WinterBear

I have that stamp -- it reads Craftool USA D744100 stamped on the side. I haven't turned up any images with that number, so I will photograph the face and the side for you sometime Friday or Saturday.

Sound might travel from the slab to the balcony, and you might wind up with the effect of a very big drum. Putting the slab in a sandbox that is on the balcony floor might prevent that.

Am sorry to hear that Jazzman. I hope things work out for you, and that if you aren't able to post, you can at least visit and see what your friends have been up to.

Well, I'm just futzing around on the internet, and someone I know sent me a link to Distractify (essentially a clickbait site) for "geek pet accessories". Things like a Hobbit-hole litterbox, and Star Trek cat trees. I'm scrolling down, rather amused (what can I say, I'm a geek) and impressed by the artistry on some of these things. Then, third from the bottom, I see a familiar logo on a leather dog collar. Yep, it's lightingale's collar, and oh look, they even provided a link to the etsy shop. http://distractify.com/pinar/geeky-pets/?img=134c82 (Dunno if it showing up there is good news or bad news, but I thought you should probably be made aware of it lightingale--hope it doesn't give you a new batch of crazies to deal with. )

TexasLady, regarding the PowerMallet, you might see what sort of grant programs are available. There are business grants and low-interest loans in most states for artisans, for small businesses/startup cottage industries, and for women. The SBA is a good place to start (not actual a lender, but a guarantee of loans), and there are also federal and state grant programs that your local city/county/state government staff should be able to provide information on. SBA Loans http://www.sba.com/texas/ http://www.sba.com/funding-a-business/small-business-loans-for-women/ http://www.texaswomenventures.com/find-capital.aspx

I am so sorry to hear of your accident TexasLady. There are quite a few people out there who are disabled or otherwise have lost functionality who are artisans (jewelers, metalworkers, glassworkers, woodworkers, just to name a few), so I don't think you need to give up leatherworking. Not at all. If stamping gets to be too much, I've heard some interesting things about "Power Mallet". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F25pIWHG1o0, http://powermallet.com/ You might consider wheelchair backpacks and bags, and maybe walker bags. Friends of mine who tried to find a sturdy, nice-looking bag were always frustrated by the lack of anything available but cheaply-made, medical/industrial-looking, blah junk without any style, color, or personality.

mountainm, If you are worried about losing details, have you looked for pictures of fossils in matrix? If the fossil is in sandstone, the bones can have varying shades of brown, gray, or even reddish or purplish tones, even within the same fossil. http://geology.com/articles/green-river-fossils/animal-fossils.shtml and http://geology.com/articles/green-river-fossils/fish-fossils.shtml http://www.fossilmuseum.net, especially http://www.fossilmuseum.net/Paleobiology/JurassicFossils.htm and http://www.fossilmuseum.net/Fossil_Galleries/GreenRiverFish.htm,

You can also add a bit of sheepskin or neoprene to the straps that will be bearing the most weight on the shoulders to make things a little more comfortable if it needs to be carried for a long time. Neoprene can be covered with a soft leather to look nicer (I've used lambskin and buckskin). A cheap source of neoprene is to look for zippered beer-bottle covers or neoprene slip-on can koozies at the dollar store.

Jim, if you wouldn't mind, I would be very interested in your drawings as well.

B&C look like it might be a lino cut gouge.

The beastie is a kudu, a type of antelope that lions find pretty tasty. Kudu horns are used as shofar, and are also used in some Boy Scout events, especially WoodBadge. I've a couple of kudu horns, one of which have just started planning a leather case for. Nice emboss plate. I bet that would look fabulous as a panel on a briefcase front, or a journal cover.

With a few adjustments, that small bag would be just the thing for a Boy Scout to haul his Scout book in.....Heck, it would be good for me to haul my Scout Book and my OA book in. Or my Kindle.

Bummer about them not having the threads you wanted. I was hopeful. Those are some nice exotics! The caimans are kind of stiff--I have a few odds and ends of that myself--but I've seen some lovely inlaid journal covers and small notebook holders with caiman--because the inlay is on the flat front covers, it doesn't matter that it's stiff. It would also make a nice inlay for a a purse flap, or the back of a ladies clutch or long wallet?

http://www.fineleatherworking.com/linen-thread They have the Au Chinois for $36 for 133 m (about 436 ft) in their coarse, $48 for 285 m (about 935 ft) in their fine (plus shipping, of course). A whole bunch of colors too. Leatherwurx has 25 and 50yd lengths of Tiger thread, and can get full spools if desired. They have a wide range of color and widths. 25yds in cream in 0.8mm diameter thread will run you $7.50, plus shipping. https://www.etsy.com/listing/183375598/08mm-tiger-thread-25-50-yard-samples-the?ref=shop_home_feat_2 They say they carry all widths, so you might write them up and see what they have in 0.4 mm cream.

Ok, my brain just blew a gasket. This is impressive.

Try https://www.standardrivet.com/index.php?

Hmm, the ones I get from my local place have a nearly plastic-looking/feeling coating that doesn't rub off. Or I suppose you could line them with heavy craft paper.

Tubes? Go to the hardware store that sells cement stuff and has a lumberyard. They'll have concrete footer tubes for pouring deck footers. 8"-diameter runs about $6-$7 for a four-foot length, 10" around $10. You can put a lot of veg tan in one of those, and they won't collapse under the weight of the leather.

Bruce Johnson has one. http://brucejohnsonleather.com/leather-tools-sale/shoe-boot-making-tools/

Try this for a link gbsbullet: http://books.google.com/books?id=RaZRAAAAYAAJ&dq=inauthor%3A%22Hippolyte%20Dussauce%22&pg=PR3#v=onepage&q&f=false Or http://books.google.com/books?id=RaZRAAAAYAAJ&lpg=PA293&ots=ygQFHZFWgm&dq=how%20to%20make%20french%20waxed%20calf&pg=PA293#v=onepage&q=how%20to%20make%20french%20waxed%20calf&f=false

You can also use vet wrap (the stuff the sell at feed stores and ranch supply for wrapping horse's legs) on your hammer handle. Helps with the impact shock in your hammer hand. Split the vet wrap in half lengthwise to use on stamps, and wrap very tightly on the stamp handles or it comes off. It can be removed, won't damage your tools, and comes in a variety of colors. There is also a product called Jett Sett. It's mostly used by jewelers, engravers, and repousse artists, and is sold by jewelry supply places. It's a thermoplastic that softens in hot water and then hardens. It's more expensive than polymer clay, but its advantage is that it is reusable just by reheating the Jett Sett in hot water, and it won't leave a residue on your tools if you take it off.

Those were some of the best explanations of muse-arguements I've ever heard/read. I think mine is mostly like a cranky 2-year-old in need of a nap. It is definitely crabby when thwarted and has the attention span of a goldfish.

Deer is typically thicker than goat and very stretchy, so it lends itself to pouches and beadwork. Goat is also stretchy, but usually thinner and not as "spongy", so it is easier to use for binding and lining, but can be fragile and tear. Deer also seems to have a slightly coarser and looser grain than most of the goat leathers I've had.

Leather bottles? There's a tutorial on here somewhere on how to make, harden, and seal those.

Also, Centralia and Chichester sell sinew online: https://furandhide.com/products/natural-deer-sinew-back-in-stock-and-on-sale http://www.chichesterinc.com/RealSinewDeer.htm http://www.chichesterinc.com/RealSinewElk.htm