WinterBear

Very nice boma. It seems like the zipper is always the first thing to wear out on a good bag anyway. Is that a brass rod at the front of the flap--that's a good touch that makes the bag sturdier, right? Your work is inspiring, too bad I don't have the skills.

Wow! If the new owner decides to wear this to a convention, every fan in the place is going to be all over him. And Joker is gonna plotz.

I could be wrong, but it looks like the leather picked up a little iron contamination somewhere. A little invisible speck of rust can cause that to happen. There are some expert molders on the site, I'm sure they'll be along shortly with some pointers and will have a few ideas on how to keep it happening again. Nice molding job, by the way. Future cigar case maybe?

Nice. I like that you made all of the straps adjustable, it will make it a lot easier to customize the fit to the dog. The eyelets and the wide keepers are nice touches too (are they eyelets or mini-grommets? They look more finished than simple eyelets). As for the latigo, I have noticed similar with some of the brighter latigo I've used as well. Maybe it's a layer of dye and dye sealer that makes a nice bright sort of second skin/synthetic layer? I'm not to crazy about the way it finishes either. The only way I've been able to get that stuff to "bevel" halfway decently is to take a flexible and newly stropped double sided "callus shaver" blade and cut the edge at a slight angle, flesh and grain side. It's hard to keep the cut even enough to make a nice edge though, so I'm torn between trying to make it look better and making a bad cut and ruining the whole project, or just keeping the ripples and the ragged bits.

Nice. I like the way the case becomes a camera holster. Did you make this cover for your camera, or is it for a customer?

Hi Don. Try this thread: leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=37013&st=0&p=228743 You can also use the search feature and look up past topic on "stringy", "flesh side", and "underside of leather", maybe also "gum back" and "moss back". Also, poke around in the Gun Holsters subforum, and talk to the folks who make a lot of holsters. They'll be able to let you know what else they've found that works to finish the back/inside without the holster losing grip on the gun.

Sketched freehand from a drawing of a rather smug looking golden eagle, but I think I made the eagle to "chinny" under the mandible in the finished piece--it seems to be throwing off a strong "raven" vibe to me. Oh well, something to watch out for next time. I also made it on a piece of leather that was too thin, so I couldn't get much depth, so instead of about 4 or 5 oz, I'll try a 8 or 9 oz instead next time. Anyway, here is my eagle. The two tools were the swivel knife, and in keeping with the spirit of the challenge, only the larger side of the petal tool was used. The background was lightly crosshatched with the swivel knife to give the impression of "matting" and then burnished with the yoke of the swivel knife and the petal tool. The blade of the swivel knife was used to edge the piece--difficult, and not at all even, but it worked more or less. The side of the swivel knife was used to burnish the edges. The tip of the petal tool was used to burnish shading and striations on the bill and the rays in the eye, as well as provide some of the feather barbs. The tip of the swivel knife formed other barbs and the bristles around the mandibles, the base of the cere, and around the eye.

Well, for the otter? Otter headdress or dance dragger (often worn with the head peeking over the shoulder so the otter can watch). I've also heard of otter quiver or pipe bag? Make a "grizzly" claw necklace with antler tips and an otter base? http://www.powwows.com/gathering/showthread.php?t=50566 http://www.elkuta.com/Joomla/images/pdf/resources/Otter%20Dragger.pdf http://frenchinwisconsin.yolasite.com/my-blog/grizzly-claw-necklace http://www.etsy.com/listing/72096914/imitation-bear-claw-necklace-in-the http://battlecreekstudio.blogspot.com/2011/10/carved-elk-antler-claw-necklace.html This last link has lots of pictures of otter/grizzly necklaces and pictures of otter "turbans" as well. Some turbans have the tip of the tail completely beaded and worn as a triangular flap to one side of the front of the head.

Thanks! Please do let my know--I hope it works marvelously. I'd love to have a nice leather mat and wrist pad for at work. I may work in cubeville, but I can dang well make myself a nice leather mouse pad and pencil cup, right? Or I may have just opened my mouth to insert feet. Whoops, sorry McJeep. I didn't get a notification that you had replied too. Where I work, we've come across a couple of mouse pads the opticals hated too. My current pad works just fine with the mouse. But it's boring and a little too small when working on two screens, so this may be the perfect solution! : )

Wow, is that all stuff that you've made already? Or is it from a prior show and you've sold it all and have to make more? It looks like you've been a busy little critter regardless. As far as project ideas, I don't know how popular e-readers and i-devices are in your neck of the woods, but custom leather covers might be a possibility. (The black rats are a scream by the way, I love them. I might have to make a few for quilt weights for when I'm sewing).

I like this, especially the designs in the corners. Heh, might have to make one for work. Do optical mice do ok on leather? I know they hate some mouse mats.

Absolutely beautiful!

I have to agree with everyone else--sign up for and watch the paper and email flyers--a recent paper flyer had the stamps for half off, and Craftsman oak tooling sides for $60 for the whole thing (it pays to go early for leather, so you can pick through the pile). The flyer also usually has a coupon that is 50% off one item, or 25% off leather. The email flyers will often have different items than the mailing flyer. See if they have any over-runs, or a bit that was damaged (if you take in some pattern pieces cut from something you can see through, you can lay them out on a hide or shoulder to see if you can work around any bad spots before you buy), and take a rummage through the scrap bins-- I have found some fantastic stuff that way. Additionally, each individual store will have a special here and there--the local Tandy here usually has shoulders for sale on Saturday mornings when the tooling classes are in session.

That might be something--How deeply did you groove? I did not groove deeply and wound up with an impression of stitches before. Maybe if the groove is too deep, the wheel can't get set down deeply enough to mold the top of the groove against the "scoop" of the wheel, or the fleshy center can't mold as well as the upper layers?

Maybe your leather is too dry? Mine seems to make a pretty good stitch impression?

http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=37349&pid=230915&st=0entry230915 This person posted today and seems to have what you want, I think.

Plastic file folders and envelopes, the piece of plastic in the bottom of those recycled tote bags they sell at the grocery stores, plexiglass, hardened leather, varnished heavy cardstock posterboard, you can also buy blank sheets of stencil plastic at hobby stores--my personal favorite. Smooth on one side, usually slightly pebbled on the other, semi-transparent, and can be obtained fairly easily in pieces up to page sized to about 18" by 24". The stencil blanks can be cut on a sheet of glass with a "stencil tip" in a woodburning tool, so you can even make slots and holes for marking where rivets or major features will go, and since you can see through it, it is handy for cutting around scars, holes, scratches, and brands.

Ok, for starters, try Ganoksin. There are some nationally- and world-renowned jewelers who will write tutorials and may even answer digest posts. They don't have a typical forum (Orchid forum archive: http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/archive/index.htm), but the weekly threads can be emailed to you as a digest. The Ganoksin PMC library is here: http://www.ganoksin.com/borisat/directory/library/subject/53

You can find plain small brass upholstery pins from Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005MZWZ1K/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&m=A1YXB0GPXJ9QQ8), or Hardware and Tools.com (http://www.hardwareandtools.com/Stanley-N279-141-National-Brass-Small-Round-Head-Upholstery-Nails-038613279148.html). Both the Stanley and the National pins are around 1/4 or 5/16" in diameter, I believe. Or, maybe try brass Escutcheon pins? Even smaller, and probably carried by the local hardware or big box store.

Maybe very thin veg-tan lining leather, like a calf, goat, or pig, no thicker than 2oz? It could probably be turned into tuck ruffles.

Well, if you're interested in the PMC and other metal clays, give me a few days to sort out a few articles I have on the clays, and some information on a digest-based jeweler's forum I know of that has discussions about the stuff. There are a few "dead tree" magazines that showcase jewelery made with the clays and sometimes have how-to's for the simpler ones. I'll try to winnow through and pick out some of the best. Before you head out to rummage through search engines and websites, I'll give you a warning though. The clay jewelry and art pieces run the gamut of skill, style, and taste--and some items are in very poor taste and not suitable for viewing at work.

Sounds like you need to poke around in some of the jewelery and lapidary supply. Either cabochon bolo tie backs (clasps) or a modified jewelry cab or frame attached to the bolo back might work. Try looking for bolo components and coin mounts, frame pendants, frame components, focal frame, and cabochon frame mountings at your local hobby stores in the beading departments or try these websites or similar places: Eloxite's stuff is probably closest to what you want as far as function and appearance, but it is plated common metals (usually plated brass or nickle). The plating can come off if the setting is abused, such as where the cords are pulled through the clasp repeatedly. http://www.eloxite.com/store/category.php?id_category=110 Fire Mountain has some focal frames that might work if they are epoxied or otherwise attached to a bolo back. They have plated and pewter frames, but I don't think they have much else. http://www.firemountaingems.com Rio Grande requires a login/registration to view prices, and they are primarily wholesale only. The minimums vary, but can be steep. They do have sterling and pewter jewelery components, but can be expensive compared to other jewelry supply stores. Sterling prices will fluctuate based on the daily market prices. Silver is currently running around $32 per troy oz. https://www.riogrande.com Another, more complicated option might be to see if anyone in your area works with Precious Metal Clay (PMC) or other metal art clays and have a frame custom made. Jewelers and lampwork glass bead artists are your best bets. Some universities may have jewelry departments that work with these clays, so check with art students too. These clays consist of a binder and ground metals. The "clay" can be shaped and then fired in a kiln, which burns off the binders--some shrinkage can occur, depending on the material, so best to find someone who is experienced enough to account for this, or your frame might be too small. Items made from these clays are generally not as strong as pieces fabricated from sheet or bar stock, and tend to be porous on a micro-level, so they are not always able to allow for delicate features, and because of the pores and the residual carbon in the pores, they are not usually able to take a high-gloss polished finish. Available metals, depending on the artist and your budget can include 22k gold, sterling silver, copper, bronze, steel. The gold, silver, and copper clays may cost more or less depending on spot market prices, so if you go this route, make sure what you are paying is based on the commodities market for the day you commissioned it, not a week later when the item was finally ordered and the spot price went up 10% since the previous week!!