electrathon

You need to back the belt clip with a piece so sheet metal (about 2"x2" or so). It will spread the stress out.

I have always used glycerine soap. If you can not find it in the store go to the beauty section and get glycerine soap there. I have always used bar soap.

Hair tool/blade

I get it at Oregon Leather. Not sure about other states. It is the glue many cobblers use to glue the soles on the bottom of shoes with, so it has to stick well.

I know it is not real popular but I love Renia in the green can. It is very smooth applying and has incredible hold strength. I have tried many other glues and find it to be the strongest.

The photo copy method with saran wrap works awesome, one les time to trace your picture. I feel the reason Tandy teaches the race it twice method is because in the 1950s there were not copy machines available, so Al Stohlman did what was the best method for the day. At some point someone at Tandy will learn about copy machines and switch their teaching videos.

The counter top companies have to pay money to haul off their scraps. If the stones are cut nice they are worth a few dollars, but with ragged edges don't get too free with your money.

Your work looks cool. Yes, you can press form with a male and a female mold, it works well. I see you are using some form of plastic now for the male part, if you use that on both sides you will need to pull it apart to dry, then repress every now and then during the drying process.

I use a poly cutting board all the time, like it. If you want wood, get a wood cutting board at a garage sale.

You will find that there are a number of finishes and a number of ways to use them. A couple coats of risonine should be ok. I personally would use sheen, but have no reason for that.

You have already sealed it with resolene, so you are too late to oil it. Tan cote is about the worst there is as far as finishes. Not quite sure why you want to use numerous finishes instead of one. The chances of failure keep going up when you keep stacking on different kinds of finish.

With your history and ability I would recommend that you do auto interior "kits". Find a popular car, pattern the seats, make a install video and sell it. There is a big demand for quality, do it yourself install kits. You will do them repetively so they get easy to do fast.

Have you tooled any yet? You may want one style or another once you decide what you want to do. Floral and figure carving use different tools. Also some tools are smaller/bigger depending on the patterns you are tooling.

I will warn you though that I am a tool guy. I want the best tools that I can afford. The tools can be a big part of the fun. Just wait till you get a few Bob Beard "black crack" tools.

I have found dinosaur is like alligator crust. It cuts better on the bandsaw when you get to the crunchier parts. Hard to sew too when you get to that part. I converted my sewing machine to spin the needle in instead of just trying to push it.

I would go with the fewer number of older tools.

Darn auto correct.

First off, I agree with Dwight. If you bought the saddle to help you not fall off your horse, it is still good. Use it with joy. From what I see, you pealed off the top of the leather, don't do that again.

I saw those there and they were my favorite (but they did not ask me to vote).

Dinosaur leather would sell great as bags. It would have a great coolness factor (it would even work well for checked luggage, I doubt the airlines could damage it).

Oregon leather in Portland sells Barbour.

Welcome. You will be reading for a while.

You change the look of the lace if it is farther in or out, but 1/8" is about average. The smallest hole you can fit it to is best, but as to spacing if it is a 2.5 mm hole you would punch it every 5 mm.

I am in Sheridan and have a motel room with an extra bed. If someone is interested in splitting the cost contact me. Less cost for lodging means more money to buy tools! It is at the Candlewood, about 1000' from the show.

Tracing paper was used by Stohlman for one reason, he did not own a photo copier. If the books being sold today reflected modern technology, tracing paper would likely stop being taught. Similar to a secretary training book written in 1963 would tell you to use carbon paper if you want a copy. The modern day method is to dampen your leather, wrap it with seran wrap, lay a photo copy on top, trace it with a red pen (so you an see what you have missed), you are done. Every time you copy your pattern by hand you are adding to the error factor. It is also a lot slower to hand draw a copy than it is to hit print on a copy machine. Also a stylus does not show where you have traced and missed, a colored pen shows up.