Mike Wise

Welcome to the forum from a fellow South African. We have some challenges sourcing certain tools etc. but most things are available if you look around. What area are you from if I may ask. I'm very much an occasional amateur leatherworker, but really enjoy making and using various items. I've found that the people on this site are a wealth of knowledge, and happy to share their thoughts and ideas. All the best, Mike.

Thank you Mike. I think the main problem as a hobby leatherworker, is that I don't do enough of it, with long breaks in between, so when I do get around to stitching or stamping or whatever, my hands have 'forgotten' what to do. Guess I'll just have to make time for a bit more projects. All the best, Mike

Richard, thank you so much for taking the time to comment. I tend to do a bit of leatherwork on and off as the need (or want) arises, with other hobbies in between. Watercolour painting, fly tying, a bit of fishing when I have time, target shooting and reloading now and then, etc. From this you'll see that I really enjoy leatherwork, but am not permanently set up for it. Quite often, a plan has to be made regarding tools, work place and so on. Having said that, this belt is back to back 7 oz, working out to about 5.4mm in thickness, and took me about a day and a half with design, cutting, grooving, stamping and sewing. I enjoyed making it, but was glad once it was complete. I must say, I believe that I'm making fewer mistakes now than I did with my first projects, and a lot of that is thanks to members on this forum, such as yourself. Thank you once again for the compliment and encouragement. All the best, Mike

Thank you YinTx, kind of you to comment. I think this was about 6 SPI, but still a lot of stitching. All the best, Mike

Dwight, thank you very much. It's encouraging to hear from experienced folks like yourself. I enjoy making something useful from leather, and should actually Get over myself, Get organized and Get on with it! All the best, and may God bless you too.

Tugadude, firstly, thank you for the encouraging words. You're actually dead right, it's getting the process right that matters. I was stabbing my awl holes on a cork block, and battling. I eventually cut the block in half, and doubled it, which then allowed the awl more depth, therefore a bigger hole. Viola! If you don't work with leather often, it tends to be a bit of a learning curve each time. As far as saying I won't make another belt, that may be an exaggeration, but certainly not without better preparation. I should make a plan to buy or build a stitching pony, as this was all done in hand on a table. We'll see in a while, but thank you once again.

Thanks bikermutt, appreciate the comment.

Hi all. I recently decided to make a belt for a buckle I bought some time ago. It's a double layer of vegtan, handsewn all round, and what a mission that was! It gives me new respect for all the folks here on the forum. Made plenty of mistakes along the way, but it is around my waist as I write this. I cheated slightly, once the stitching holes were marked with a wheel, I used a tiny drill bit in a dremel stand to drill all the holes, and then opened them up with a diamond shaped awl. The reason for this was to try to ensure that the stitching on the inside stayed relatively even. I'm very glad to have made this belt, but my hands reckon that it will be a long time before trying another one. Thanks for having a look, and any advise would be welcome.

For what it's worth, I often use a sailmakers palm to help push the needles through tough or thick leather. For those who aren't familiar with this tool, it's worn on your hand and has a hard, textured plate to protect your hand when pushing the needle, almost like a flattened thimble. Once you get used to it, it's quite comfortable. All the best, Mike

Jack, dikman and plinkercases, thank you for your kind comments. I was pleased with the effect of the tooling, and possibly more so since I made the stamp myself, not having been able to find one in my neck of the woods. All the best, Mike

Thanks Gary, yes, the sheath is made of three layers of leather, the inner one having a blade shaped cutout forming the welt. All the best, Mike

Thank you B M, appreciate the comments. I used a slot punch, but had to shift it a couple of times to get the length. The knife is from Dennis Kappetijn in Tshwane, South Africa. www.kappetijnknives.com is his website. Cheers, Mike.

Good morning all. I don't often post, but thought I'd share this latest project. I recently purchased a knife that came with a rather 'commercial' looking sheath, and to my eye didn't compliment the blade. Deciding to make a new one, I made a few mistakes, or bad choices anyway, but am fairly happy with the result. My stitching needs work, I should have used a heavier leather, and I battled with burnishing the belt slots. One of my stitching lines is not where I originally planned it. Natural veg tan leather, finished with a combination of Carnauba wax, beeswax, neatsfoot oil and turpentine. I'll put up a few pictures, from a cellphone I'm afraid, and look forward to any comments and criticisms. Thanks for having a look, All the best, Mike

Just a little tip, for mitre joins, and especially on straight cuts, a picture frame mat cutter is very useful. It helps to keep your 45 degree angle constant. I hope this helps. All the best, Mike.

Sunny South Africa.