electrathon

I didn't post because I was not positive... I think it just friction fits. It simply fills the area. Aaron

If I understand your images corectly, this is what you want. v^v^v^v^v^v^v^ Two threads, both making an S. Both needles going through the same hole, in oposite directions.

I missed the news last night, so not sure if he was on, or not. I could not take any pictures of course, this was Santa and all. He is sort to secretive. I was a fun project, even if I would have liked a little more time to have done more. Aaron

The grove line is to help keep the thread from wearing our over time from surface friction. I do not like the liij either, so I usually do not do it. Aaron

Wyo-sheen from Sheridan Leather outfitters. Same stuff, differant name. Aaron

I got a call. Santa needed a new belt by tomorrow morning when he is visiting children at a local hospital. I was able to make him a new 5" wide belt. He is a really big guy, the hide was just the right length. All is well now though, he just left heading home to prepare for tomorrow. Aaron

Usually, the blade is dull or not properly sharpened. Sometimes it is the leather. Aaron

It was actually pretty simple to build. I had the screw that was salvaged a while ago (I am a huge scrounger). The oak was in the scrap pile. The hardest part was cutting the 1 1/4" plate to size. It was in a 2'x3' sheet. The only way I could find to cut it was in th mill. Clamped it to the table and set the power feed on the slowest setting, took about 30 minutes to cut through.

It is going to be almost impossible to tool anything that is 2oz. Needs to be 3 times thicker than that. If you are good, you will be able to tool 4 oz, but not something that you will learn on. Look for 6-8 oz to learn on.

If you have ever spilled brake fluid on a painted surface you will know how effective it is as a paint stripper. It will lift the paint off the fender of a car fairly quickly. It is water soluable so it it easy to clean up (simply scrub it in the sink under running water and it is good). Laquer thinner is a strong solvent, has more safety issues than brake fluid too. I agree it likely will work too. Aaron

Wow, giving out Wonder Womans phone number on the internet. I think there would be a long line. Aaron

I am interested in being in line too. Price? Aaron

Yes, that will work, assuming your mold is correct. Aaron

Can't help with that but this is one I made:

Brake fluid will strip it off. Soak it for a few hours, should rinse right off. It is water soluble and cheap too. Aaron

Attached is a pic of my press I made. With a plate the size you are talking about it woudl take everything I had to wind it tight enough. Aaron

I posted pics the other day of the finished wallet, but for some reason they did not show up. Try again:

If you are measuring the layout simply measure diagonally, corner to corner. If it is the same length, it is square. For repetive layouts, use a piece of clear plexiglass, cut to size. You can see through it to line it up. Aaron

The image did not show up, but: being as you are trying to duplicate a brand, I would brand it in. Either make a branding iron replica or use a woodburning kit to burn the leather, then basketweave around it. Aaron

I forgot to comment on the older tools. They are generally of good /acceptable quality. If you can find them from the 1960's and older that have not been allowed to rust, they are usually a good choice.

Cut a block of wood about that size, lay a piece of steel on the wood, set the rivits. Aaron

I keep wanting to post in this and have refrained so far, can't hold it back any longer: Tandy tools are crap. They are the absolute lowest level of any leather tools made. That said, I totally realize they are entry level tools. Very few people that learn to tool well will be using Tandy tools once they learn what they are doing. Many people are amazed when they pick up some quality tools that a lot of the issues they have with tooling are the poorly shaped tools. Tandy does stand behind their tools. They will replace them with another one when they bend or break. You just need to realize that the next one will be crap too ( I am excluding the tools that come with the entry kit, if you are frustrated with the junk you got buying Craft tools, look at the ones in the kit OMG!). It you like tooling, just realize at some point you will be buying quality tools from someone other than Tandy, they have made a corporate decision to not sell quality. Jim Linell himself told me I was foolish to be wasting my money on "custom" tools, that all leather tools need to be modified and to just get used to it. I was shocked when I heard him say it. It was during a discussion at a class he was teaching where almost everyone in the class was begging him to put in the word to Tandy to start selling better quality. I have no trouble with them continuing to sell the crappy tools and then also selling a "pro" line too. I have been told that is not going to happen, the margins do not justify it. People just need to realize that Tandy tools are the Harbor Freight of the leather industry. They sell junk. They sell it cheaply. They sell a lot. If you want better, you need to shop elsewhere and you will also need to spend a lot more. Aaron

I looked at the picture before I read your description. My first thought when I was it was you need a few leaves, not just vines (then i read you did that on purpose). Your flowers need to have the vines cross behind them. The flowers are surrounded by background, that looks unnatural. It would look better if you used a mules foot on the vines at the ends of the cuts. Bring your flower petal cuts closer to the flower center, they are separate petals all the way to the base. Aaron

I am not a pro at this but I think one of the main keys is to start with quality leather. You will be astonished at how good the back of good leather looks. Aaron

Look up information on old fashoned printing. It is called Letterpress. The type letters work well embossing on leather. You will also need a press of some sort to push them in. Using this method your lettering will look straight, true and not in a tacky font like the letters that come from Tandy. Aaron