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electrathon

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Everything posted by electrathon

  1. They are done by making the sheath with a fold line on one side and a stitch seam down one side of the blade. Wet the leather, tape up the blade and push the knife into the sheath a 1/4 tirn off. Massage the leather as it shapes over the blade. Aaron
  2. I recomend smaller projects. There is a shorter learning curve that way and less frustrating if things go bad. Aaron
  3. That is what I would do. If not a drill use a dremel and grind out the center of the rivet and the head will pop off like washer. Just go slow and easy. Aaron
  4. Push down hard on the plate and pull your knife along the edge.
  5. Yup. Plates are great for bigger arcs. Aaron
  6. Actually if you look close the one dwight drew up, it is much better proportioned and layed out than the tanner goods one is. The corners are very important on a pattern.
  7. The gap between the roller and the blade is a very precice measurement. If it is off your split (it is a splitter, not a skiver) leather will be tapered. Like 9 oz on one side and 7 oz on the other side (that is with only 1/16" variance).
  8. A couple ideas. I personally use Fiebings antique, it is far harder to wipe off than Tandy antique. If you do not seal your item well, it will look like it is dipped in mud. If sealed well, it just stays in the cracks and crevices. Next, if I m going to antique I use Neat Laq (Clear Laq/ Wyo-sheen) to seal the leather. Also, if your tooling is not sharp and crisp there will not be crevaces for the antique to get stuck in. Look at your tools, are they sharp and crisp? If they are chromed (craft tool) the chrome smooths out the sharpness of the lines. It makes it harder for the antique to grab. Pictures would help. Aaron
  9. It is a spore problem and you are going to deal with it for a long time. You definatly need to stay in front of it and keep it under control. The spores are all over and looking for a host. Imagine if it was lice, what would you have to do to rid the house of them. Mold is less grose, but can also be a huge health issue.
  10. This is not your answer, but it may help in the future. When I case anything I use Pro-Carve (Bee Natural) additve in the water. There is somethng in it that works as an anti-fungal. I have so far never had mold grow on my carvings. Aaron
  11. You will need to add cam adjusters to the roller. The adjustment on a splitter is very sensitive, I doubt that you can do it with a simple slot. The blade will need to be sharp. If you do not start bleeding just from being near it it needs to be sharper. Do not cut a secondary angle on the blade except to set the burr. Second thought, I don't know how you will get the leather to start into the splitter, usually pull through splitters have a lift feature.
  12. Short of buying a dedicated machine I would suggest a local shoe repair shop with a landis. Have them sew the seam along the sole. Should not cost too much, about a 15 minute job if he stops and talks to you a lot.
  13. Not really sure on this answer. I know they always use red and it feels like a syntetic on the covers I have cut off. The ones I have made were just for fun so I was not really worried about authentic display. In general, I use either linnen or tiger thread, neither of the two are correct for authenticity. I just happen to like both threads.
  14. You are way overthinking things. I hand sew all the time and could never even give a guess to the sizes and measurements of it all. If the needle can be pulled through the hole, all is well. I personally feel that if you can easily get the needle through, your hole is too big. I use pliers all the time. I never tie a knot in the thread at the needle. Just double back the thread about 8" and go. Be a little carefull when you pull it through to not tug the needle off the thread. Not a hassle at all compared to dealing with a knot on the needle. Also, if you need to undo a stitch or two just pull the needle off and unsew.
  15. The inside needs to be about 3/8" shorter than the back. There should be a spot at the fold/bottom about 3/4" that has a notch cut out that is not sewn.
  16. Your stitch line is way to far away from the gun. t will lossen up, the gun fall out, accidentally discharge when it hits the floor, shoot a puppy that is nearby, get you featured in the news as a puppy hater. Easier to tighten up the stitching.
  17. What are you trying to mold? Short answer is you get it wet, stretch it into the shape you want it. What you want to make will affect how you do it.
  18. There is a basebll core inside I think that was a referance to my thread in which I stuffed mine with cloth to keep it soft. About 3 oz. Thicker and it will be hard to form. I do not understand the part about waisted leather. You cut to the pattern and stretch it in place. Again, punch the holes where they are in the pattern. The spacing on a baseball cover sitching is not symetrical and if you just punch the holes as you would on a wallet you will have a very poor looking ball.
  19. A solid core door makes a great table top. Stout legs with carpet scraps under the legs will help with the noise.
  20. buying lasts is one of the hardest parts. I see they have a couple available.
  21. I have not signed up yet but am going to. The site looks very basic/start up but I am very interested in the information. Aaron
  22. Pictures would REALLY help here... Short bottom line explanation. Cut half way through with your knife. DO NOT tip it left or right, it makes undercuts and is likely your main issue. The tip of the beveler goes in the cut, tap it and move over, tap, repeat. If you are using Tandy tools the angle is wrong on many of them so you may have to tip it.
  23. 1- loose the big eye needles and get harness needles. Work better and are stronger. 2- no need to do this. Just push a dent in the leather with a stylus (or a nonworking ball point pen). 3- I hate overstitch wheels. I use pricking irons but on a budget go to the thrift store and buy a fork. Theywork well. Sharpen it on a stone. 4- 31218-01 this is the awl (tandy quality but will get you started). 5- 1227-02 OK starter thread. 6- do not buy. Glycene saddle soap rubbed with a scrap of denum is better. But you can not burnish chrome tan.
  24. The top of the boot is patterned, not lasted, so no need for the last to come up farther than the foot area. The last is to stretch and form the shoe. The rubber sole so is glued on with conact cement. Just try to pull smething apart that is glued togeather with Renia.
  25. With the little I know of feather making (not a lot) I have one hint. Use your leaf liner along your bevaled line at the quill. It will bring your lines the rest of the way into the quill instead of the smooth bevaled area.
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