raysouth

Did a bit of pyrographic art on wall hanging 5/6 oz leather. Pleasant day.

Wondering if anyone is aware of a publication that gives detailed instructions for fabricating a case for a pool cue stick? A friend visited couple of days ago and asked if I could make him a case and I told him I would attempt it if I can find information to set me off in the right direction. No idea how to proceed as never had a request. Searched my Stohlman books and more, but came up empty handed. Any assistance or information will help. God Bless. helmut aka: Ray

As many leatherworkers also deal with various wood projects, some of the information that follows may be of benefit. The information is contained in a publication published by The Guild of Master Craftsman Publications, by Terry Porter, and filled with excellent descriptions of many wood types that you may use or handle. Nice reference to have around. Handling of wood and dust produced can produce various allergic reactions and following is a bit of that information. There are wonderful charts in the book that cover this subject. Many woods are "sensitizers" and produce effects that may include rhinitis (constantly running nose), bronchial asthma, bronchitis, allergic dermatitis, alveolitis allergia (hypersensitivity pneumonia), ODTS (organic dust toxic syndrome), and conjunctivitis. Nasal cancers are rare but can occur, especially to those working a longtime in furniture industry. Cancer of the upper respiratory tract can be caused by many kinds of wood dust, especially beech and oak. Some woods, such as yew can act as sensitizers. When first used. there is no reaction, but after repeated exposure the user may become sensitized so that each contact with the wood produces an almost immediate allergic reaction. Normally this is irreversible, the only logical outcome is to avoid using that particular wood. Additional sensitizers include beech, sequoia or redwood, mahogany, teak and willow. If you are allergic to aspirin, be cautious of willow and birch as they can have a similar effect. Micro-organisms in fungus and bark can induce bronchial asthma, rhinitis and allergic dermatitis. In North America, maple bark strippers' disease is due, apparently, to the mould Cryptostroma corticale that grows between the sapwood and the bark of birch and maple trees. This can cause severe respiratory allergies. Some people are more susceptible than others, and if you are a smoker the rise of illness from inhalation of wood dust is greatly increased. Subtropical and tropical woods are noted for allergic effects include western red cedar, sequoia/redwood, obeche, cocobolo and mansinia. Woods from temperate climes tend to produce a less extreme effect; those that should be treated with caution include walnut, larch, beech, oak, yew and pine. From the charts I selected two woods I have here in my shop and learned the following; COCOBOLLO: Sensitizer and irritant to skin, nose and throat; conjunctivitis, nausea, bronchial asthma, wheezing, chest tightness, headache. Toxic parts are dust and wood. EBONY: Irritant; dermatitis, conjuctivitis, sneezing; possibly a skin sensitizer. Toxic parts are dust and wood. I no longer am exposed to wood dust but have also found, by personal experience, that dust from leather has caused minor problems for me. Solved by simply using paper face mask when trimming, skiving leather and especially, if sanding edges. Hope that some of you find the information useful and if working with wood this book would be a superb reference in your shop. Helmut aka; Ray

Nedd some assistance in making a large, round leather shield. Anyone here with experience? Any tips/ assistance will be appreciated. helmut

Has anyone on the site, made leather shields? I would like to make a large round shield but need some "how do I do it" assistance. helmut

I had previously used the 1 ton from Harbor Freight and it was fair but having physical limitations I looked around and found a 2 ton with ratcheting handle at Northern Tools. Perhaps other have the same tool but have not bothered to look any further. It has been great and I user steel plates, top of the work and bottom when clicking small items. Largest I hade cut so far is 2" rosette, using a clicker die from Weaver. The ratcheting feature was a real plus for me and the increased capacity has been great. Have thought about having 3/8" hole drilled in center of shaft as others have done but still undecided. Needs a good base as the machine weighs in @ 100 pounds. Just thought I would share and hope you find a machine to do the trick. I also use a 12 ton floor mounted press from Harbor, for clicking larger items or stamping with larger custom stamps. helmut

Has anyone had the opportunity to use the embosser being made and sold by bunkhousetools.com in Ponca City, Oklahoma? If so, how do you feel about the machine and cost of the unit? I had a Tippmann and the multiple functions were very nice but did not function as I desired. Any assistance/response will be much appreciated. helmut

If you enjoy obtaining old/vintage leather tools, check this item listed by user; uselessur. Item number 270939239664 Great old tool and has two days left. He has it listed as a metal bender. Hope someonr here is the lucky buyer. Wish it were me but have spent my max for awhile. lol.

I have a Tandy Imprinting Machine, item number 32418-00, that I never put into service. List on Tandy site is $599.00, Gold Membership: $480.00, Elite Membership: $360.00. I will sell mine for $300.00 plus shipping to anyone interested. Shipping will be charged at actual charges and no handling, taxes, etc. Email if interested, via this site. I have not listed elsewhere. Thanks for looking and God Bless. helmut

SOLD OUT AS OF MARCH 24, 2012. Currently in process of relocating my leathercraft setup to smaller area of my workshop to save a bit on utilities and make access easier for me. I am seeking someone, hopefully a fellow leatherworker, that has a side interest in collecting drinking vessels, ie; cups, mugs, glassware, etc, and is close enough to Opelika/Auburn area of Alabama and could make a trip to see if this collection would be something of interest. 1500 pieces, or more, and they must be packed and loaded by others as my physical situation would not allow me to complete such activity. If this sounds like something of interest, please contact me as soon as possible and I will fill you in on all of the details. Not something to spend time over or occupy space on this net. Just want to see that it ends up in the hands of sincere leatherworker. No time to photograph eveything and no desire to list on one of the auction sites. Time is extremely important these days and would be an extreme chore to list each item for someone. Send me a phone number or email address and I will contact you asap. Please, if you wish me to call, add the best times for me to call. The price will surprise you and certainly, please you. While I am at it, I make mention that many items are to be sold at very low prices and something here for everyone. Disposing of my entire estate, except my leather working and pyrography items. God Bless. Ray aka Helmut

A great site for information, especially for those that are information hungry. www.kingsmerecrafts.com . Retired leather person and shares a wealth of information. NOT a sale site but one to enjoy. Hope y'all find something of interest there.

TIPPMANN EMBOSSER SOLD AND HAVE LOCATED A CLICKER.-------- HAPPY DAYS AHEAD---------

TIPPMANN EMBOSSER SOLD-------------

Anyone have a Weaver Hand Clicker? Wondering how well they function. In addition, if anyone has one for sale, I would be interested. Have a number of small dies that I would like to use and have used 1 ton arbor press but difficult to use, for me. I am loaded with physical impairments and need something that would give me some leverage. Would appreciate any info or other ideas. Ray

Would like to make wall mounted tool holder/rach, with leather loops as I have seen when I browsed pictues of members shops. Came upon several that caught my eye but, I forgot to save the pics and makers id's. Sign of antiquity, I suppose, Was in the decision making phase of relocating my new leathercraft shop/studio and wanted to get my tools in front of me instead of in cabinet drawers. Primarily for the normal tools, edgers, gouges, etc; with the rounded wooden handles as on C.S Osborne, and other manufactures tools. Would like to get some ideas as to size/width and length, of strips I would need as well as an idea about loop size and spacing for ease of access. Hope someone can take a bit of time and lend me a hand with information and ideas for this project. Thanks Folks and God Bless. Ray aka user; helmut Please excuse the bols and at times, oversize print. Makes it easier for my well worn eyes to grasp.

I am reducing the size of my estate and some of the items to be sold includes a very large library of books , covering; leathercraft, wood carving, gourd art/carving, pyrography, drawing, tattoo art (some great patterns can be found in this category), scroll saw patterns (also good for pyrography on leather), colored pencil techniques, knifemaking, dragons and fantasy (great artwork), stained glass, and much more. Following is a partial listing of those on Amazon, if anyone is interested; THE COMPLETE BOOK OF DECORATIVE KNOTS THE ART OF KNOTTING AND SPLICING THE ASHLEY BOOK OF KNOTS (THE BIBLE FOR THIS SUBJECT.) LEATHER BRAIDING 200 KNOTS TO TWIST, BRAID, KNOT, LOOP OR WEAVE. LEATHERCRAFT TECHNIQUES AND DESIGNS--JOHN W. DEAN (1950, AND A GREAT BOOK) USEFUL KNOTS ENCYCLOPEDIA OF RAWHIDE AND LEATHER BRAIDING HOW TO MAKE WHIPS LEATHERCRAFT--FRED W. ZIMMERMAN (1961) SOFT SUEDE, SUPPLE LEATHER LEATHER AS ART AND CRAFT CREATIVE ROPECRAFT (FOR THOSE WHO BRAID) THE LEATHERCRAFTSMAN SADDLEMAKING TECHNIQUES LEATHERCRAFT--CREATIVE TECHNIQUE AND DESIGN GETTING STARTED IN LEATHERCRAFT TRADITIONAL BEAD AND LEATHERCRAFT WHIPS AND WHIP MAKING GENERAL LEATHERCRAFT CREATIVE LEATHERCRAFT WORKING WITH LEATHER LEATHERWORK--F.R. SMITH (1937) Ray aka Helmut

Wanted to let everyone know that I am clearing out my estate, while still able, and have currently listed a number of recent and ancient leathercraft books on Amazon. I have not figured out how to get it on the site do if any interest, please email and I will send you a list of some already listed. Other topics will include; carving and whittling, scroll saw designs/patterns, pyrography, gourd art and craft, few military titles I used for the artwork, drawing, colored pencil techniques, and much more. God Bless. Ray aka Helmut

Thanks Luke. That was FAST----- Had to correct plenty of typos and you had responded by the time I was finished. Many thanks and adding that one to the list. Didn't think about cypress and that is strange as I have done a good bit of pyrography on cypress knees and have a cypress slab leaning against the wall that is @ 30" +/- in diameter. My world must be small, not being able to think of things. lol. Thanks again.

Hello Friends, I need some tips/advice on how to come up with a logo/design, not very complicated, to place on an makers stamp no larger than a 1- 1/2" oval. I am not a creative/talented artist and always have to seek assistance for my projects. I do come up with plenty of ideas for my leather creations when it does not involve drawing or interesting art topics. Mechanical ability in art is a-ok but not very adept with logo material. Name I will use is my shop/studio name, "BIG SWAMP LEATHERWORX", and assistance or ideas will certainly be appreciated. All I have managed to come up with is a clump of reeds/cattails as seen on some of the leather stamps but had hoped to find something a bit "neater". Thought about gaping mouth croc/gator but not able to locate artwork that depicted a good angle. Hope someone can help. God Bless.

Hello Aaron, Thank you for the idea and I will be sure to add this to the list I am compiling. I, at times, think I make things a bit more complicated than they shoul be. I have been a tool nut, all of my life and it is almost like a love affair, filled with very strong emotions. I'm the type that goes nuts if someone uses one of my tools improperly. Such as using screwdrivers for prybars or chisels, etc. Sure you get the idea. That, perhaps, is why I am so concerned as to where my tools will end up one day. Suppose I could be a ghostly subject and wreak havoc on the user of my goodies. lol. I have, for many years, sought a special person that enjoyed the things I enjoy but must alway remember that we are all different. Had a small business and wanted to find an exceptional employee that performed as he/she was an invested owner/partner but always seemed to fizzle. Came close one time but----- Thought I could give the operation to that employee and smile as they made it work and had a good life. Experienced such activity in my early years and thought I could find or connect, in a similar manner today. Not yet but still looking. Thank you again and God Bless. Ray aka Helmut

Hello Ron, Attorneys wont become involved in dealings pertaining to my treasures. No need to go that route. Naturally, wife will have the final say when the day comes but for now I will continue my trek, hoping someday in the not to distanmt future to find that special person or persons. Small world, it truly is. I just received my new sewing machine and going on as if I will live forever. Never touched such a machine before but already think that it will be a fun experience. Hope I didn't mislead anyone about time frame. I have a decent amount of items that I will, I hope, be letting go but most of my pyrography and leathercraft items will be the last to go. My intent is to continue my search for that special place to allow the leather shop to be transferred to when I am no longer able to function or have passed and wife will place that I have chosen. I go on each day, as if I will never quit but now have to face the facts as they seem to present themselves, whether I want it or not. Still having fun and certain that there are many others that are having similar thoughts and may be in worse shape than I so can't dwell on it every minute or I might goe totally bonkers. (Just a bit that way now. lol. ) The statement has been made before, about becoming so old that I should give it up, but then somone pipes up and says, if you don't do what you are doing, what will you do? Not one to sit around idle, even though mobility is a problem. Thank God for leading me to my new crafts and all the great folks I have met. My wish, though doubtful it will materialize, is to be able to attend one of the Wickenburg Extravaganzas. Sounds like it would be great fun. Oh well, hope I didn't bore you and know you will enjoy that new machine. Keep in touch, if so inclined. God Bless. Ray aka Helmut

Hello Denise, Thank you for the response. Where I am located seems to be without guilds, or leathercraft stores. Nearest Tandy is @110 miles away and not able to get there. Have to do most everything on the net. I will continue on and as someone said to me today, "When you are gone youi won't care who gets your goodies", which is true. Still like to think I will find that special person/s who would enjoy as I do. Been searching for years but no luck yet. I could go on and on but this is not the place to get deeply involoved in my issues. God Bless. Ray aka Helmut

Having read some of the items in the leatherwork history section, I found an article about someone receiving starter sets from his grandmother, that were purchased and used by his grandfather. Indeed a very fortunate person and especially nice that he was considering taking up the craft. This brought many thoughts to mind as I often wonder what will become of my many items so dearly treasured. Am at stage of life that has me thinking about the crossing over and I now ponder so many things that I never thought would be of concern in my lifetime. Especially, will my beloved be okay and able to carry on, seems to be my greatest fear.My number one "treasure". As for my craft items and other collections, I find myself wondering if they will find homes that will treat them with high regard, as I do now, and if will they make someone happy and creative in their lifetime. Seems as though these are questions that will never be answered for me as there are no "heirs", in our families and I am the last of the line, so to speak. It was wonderful to read how much these things were appreciated by the those receiving the items, and enjoyed the comment by one member something like this; me, me, me, or peeing myself when he stumbled into his good fortune. lol. Good chuckle from that one. Also somewhat difficult to grasp, due to age and passage of time I suppose, but I have attempted to give some of my different collections to an individual or a group that could utilize the items I wanted to give, and no takers. Called several charities providing education for youngsters and all said they would be happy to get the material and would call in couple of days to make arrangements to pick up the items. Lo and behold, none ever returned a call or came for the freebies. Had I been offered these treasures, or similar items when I was coming up, I would have run to the location and made sure I got there ahead of anyone else. Times have certainly changed, Not like the days of 2 cent candy. lol. Thanks to all who shared their moments of good fortune. Very heartwarming to learn that some families and other interested folks have the opportunity to receive wonderful treasures to use and enjoy for years to come. Up late with spasms and as often happens, I find myself drawn to this site, reading about the leathercrafters world and all the great folks that make this such a great place. Between this site and the leatherworkers guild, I feel that anyone interested in the craft could learn everything there is to know. Tons of experienced tutors at both sites.

Howdy Shooter, Please tell me the size of these staples. Thanks, Ray