pan until you could see the surface shimmer). Heating the oil does allow it to penetrate better and it also mixes the oil elements and keeps them bonded together. You will notice that once you have heated the oil, you will not see the typical separation of the lubricating elements from the particles.

Yup, tatsumi called it. Nothing more used here aside from a swivel knife and then opening up the cuts with the ball end of a modeling stylus. And you can open the cuts even further if you roll the leather onto a rounded object (as shown in the examples) and let it dry that way.

It isn't that I don't like the Social Media scene, it is just that it isn't what everyone thinks it is. Social Media exposure is just like being set up every day at a local Flea Market; you get the interest and some looks but you are getting them from people who aren't really interested in what you do and they damn well aren't going to buy anything. That doesn't necessarily mean that you won't get an order or two from within these source areas but your chances are best when you are part of a specialty group that has an association with what you are doing. Take these forums for example; we all gather here to talk, ask and share our knowledge with those from all levels of experience. You can do that as well within Facebook, as long as you are a member of a special FB group that has some relationship to what you do; Steampunk is a great example of that. However, you would not get anything from just having a general Facebook page out to promote your business or your work because that is not what the common FB user is out there looking for. It is for that very reason that FB is not a priority for me to constantly dedicate my time to and there are several events that I participate in that promote their butts off via FB to the open market and their results from these campaigns are pretty much the same. FB is great for targeted group communications but that is where it ends. The rest of it is just for the common narcissist who just wants the world to love them. If this hurts anyone's feelings, oh well.

@ConradPark No offense taken on that and I agree that there are even some leather workers right here in the US that are doing their fair share of the "low ball" price game which does, as you so graciously stated, make it very difficult for a true Professional Craftsman/Maker to sell their products at a fair and reasonable price to sustain business operations. However, the comments regarding anything that is made in a foreign country, China and the bulk of Asia especially, is intended to bring attention to the practices from within those regions to flood the market with cheap priced, and to put it very frankly, cheaply made products, which achieved through their "slave labor" styled practices. That is not to say that every leather worker from those areas, or any other area for that matter, is involved in that type of practice as I know some true Professionals within our craft that charge properly for their products and they too have the same issues that we do and they also make the same comments regarding the difficulty to try and compete against these practices. The main thing here is that we all have to accept the fact that no matter where we are in the world, there is someone just "down the road from us" that is selling similar type items for way below what we do. Whether they are a hobby worker or a large corporation that just pumps out substandard quality items to flood the market with volume, they exist and it is only fitting that they be called out for their practices. With regards to the whole Etsy thing, they are just one of the several outlets where we can find the cheap, substandard quality, flood of garbage that is on sale for below "rock bottom" pricing. I frequently notice that most of what you find from leather workers on Etsy is nothing more than the popular kits from Tandy or other such sources and that the majority of the designs/patterns are what actually come with the kit. These items are even assembled using the thread and/or lace that is included with the kit (and I can tell you for a fact that these are not their premium materials). Most of the finished products are barely priced over the actual retail price that was paid for the kits, and a few have some more realistic prices that reflect the level of detail put into the finished product. The bottom line here is that anyone trying to make a living on using kits as their source of materials is not a professional, regardless of the level of craftsmanship that is put into the finished product. A professional craftsman selects every piece used in the fabrication of a finished product from raw materials which in our case is sides, shoulders, skins, etc. and we have these items readily available. A professional is always finding new ways to make an item and the majority of patterns (product patterns that is) are their own creations or at least collaborations. We always find a way to improve our product and we frequently change up our product lines just to make sure that we can maintain our niche market. This is what justifies a proper price and nobody who is a true Professional should ever think twice about their pricing. We conduct business professionally and we are fair with our clients but we will not tolerate PITA clients nor allow them to influence others. If that means that we recognize them for what they really are and then can make them realize how their conduct results in being held accountable, then whatever it takes is what we need to do. I don't tolerate any client or even a potential client who presents themselves the way the customer associated with this thread did; I post my policies for all to see and if they don't like them they can move on. If they make a purchase and then immediately try to create an issue I just refer them to the agreement that they acknowledged and then will contact them and ask them what part they didn't understand. Not to be rude or offensive to them but if a person indicates that they have read and understand the contents of an agreement they are legally bound by that agreement whether they read it or not. That is pretty much the law around the world when it comes to business operations but the policies that protect us are the most forgotten area of setting up any business outlet, Etsy, Ebay, or even our own websites. If you don't let the people know UP FRONT how you conduct your business and what they should expect, you don't have a leg to stand on when an issue such as this arises. On the other hand, if you have it all laid out for the world to see then when you get the "problem child" customer you just remind them of what they agreed to and move on. If you get a threat of legal action all you do is tell them that you will see them in court along with the documentation related to the sell and they all of the sudden shut up because they realize that you are serious about your business. You can't say that for those "market flooders" though, they are just out to get that quick buck and move to the next "bargain basement sucker".

Although the idea is a nice one, and even though I do have a Facebook page, I do not focus my efforts on the social media wing of life because the majority of those swimming in that pool are just out to find something to like in hopes that they will receive the same in return. There really is no major value to using the the social media realm as a main push for exposure. The reality of it is that what we do is not an important enough topic in everyday life to attract enough of an audience. I update my page once in awhile with event attendance listings but that is pretty much it. That is just my opinion but with all of the emphasis being on "what I have done today" or "guess who I like" or all of that other drama world garbage, Facebook is just another MySpace or other like collection of people who don't actually know what reality is. Those of us who have functioning brain cells, and it takes quite a few for us to what we do, really don't have anything to offer those kool-aid drinkers anyway, aside from a bunch of beautiful pictures that they will all add to their Pinterest pinboards (there is another waste of space). Social media is not what it was thought to be and if you want the proof of it, just look at what the real hot topics are within the SM realm. Not art, not reality, not current events; it is all about nothing important. I like your idea HippieLee about giving it a big target objective but the truth is that obtaining that number of 500 per se would take a very long time and I am not one who has the time to waste on monitoring this contest because my time goes towards working with a real client on a real project. It is a novel idea but there are better things for us to spend out time on. If anyone out there has done one thought it would be interesting to hear the details.

@rawcustom and @Pablo27: Amen guys. That is the short and sweet of it. Anyone reading this topic, if you want a great example of what these guys just said take a look at how the larger majority of Americans are complaining about everything. Want to know a little secret? The ones that are complaining are the ones who aren't doing anything to contribute to the system in the first place. Nothing like biting the hand that feeds you is there?

@Redochre: It sounds like she is really trying to make life difficult for you on this item. It also sounds like she is very practiced at this type of conduct so I am sure that Etsy will find that she is not new to this game and will shut her down. What everyone is saying about PayPal is accurate, they won't support the seller but they will darn sure go out of their way to make the pathetic cry baby in the corner feel all warm and fuzzy about their lack of understanding regarding what they actually purchase. Kind of sounds like our government here in the U.S. doesn't it? Keep you head high, you will get through this. And I agree with you on calling the item used now, sounds only fair at this point. Just make sure you get those policies together so you have that as an extra support mechanism, Etsy is big on the policies thing but they will go above and beyond to protect a seller because they have actually figured it out that it is we who sell that bring the success, not the buyer who is more often than not just out to find their next sucker. And yes, you should be charging more for your work. When I saw how low your prices were I couldn't believe it but we all have find our place and it isn't always so easy to figure it out. We need to be able to provide an affordable product but we also need to ensure that we can maintain our business operation and to me, the first focus is on the business being able to support itself. Unfortunately, we are going up against some of our fellow Etsians who are just trying to dump cheap product at or below the actual cost (and I say that because the vast majority of the handmade leather goods you will find in those shops are kits which we all know cost more than if you cut it yourself from raw materials) and these sellers are what I put into the Hobby category. For me the Hobby category is anyone, regardless of craft, that just does nothing but make and make and make and make and then decides to put their stuff up on some webpage or group shop environment like Etsy so that they can get enough money to purchase another 25 pack of the kits and start all over and repeat the same old designs over and over again. Custom made is totally different market and can be done even using a pre-cut kit. What makes it different is you open the door for the potential client to personalize that specific item to the product that THEY want, not just limited to WHAT you have made. I tell visitor to my little mobile shop every time I am at a craft fair or other type of event that if you want something that someone has made to THEIR liking then go to a big box store and get it but if you want something MADE for YOU to YOUR liking, sit down and let's talk. Good luck, and keep us posted how this goes.

Indeed, thank you for sharing this information for all of our newly motivated wallet makers. You have put together a very simple design to work with and the instructions to go along with it should pretty much cover anyone's questions. I have been making my wallets this way for several years as the "T" top on the inner pockets creates a better overlap when using multiples. I even make some of them with the pockets attached to larger "plate" that is then attached to the interior body which gives you that extra "hidden" pocket that we find in most commercially produced wallets. In addition to this addition, I also make my standard billfolds as what I call the 6+2 interior; 6 card pockets with 2 hidden pockets, and I go up from there. Again, thank you so much for providing this information to the group and keep up the good work.

Having looked at what you make and reading the details of your items listings on Etsy I would have to agree that you have found that "chronic complainer" that we have all dealt with before, and are sure to deal with time and again. However, you do need to put some policies on your shop so that people know right up front exactly what to expect when conducting business with you and how to PROPERLY address issues or complaints. You can take a look at my shop and see what I mean about having straight forward policies in place. You can search Etsy for RHardieCustomLeather; also look at some of the other shops that are offering similar items and see what their policies are. Good luck on this one and if you were to decide on leaving this particular person standing in the rain with the wallet that she now owns I don't think anyone would say it was a bad decision. I have had people comment on how tight the card pockets are when brand new and I have had them complain about how stiff a belt or other thicker leather item is at the beginning, yet every single one of them has always been told up front to expect certain things and when they start crying about it I just remind them of the conversations and posted information in policies and listings and ask them if they recall them. When they say they do, and they just about always do, I ask them what the course of action should be then being as they have knowledge of what the policies are and that their order submission was acknowledgement of such policies and posted information and warnings to which they typically respond, "it is my fault for not providing the right information", or, "I wouldn't refund the money in this case either". There is something to be said for being the one who owns the business and sets the rules, if you make them to protect your business then you have to enforce them to ensure your business is protected.

Yes, it is one of the older craftool stamps but you might want to check out Springfield Leather on their website and look under Handtools. The current 3-D version is pretty darn close.

The answer here is as simple as the question. If you do not own the image or design and you do not have permission from the said owner of the image or design then don't use it, plain and simple. Yes, you do need to seek out the advice of an IP Attorney but they will tell you just what I did and I know this because I have posed it to one in my area just for giggles so that when I tell a potential customer "no, I can't do that" I have complete supporting justification as to why I can't. They don't like to be told "no" but they hate to be told that what they are asking is a violation of the law and that they are just as liable as the one who makes the item. My version of the "scared straight" concept and it gets attention every time.

There is a highly recommended percentage to use when trying to calculate your overall USEABLE materials and that is 15%, it is considered to be the industry accepted standard for what WE do, not those big sweatshop factories. This percentage can be applied to any bulk materials such as leather, fabrics, snaps/rivets/eyelets, threads, lace, liquids such as dyes/stains/Antique and then the remaining items are just consumed. Anyone who wants to try and calculate out the amount of adhesive that they use on any one item is thinking way too deep into the equation. These items are just simple incidentals and that is it. To calculate out your true cost of goods you need to know how much any given unit of a material cost you based on the USEABLE amount. For leather, take your known square footage and multiply by .85 to get your final amount that can actually be used. If you pay for your leather by the piece then you first have calculate how much you pay per square foot by taking the purchase price (plus any charges such as shipping, taxes, etc.) and divide by your known square footage. Then you can calculate the remaining costs from there. For calculating your threads/lace you take your known length of the full spool and divide that by .85, then you take your useable material number and divide that into the price you paid (all inclusive) for that spool. The same goes for every bulk material item that you purchase. When it comes to calculating your dyes/stains/Antiques it gets a bit trickier but you can do it if it is really that important. I tend not to waste my time on the liquids side of the equation as I don't feel like acting like a Chemist and portioning out every little drop to get a cost number. To ensure that I get my liquids and other consumed incidentals covered, I add 15% to my overall materials cost and that more than covers it. I don't do wholesale because there is always a huge issue when trying to deal with these retailers that want to help you get your stuff in their customers hands. Their intentions are rarely to help you as much as they want to help themselves even more. I also do not do consignment for much the same reason. The comments provided regarding the waste bin are the best thing out there though and that is because, you have already made your money on that material as it has been factored in to the costs of the other items that have been made from it. Anything made from scrap bin material is pretty much pure profit if you did your math correctly on everything else and that is a beautiful thing.

@badLoveLeather You forgot the one that makes a very poor quality product and charges the Saks 5th Avenue price, and there are several of those out there as well. To the original topic: It is one of those things that you have to figure out based on the level of quality that you are striving to achieve, the level of business success you are working towards, and you can't forget the market to which you are providing the product to. If the base market is the blue collar class then you may have to sell to the lower side of the price range whereas, if your market is the white collar class you can get more money out of the product. With regards to Barrett Alley, they do charge a very profitable price but I can almost guarantee that their philosophy is that they are worth it. I have made my pricing structure based on my years of experience in this trade (about 40 years), the fact that I still do EVERYTHING by hand (even the stitching), and the fact that I only use the finest leather available (Hermann Oak). What I found to be the most interesting attention grabber at the events I go to is that I put an information card on every item that lists the item number, the style, the design/pattern, the finishing, the assembly technique, the total number of hours put into the piece, the suggested price (based on traditional business pricing models), and the price that I am listing it for. Rarely is there any attempt to haggle when that much information is put out for the buyer to see. I also make it clear to anyone who asks about ordering an item in a different color (considered to be custom) that the price is the same. I only charge them extra for the addition of things or for a non-standard design/pattern and any special design work that may be required. I typically only have one design/pattern of each of the more common items out on display but unless they really want it bad, these are perfect sales samples to generate the custom/special order business model that I have put in place.

There are some removable price tag labels that are made by the Avery label company. They aren't real big but they do work good enough to put a price on and an item number and they don't leave any residue behind. I use them for every show/fair display that I set up.

Welcome aboard. Regarding all of the German lessons going on here, I thought I had learned it all after being stationed there for over 14 years. We all learned the proper German versions but being stationed in Nuernberg (I don't give it the traditional American screw up of Nuremburg that everyone else does) we spent most of our time either using the Bayerisch (Bavarian) or Mittel Fraenkisch (Middle Franconia) slang as it sounded much better to us. Wish I could get back there because I miss it so much. This forum is a treasure trove of information so soak it all up and put it to good use.

The wallet used in the demo that you have linked is an original design of the person who put the demo together. The idea of the demo was to explain the process behind how to make your own leather wallet which would require you to create your own design on how it is to be laid out. If you are looking for templates of wallet components then you may want to ask around if any of the members are willing to share them with you. I make my own patterns versus replicating others as it makes my product unique and being a registered business that makes a big difference in the marketing realm. Good luck in your quest but if you have an idea of a design layout, start drawing it out and see where it leads. With every wallet I design I start with the interior parts to make sure that they all fit together properly. Once I have them drawn out I make copies of them and cut each piece out of paper and put it together as a test (dry fit). If something needs to be adjusted I make the changes to the main drawing and do another dry fit. Once this is all done you now know the dimensions of the exterior part (tooling back, etc.). Just make sure that you make the exterior slightly larger if the interior is a fixed design (no moving parts). There are some resources available to members of leathercraft guilds that can get you started and they are very helpful. Most of them require a membership fee but once you have access to the member areas you will find a wealth of information and templates, patterns, etc. that are available for all to use. Good luck in your hunt and feel free to PM me if you have any direct questions.

Mine have never asked either but that is because I market everything I do as "every step of the process is completed entirely by hand and by the same craftsman, me. There are no machines of any kind used within my shop." And that only leads to the questions of how do you do that? Can you show me how that works? Which is never an issue because when I am attending any of the local and Regional fairs/shows I always have a complete mobile workshop setup and I am always working on something so anyone who visits my little corner of the World for that event gets to watch an actual craftsman working. It is kind of like an interactive sales environment and it is very successful for me. Handmade is, as several have pointed out, an undefined term when it comes to our trade. One thing I do not ever consider handmade are those who market themselves as belt makers that make beautifully decorated belts that have a range of basketweave or other designs "embossed" in them. This embossing is done by using a belt embossing roller and the sole purpose of doing this is to create the mass-produced products for the sole purpose of big profits and no commitment to the client. If you can't do a simple basket stamp in an acceptable time frame, don't lie to the customer by saying that you make everything by hand. What did you really do to make this item? In the case of the belt maker, they took a pre-made belt blank (already had the snaps and buckle tongue hole cut), dampened it and ran it through a roller, let it dry, added some dye or stain, installed a $.49 buckle, and packaged it up as a handmade belt. In most cases they don't even finish the edges. That, to me is not handmade as it didn't really require you to engage in the crafting of it, you just ran it through some simple processes that a monkey can be taught to do, nothing else. But that is just my feeling on this discussion. There are far more opinions out there and they would only make this conversation even more confusing. The only thing you need to ask yourself is this: if I were buying a handmade item (and that would be a truly handmade item), what standards and quality of craftsmanship would I expect? Confusing to have to answer your question with that very question, isn't it? Good luck in your quest to determine your direction and I welcome to the real world of "what was I thinking?".

Even though I stick with the traditional methods of just using a wooden slicker on damp leather, I have found that adding a light coating of plain old wax (simple plain candle wax) and giving it another run with a wooden slicker (I have two of them, one for each step) that it gives that edge an extra sheen that I have yet to get using any other methods. And, although there are some who live by the saddle soap's and Glycerine based products that don't feel there is any detriment to the leather by doing so, all you have to do is research other Master's directly and they will tell you the same thing that I did. They are great when you have a major reconditioning and cleaning project where the leather is just short of dry rot but they leave residues behind that crystalize when they dry which damages the fiber structures of the leather and can cause it to dry out and become hard and possibly even brittle over time. Even the manufacturers are very clear on exactly how their product is to be used and that failure to adhere to their directions could cause permanent damage to an item if not followed. However, we all do things differently and that is what makes our trade so diverse in the results achieved. @ToddB68: The edges are finished to the desired specifications of the client. If they want them left natural then they get left natural; if they want them finished in a color then they get that color. If they are colored then they are dyed before the wax treatment. Although it has been pointed out that my method may require a lot of rubbing in order to achieve the results, it doesn't take much longer than using any other method. The trick is in the preparation (size of bevel, moisture content) and the tools being used. Wood works much faster because it heats up much faster than any of the plastic or other artificial materials that are being used and once you have used a wooden slicker a couple of times the wood itself starts to take on a burnished appearance and feel which makes it even easier the next time. It doesn't hurt to keep the wood conditioned either with a little bit of oil or candle wax. My method has not negatively impacted my sales at all over the past 40 plus years as this is the finished edge look that people equate to handmade leather goods. I figure, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it," and it has been working every since I first started this trade back in the 70's and this is also they way that we were all taught to do it back in those days so there must be a reason why that is the way we were taught then and it is the way that you will be taught today if you were to ever attend ANY leatherwork classes out there.

@lightingale I like your addition to your whiteboard. I make similar notes on the paper trail that I keep on every order, especially those that require a measurement, just for the purpose of being able to "refresh their memory" when they call and say that something doesn't fit or that the design was not what they thought it would be. I provide every customer with specific detailed instructions on how to measure properly (as well as provide pictures for those who can't comprehend the written word) and I also provide graphics on all design elements. I require them to specifically note which design that they want by either enclosing it in a big circle and faxing it back to me or by providing the assigned pattern number (I give them all a unique number) in their email response. Every little detail is covered on these orders so when they come back having that "self created" issue, I have their exact wishes in my hands for their re-review. I am not concerned whether or not I get any future business from these people as I don't really have the time to waste going over their orders multiple times because they didn't pay attention to instructions or had a change of mind that they didn't communicate. I even send them updates and photos of how things are coming along which gives them ample opportunity to say, "hey, wait a minute, blah, blah, blah..." so we can move on the proper direction. Regarding return of an item: if it has been personalized in ANY fashion that makes it a non-standard item, they own it as is and that is it. If it is something that I can list a ready-made item and it is in new condition (and I mean never even used once) then I will take it back and give them a refund. I will also probably not take any further requests from them because they have now shown their hand that they don't know what they want anyway and I need to focus on those clients who do and do it the right way. For locals, I do everything personally when it comes to measurements so that if there is a mistake, it is mine and mine alone. I do love that whiteboard idea though.

As mentioned by the rest of the group: very clear policy on returns and the process, very specific direction where measurements are required, and a "no haggle" policy to support it. I won't haggle over the price of your inability to follow directions that I have provided you with. I also make it very clear that any images that represent colors are subject to being different in person as every computer monitor presents them differently, and I also am very straight forward on anything that has a Monogram, initials or a name. If it has been personalized with any of that or even a special note, it is able to be returned. If it isn't what you wanted but it is what you told me to do and you verified it, too bad. You want it done again, you are paying for it again. By the way, you need to also make sure that it is understood that part of your policy is that if they feel there is an issue or damage to their items and they need to return them for repair or replacement that they do it at THEIR expense (non-refundable). My policies include the statement that I will inspect every item believed to be damaged or faulty and compare it to the photos that I took of it prior to packaging. If the damage is the result of mishandling by the carrier then they need to open their claim that way and I will do what I need to do once that is settled. If I find the item to be correct as requested and no evidence of damage or other issues, I let them know and send it back to them. Final decision is the law of the land and it ends there. If they are still unhappy with it then they need to go back and review what they asked for and I always keep a complete record of every conversation and message just for this purpose. Makes my filing a pain but once someone figures it out that I am not going to play these little games of trying get two for one they get over it real quick. There is no room for nice when it comes to this stuff. Just make it clear up front exactly what is and is not acceptable regarding your business operation and require an acceptance to your rules as part of the process. And always keep a copy of everything related to a client for tracking and discussion materials. Hope this helps.

Amen to all of you. Although I have been working with leather for over 40 years, you really do never know it all as there is always something new coming around or an improvement. Which makes me wonder: If you really are always picking something new up in this art, how does one become that "Master Leather Craftsman" that we all see posted on so many websites? As I said, I have been working with leather for over 40 years, I received my first lessons from Al Stohlman, I continued to learn everything I could, I have been a saddle maker, I have made leather goods for Rodeo Cowboy's/Cowgirl's (and I even rode rough-stock for several years), I still do EVERYTHING by hand and refuse to give in to the "simpler life" when it comes to the trade. How am I still just an Artisan/Maker/Craftsman? Can anyone answer this question? We all had to start somewhere and we will all end somewhere but hopefully not too soon because I still want to achieve that "Master Craftsman" status, if even truly exists. I always compare this trade to my other skilled trade (and this one has had several years of training, testing and hands-on experience) and this my licensed trade of being a Master Golf Club Fitter and Builder. I have spent years getting this education and the certifications to be a professional club maker and this is the real deal, yet I can't seem to find one single place that I can do the same thing to get my Master Craftsman title. Hmm. Ideas?