electrathon

The new one will likely be slightly different, so it is unlikely you will be able to finish the pattern you are in the middle of.

The deepest cuts, beveling, backgrounding basically go half way through the leather. The rest of the marks are someplace in between. Basically cuts, bevels and backgrounding are usually the deepest. Some tools to barely have to tap, like a seeder. Some tools get hit a lot harder, like a thumbprint. Tools like the backgrounder can be hit over and over again. You do not have to move them totally to the side of the impact, just move it a little, tap, move a little, tap and so on. It will be more uniform that way. Of all the bad tools Tandy does have, the backgrounder works OK (only issue is that it is way to huge to get into corners, that can be fixer with a grinder to make it smaller). If you are trying to use the worthless wooden hammer, place it is the fireplace next time you walk past and get a poly one. Aaron

I left off the rest of the sentence: If the color is too dark, add isoprople alcohol to dilute the dye. I am assuming you are using Fiebings.

Was it the new Kingston wallet? I did one of those for the Tandy manager a few weeks ago, there was about half of the thread necessary to do it. Was really surprised, of anything to short in the kit, thread is cheap.

He still sends out add every now and then. No longer in California, back east now. He is only selling a select few items, nothing like the business was befor. Aaron

I do it all the time. Wear gloves. Do a test piece first for color (let it dry). Drop them in. Take them out, pat dry on a towell. Buff them with a rag when they dry. if the color is too dark, Aaron

If your tools are out of a Tandy kit, take it back and have them replace it. Tandy tools are crappy. Tandy kit tools are far far worse than the normal crappy tools. Have them replace them and you will get the normal crappy ones, you will have better luck then. Once you decide you want to tool, but good tools. Aaron

Do not have an answer, but hoping you would post a pic of the table. Every table I have seen is a home made one. Aaron

This has been one of the most confusing threads ever. As best as I can figure out, the only difference between a life eye and a perma loc needle is the name. Here is a link showing life eye: http://books.google.com/books?id=BX7KMhYk_B4C&pg=PA171&lpg=PA171&dq=life+eye+needle&source=bl&ots=fapS2n5Vot&sig=l_OAUNZQ7XnLYIHcXfA0e2zlYbo&hl=en&sa=X&ei=K1HzTtD_NaKniQL_kMykDg&sqi=2&ved=0CB0Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=life%20eye%20needle&f=false Look on page 171. Both are round needles with a round hole in the end that is tapped inside the hallow tube so you can thread the lace inside. As best as I can tell, the only way for a layman to tell them apart is to read the name brand on the side of them. I stand by my original statement: Round needles are for round lace, flat needles are for flat lace. I want to add one more line: Round holes are for round lace, flat holes are for flat lace.This seems so simple. I am guessing that a lot of people use way over sized holes when lacing, making it seem like the perma loc needle fits easily (holes the size of a Tandy kit for example). If I am mistaken, someone please correct me. If you want your lacing to look good, use smaller holes, closely spaced together and larger lace. I have posted a few pics of what my lacing looks like when done this way (rawhide has also posted pics of his work in the past, he crowds his lace too) in other threads. I see lacing on some peoples work on here and do not understand how it can be so inconsistent. Lacing is very easy, but it also takes a lot of time. The two prong needles are crap. The lace constantly falls off them and just make you frustrated. Lok eye needles hold and hold well. From a pull on them and they stay on perspective they are at least 5 times stronger than any other needle I have ever used. A lot of people confuse lok eye needles with two prong needles, they are a world apart. I do acknowledge, lok eye needles do not last very long. If yo want to lace 5 different items with one needle, it likely will not happen. But they are cheap, just replace them.

I have to totally agree. If the correct screw was used in the first place, it would likely not need replacing today. Amazing the crap a company will do to save 1/5 of a cent.

Challenge it through Paypal, they will refund your money. Paypal will almost always side with the seller, no matter the circumstances or who is at fault. They will not care if you send it back or not, that will be between you and the seller. Aaron

I really like it when things I do fixe something. I tend to go over to friends houses and end up doing repairs. And yes, I have even gone to a wedding and ended up fixing someones car. Of course, with BSDM stuff getting to use it is always good. Sometimes the stories you hear back from others are good too Hint: It is more fun to make stuff for girls and then get them to tell you about the event than it is to hear from a guy.

I tend to live in the mess, so I am used to it. I actually feel security from having all the stuff around. I like being able to look through the shop and find some tool from years ago and fix something.

Hobby store. Model airplane section. You want a set screw, a regular screw is way to soft to last. Aaron

What a great idea! I never use those ruvets, but literally have thousands of them from buying out other people stuff. Maybe a use for some of them . Aaron

Upholstery tanned leather a bad idea, chrome tannrd leather good (for liners). Just use the proper thickness of leather. Set your shap in the outter layer before you assemble. This will properly set the snap, solve your issue and properly protect the snap from touching on the backside.

I have found that in so many areas of life, not just leather work, that I enjoy the learning process more than I do the finished product. When I start a new hobby I like attending classes, locating and buying tools and then the finished product. I am talented in a number of areas, so new hobbies are always coming along. I do them for a few years, but after a while I master it and then look to other areas of fun. Do others have this too or is it me? Aaron

My suggestions: Make patterns off of your kits. You can buy leather cheaper than the kits, and the leather used in the kits is the worts of the worst. In your tooling, work half way through the thickness of the leather. Cuts are half way, tooling is up to half way. Most beginners chicken scratch. Replace the tools as soon as you decide you like to tool. The ones in the kits are also the worst of the worst. You likely have seen a lot on here about how bad Tandy tools are, the kit tools are a far step below the ones most feel are junk. Aaron

Yup, Tandy belt blanks are pretty bad. If you care about the backs, call Springfield or someone else. Much of the Herman Oaks flesh side leather looks almost as good as the Tandy grain side. Also, a lot of the belts you see on here are two layers thick, so there is no flesh side to see. Aaron

I have to say, AWSOME job. Aaron

Rock, As I sit here reading what you wrote I am currently recovering from having my ankle fused. 30 years ago as a teen I was involved in a catastrophic motorcycle accident, crushing my left leg. I too am very talented in a wide range of areas and leather work is likely going to be what I will do as I continue to age and loose the ability to do physical labor. High quality leather can be a very good direction for talent to flow. I taught a class a few weeks back and the majority of the men that took the class were middle aged and older, almost every one made the comment they had to be able to move around, they all had experienced some sort of injury over the years that caused them to be in some sort of pain. Leather allows the creativity to flow in a quality and fulfilling manor. I hope you do well. As a beginning project the bag is a great job. Aaron

I made a few of these a couple years ago. Made them out of Corrion. They worked OK, good if you are smoothing a long straight line. They were prretty simple (not $3 simple though). Aaron

If you want to drive there, you have Oregon Leather and Tandy in Portland. I think there is a place in Pendleton, not real sure though. Oregon Leather has Herman Oak. Aaron

The one you lokely saw was an osborn tool. I have one, it liike just like the standard rotary tool, but the blades fit one at a time. One of the blades is a 4 prong lacing punch. Look at the Japan guy that sells on bay. He sells a modern version of it, punches from both sides at the same time. It is one of the only one I use any more. It is GREAT! They have brown vinyl on the handles. Hands down the best punch I have (I have lots of them). Aaron

Barry King has some very small stamps in his line. Aaron