Cyberthrasher

Cool. Now I'm gonna have to try it to see if I like it better than my current method

Thank you for clarifying Nezer. It was not my intention to say that this is in fact a hoax, and I certainly didn't want anybody to go the "Nigeria" route. You have to understand that in this field, there are thousands of "companies" out there who are constantly looking to steal our custom designs and have them reproduced cheaply. It has caused people like me to be a little more skeptical and to watch out for any hoaxes that might effect the rest of us. Perhaps you can elaborate on what kind of workload you have for people. Most of the artisans here are pretty small shops and not really what you would call a manufacturer.

That's one of the reasons I don't use ISP email systems. They're extremely strict on their filtering and rules. Stuff that's 100% legitimate by today's standards are usually blocked by antiquated ISP policies. There are way too many free email systems out there that will travel with you regardless of your current ISP.

Ah, that would do it. For future projects that you don't have the leather for, if you're on Facebook, check out this group..... https://www.facebook.com/groups/147800435424123/ But, that's why I was saying to copy the pattern - be sure you get every dollar possible out of the purchase

In Tina's defense here, I was recently talking to someone who was complaining about having to adjust to using Fiebing's Pro Oil because it's actually liquid and she's used to using the Eco Pro black that's extremely thick like gelatin. I didn't believe her, so she proved it to me with a photo of it in a ball shaped blob on her table.

I'd tool it and stain it, at least minimally. Be sure to transfer that to a pattern, cuz that's pretty high price for a wallet kit. There might be $20 of material there.

that looks good. I honestly wouldn't worry so much about step 2. But, I would try burnishing completely before dying. That will keep you dye where you want it and result in a perfect edge. So, let's see how well the dye penetrates on top of an edge burnished with MPB in this order. step 1 step 4 step 5 step 3 step 6

That doesn't seem to be true. You can look it up here. http://www.barracudacentral.org/lookups/lookup-reputation I run a barracuda system on my own network and I'm not seeing anything listed for leatherworker.net.

looks like it's listed as fTS freelance timesheet. It's been a longtime since I downloaded it. The actual app title doesn't have freelance once it's installed. https://play.google....lev.android.fts I didn't know that the developer isn't able to provide any updates. Sounds like it's likely a work load/life issue by his tone. I may have to look for another long term one, But, this is still an excellent choice right now and runs solidly.

There are a few down in the "Guitar Straps" section.

I tested about every one of them out there for Android and decided on FTS TimeSheet. I've done write ups in the past, so I'll save the writing here. I will say that I WILL NOT do any job without it ever again.

yes, I understand that. That's why I said to take note that it's a red flag, and not that it IS a scam. I want to give people the benefit of the doubt, but please make sure you're verifying the situation before inadvertently helping to counterfeit somebody's work.

Before anybody takes this deal, take note of the fact that they claim to have a leather prototype displayed here yet they need to know how to make it. This is a SERIOUS red flag that its an attempt to have somebody's custom design mass produced without their permission.

Thanks. By the way, that seat on there is another Resolene job, for reference.

I use their leather dressing as a conditioner/top coat. As noted above, pretty much all I use is Fiebing's Pro Oil Dye and Fiebing's Resolene. I do oil my work with Neatsfoot oil after dying and before applying any finish. Keep in mind, I'm not trying to say that there's anything wrong with Leather Balm w/ Atom Wax. It's just that it will be up to your customer to perform routine maintenance and properly care for their items. If it gets damaged, it's their fault. But, will the person who sees it 5 or 10 years from now feel the same way, or will they base the quality of your work on how well the customer cared for it?

It varies depending on the project. If there's any natural spots, I try to airbrush the first coat at least so that I don't lift any dye and move it around onto my clean leather. If it's a larger project, I'll airbrush the whole thing to speed things up. The wallet posted above was using a blue shop paper towel. That tends to work well for really small projects where you don't need a whole lot of finish. I just splash a little of my mixture up onto the towel, dab it off on some paper, then lightly rub it into the leather. Come back a couple hours later and do one more coat since wallets don't need a LOT of protection. Other than that, the primary method I use is to LIGHTLY dampen a sponge and apply the 50/50 mixture that way. Just get a little bit on the sponge and apply light pressure, being sure that you get rid of any streaks or bubbles. The whole key to Resolene is LIGHT LIGHT LIGHT. Heavy applications, heavy pressure, heavy anything will result in a crappy outcome. If done right, it will look really good and provide excellent protection.

Sno-Seal is another one of those wax "temporary" products that will need to be reapplied. I have heard people have success with it, but it's going to come down to how it's applied and how often it's applied. Granted, you can't be 100% responsible for what's done to the leather when it leaves your hands, but the easier you make it for people to care for their items, the longer it will last and the better your reputation will be. Now, you may not be to the point where you're worried so much about your reputation, but it's something to consider and work on now so that when the time comes you won't be re-learning things. This is why I try to seal most items. That way, when the customer decides they can slack on the conditioner/wax, the item will still be protected. It's just a matter of getting acquainted with the finishing products to learn how they apply. From your responses so far, I'd suggest taking a look at Fiebing's web site. They have a very brief description of each of their finishing products. Note that it states Leather Balm W/ Atom Wax is NOT to be used as a water resistant top finish. This is why I choose Resolene. It's solid, water AND UV resistant, and creates a nice light sheen when applied correctly. http://www.fiebing.c...e/top-finishes/ For reference, here's a wallet I just sent out yesterday that's LIGHTLY coated with 50/50 Resolene, then followed up with MPB.

Don't get me started on Mop & Glo...... Super Sheen is a water based acrylic, but a poor one. It's their attempt at duplicating Resolene. I'd never use it on anything that's got my name on it. I use Resolene as an acrylic finish, and I hear good things about the Angelus version. With Resolene, the key is to make sure you use LIGHT coats and build up your coverage with 50/50 (mixed with water), otherwise it will get thick and plastic looking with the possibility of cracking. I actually use it on most of my products and maintain the "leather" look and feel while still offering excellent protection. The lacquer finishes are based on "neat-lac" which is no longer available. It was developed by LCI and is actually called Clear-Lac, which is still available. They just rebranded it for Tandy and sold it as Neat-Lac. Clear-Lac is available at Springfield Leather Company. There is also Wyosheen, which I hear is a very good option that's supposed to be the same formulation. Other options are Spray-Lac (aerosol lacquer), but I've heard a lot of horror stories there with people getting spits from the can that ruin their project. There are a couple of other spray versions that I can't quite remember right now. Another good option for a finish is Bee Natural's RTC Sheridan Resist. It goes on pretty easily, but it's not highly water resistant. It will offer good protection for those "medium" use products. I'd be comfortable with it on wallets, device cases, and possibly casual belts - just not a belt that's going to be used heavily in harsh environments. Lacquer on the other hand, is a very good option for those cases. Plus, you can oil through it pretty easily, which means the oils in the MPB will work through it easier.

thats fine. I only use Fiebing's Pro Oil. The color effect you're seeing is airbrushed dye. I cover the whole thing (minus the natural parts that were masked and later antiqued) with saddle tan, then do a light brown border about 1/3 in, and then add some dark brown around the edges of that. I did the same around the artwork to give it that halo of color.

1.) Yes and Yes. It really depends on the purpose of the item. If the items won't be subjected to wear and tear then it's fine on its own. If it will be abused, then you want something that will actually PROTECT the leather and not just give it a glossy shine. 2.) Light use is anything that won't experience constant wear and tear. Light use would be wall hangings, wallets (to an extent), tablet cases if they're to be carried in a purse, etc.... I would NOT consider a belt or holster light use because they are constantly subjected to abuse. 3.) All are better to be sealed if they will be subjected to the elements. MPB is a "Temporary" finish and will need to be reapplied. While it's fresh, it doesn't offer a whole lot of protection from scratches and the elements. 4.) I haven't had issues with anything. The main thing to consider will be how long you let it work its way through the finish. Acrylic finishes can take a long time for it to work through, but it does happen. Lacquer and water based finishes go a little easier and don't require as much time before buffing. On wallets with an acrylic finish, I do a couple light coats of finish and then apply MPB. From there, as long as the finish is really light, I can usually buff in about a half hour. If it's a heavy acrylic finish (heavier, not heavy), then I may let it sit overnight. You'll be able to tell when it's ready.

Why are you "afraid" that that's the answer? A $16 bottle will last you a lifetime. It goes on easy, blocks anything that comes in contact, and cleans up as if nothing was ever there. Here are a couple of the items I've used it on. If you look at the top of this forum, there's even a pinned topic about it to show how easy it is to use: http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=11101

I've seen people ask about airbrushing oil, but I've never seen anybody doing it. As Lightingale said, there's really no point.

Maybe I'm looking at the picture wrong, but you don't appear to be beveling your leather IN the cut. It looks like you're attempting to bevel next to the cut instead.

because if you don't, it will ALWAYS apply to heavily with an extreme amount of gloss and the possibility of cracking, and that's if you manage to get it on cleanly without any smears and bubbles. Always apply it 50/50, building up your desired coverage with light coats.

But, he isn't selling any.