WinterBear

I'm not sure "blinders" would work as well on an animal with more binocular, foward-facing vision, like a dog as compared to a horse. But maybe something like a cross between snow-blindness goggles and doggles might restrict the vision enough to help calm the dog. So molded leather cups with slits or crosses cut through the dome, with adjustable straps? http://www.arcticphoto.co.uk/supergal/hap/hap00/hap0012-31.htm and http://shop.doggles.com/dog/eyewear/dgor-doggles_originalz

Heat+plastic doesn't often work well. You'll have to experiment to see if anything can be done. You may be limited to applique, piercing, and similar methods--but that opens up filigree, broughing, layered applique, reverse applique, and quilting-type methods, just to open a few possibilities.

No worries, it happens. One of the moderators will lock or remove the others--there just doesn't happen to be a moderator online at the moment.

You're going to be looking at vinyl and perhaps micro-suede fabrics then. Perhaps Biothane for straps. But none of the synthetics I've heard of can be tooled.

Depends on how big you need your pieces to be. Sheep hides, rugs, and shearling can be found at lots of places, and most sell scrap as well, with pieces ranging from palm sized in most cases to the 1 square foot sizes. Shearling tends to be shorn to a consistent height and is most often used as a jacket liner and under saddles. http://springfieldleather.com http://www.theleatherguy.org http://www.hidehouse.com http://www.chichesterinc.com http://www.hideandfur.com

Maybe time for a new marketing plan? Emphasize the mystique, the feel, tradition, the mellowness and patina leather acquires with age, and so on. Kydex just doesn't have the "feel appeal" genuine leather has.

Since you're not making things that require a large piece of leather, nor long straps, but maybe don't want the stretch in a belly, why don't you try buying double shoulders? They're going to be little mushy on the neck portions and you'll get some flanky stuff near the leg, but they're generally more cost effective than the backs because they don't have the length that belt and tack makers need for the really long and strongest straps. You'll have some fat marks and wrinkles marks in the shoulder that you won't find over much of a back, but I don't see that it will impact your tooling or dye any.

You should only offer a full refund only if the wallet is in perfect condition and can be resold. If she's unwilling to do so because she's ripped the pockets by jamming 3 or more cards in each pocket, she may go away at this point. I and several other people I know have had experience have had experience with someone who screws up something they've bought, and have gone on the attack to try and recoup the money that they've spent now that the item is ruined. They screwed it up within hours of buying it, but they are demanding their money back because of their carelessness, not because of bad work.

If you have the time to cut out and burnish a lot of pieces, maybe a "link belt" type strap? http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=14749 https://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/media/downloads-lptg/Ecology-Non-Tooling-Link-Belt-47250-11.pdf

I think we do have something similar through the SBDC: http://www.sba.gov/content/small-business-development-centers-sbdcs

Twisted? Was it maybe "hitched"? http://www.purecowboy.us/Antique%20Hitched%20Rawhide%20Quirt%204.htm or like these slides http://traditionalrawhidebraiders.com/shop/rings-slides-keepers/hitched-5-8ths-slide-knots/

There are some nice examples of various types here too. http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=44514 leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=49762 leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=55236 leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=54509

I like it. Gives it balance against the antler accent, and a little "pop".

Anything from Tandy needs to be sharpened or at least stropped, including the razor blades.

You might tell her a big problem with velvet is that the nap is made of cut threads. When exposed to rubbing, those threads will break or pull out of the weave, leaving fuzz everywhere (and probably not good for the gun to get those clogging things up), and the weave that is left behind becomes the very definition of threadbare. Velvet gowns, velvet children's toys, and velvet upholstery all tend to show wear quickly where the nap is rubbed--so where the arms of the dress rub the ribs, where a child carries their teddy bear and drags the leg on the ground, and where the seat of someone's pants rubs the seat of a velvet chair. A thrift shop might have a article of children's clothing worn threadbare that can be bought for a very minimal price that you can show her, and then maybe you can coax her into something more appropriate after viewing it, while making her think that the change is her idea.

If it has a pocket, you could sew two pieces together right sides together. On one side, on what will be the inside of the flap, there is a slash or a slot that will allow access to the pocket that will be formed by the two sides of the flap. Turn the flap right-side out by turning it through the pocket "hole". Either that, or the front of the flap could be made as a two-piece top that is top-stitched to the underlaying part of the flap. The pocket(s) formed could potentially be accessed by a slash on the underside of the flap, or possibly at the top of the overlaying piece where it bends back around to the back of the pouch.

http://www.leatherwranglers.com/contest.html Maybe also Bob Klenda? And I've seen Johan do some nice things too. http://leatherbyjohan.blogspot.com/2011/05/swivel-knife-cuts.html

They're only $20 on the outlet site because they are discontinuing them Eccho.

aww.. Sorry. Never my intention. I've a sporran to do for an Eagle Scout, so I really like the idea of the Scout stamp on a concho for that. (The fleur snap by itself might be "too French" for a Scout who is proud of his Scottish heritage. )

Glad I could help Jaymack. I like Tree Reaper's idea too. I might have to dig out my Eagle Scout stamp and try that idea out sometime.

If you can't find a specific Scout snap, the fleur may work as a universal Scout logo. I know one of our sponsors, Zelikovitz, has a Line 24 snap bright silver Fleur-de-Lis. I also think Tandy has the fluer snaps in a matte silver or nickle color as well - I was looking at some a few weeks ago at the Tandy here.

I am afraid they are no longer with us. Ann passed away in 2004, and Al in 1998. http://iilg.net/honor/iilg-memorial.html#stohlman

It could just be the people with the knowledge haven't had a chance to log on and read the post yet.

Be sure to protect your lungs when working with any bone or antler, especially if cutting, carving, or sanding the bone. You do not want to breathe that stuff in. Even a dust mask is better than nothing, but a respirator with filters for small organic particulates is better.