electrathon

Use Pro-Carve from Bee Natural and you will not get mold.

If you lower the lights down you will have more light where you need it. If you raise them up you will have more light all around, but less to see what you are working on. Think of the light like water. If you had a gallon of water would it be better to poor it all on your bench or to spread it all over the room. Aaron

Well, I will live through this. But you have to realize when one of the cutest females on the forum posts she is designing a bra (and it will be out of leather) sometimes your brian extrapolates on what is there. )

I don't have any real critiques over what you have posted. Only to say I was pretty disapointed with the pictures you had posted compared with what I had for a vision in my brain after reading the heading...

That is my question also. The workmanship looks very good, but what percent of the exhaled air is being rebreathed? If the percentage is high you may find that you fall over asleep after a time. Not a good practice on a bike. I am not saying this will happen, just that it might without proper air echange.

I have to half way agree with you. The newer eco flo (waterbased) dyes and paints that Tandy is selling are of far inferior quality to the solvent based dyes (that are still available) that most leatherworkers are familiar with using. It is not that solvent based dyes are gone, just that Tandy has chosen to push the waterbased products. Buy the quality products and you will not have an issue.

RTC works well for holsters. It can be diluted with water (about half) and then the holster dipped into it. Pull it out and let it hang. Quickly blot off any excess and then let it dry. If you want to swab it on, put it on very heavy first, then gently smooth it till it starts to get tacky. This will happen fast, so work fast. I mean fast, not pooping around, keep moving.

I don't really have an answer but more of an observation. Even if you get it liquified do you really want to use it? You are likely going to mess up your work if it does not properly rehydrate and you will not know it till it is to late. If you found a semi-solid gallon of paint would you attempt to use it on the wall of your house? Aaron

You will get a lot of answers on how to finish. This is what I do. Chan Geer and Jim Linell both do the same thing so I don't think I am that far off. Tool. I then use Clear Laq /wyo-sheen on the whole piece and let dry. I then use Fiebings antique paste, followed by Tan Kote. I usually finish before I sew or lace. Aaron

My opinion is that you are standing on a line here. If the mark in the above image was on a belt I personally would never wear it. You made it for your Mom, she wanted it to be in your face, my Son made this for me. If I was going to mark it I would have moved the mark to the area near the buckle so that it was covered normally but would be spotted when a close look was taken. Aaron

Bruce, Your work is a perfect example of what I was trying to say. Your work is stunning, your mark is subtle. You have signed your art like an artist, as oposed to adding a logo to mass produced luggage. Aaron

Very awesome.

Are you going to make another one just like it but oposite for the other side? I really want to learn shoemaking. I was hurt and custom shoes would be very cool.

Somethng to hold the shape. Like thin plywood, hard cardboard or similar. This will make it more suitcase like. If the shape can twist and bend you will not need to do this. I was going off of your comment that said you wanted to hold the shape.

Is the guy in Packistan or something like that? If so his tools are good quality. Brass is soft but harder than the metal Tandy tools are made from. It is expensive so most would not choose it.

Make a fist around it like you are going to stab someone (metal out the bottom). Pull it toword you along the edge of a piece of leather. Nice beaded edge.

The fur (use short knapped sheepskin, soft and very thick) can just be glued to the inside of the finished cuff with very good contact cement. The stress will all be on the cuff itself and you will have to destroy things to get the lining out. Start with the fur too wide, glue it in (around a pipe) and trim off the overhang.

I have a hot foil stamper and it works too. Most people now days would laser engrave it though. Fast and easy to set up and run. I would recomend to her that she do a finish over the laser work. As to how you feel, it is very nice but not what the person wants. There is some reason for the desire she has to the words, that is up to her and you are selling it to her, she can modify it as she desires.

Laser engraver. Just burn it in.

I think you would need to line at least part of it to keep it in shape. You would have to fully line it is you used softer leather.

What kind of leather are you planning on using? Is this going to be hard or soft?

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Red ink pen? If so, toss it in some brown Fiebings dye and the res will desapear. Sounds wierd but totally true. You can use a red pen all over leather and brown dye will make it disapear. Aaron

It will work well. Dampen the leather and press the mark into it. It takes about half a second, longer and it will blurr. Leaves a very nice looking burnished mark. No antique needed. Aaron

Wider blades cut a wider V in the leather. Thick leather helps too.