Suicide

I'm not an expert in there, but you can try resisting technique (search forum for these words). Briefly: tool your belt, put either deluted or full strength super shene, satin shene or blockout in 1 or 2 coats for areas you'd like to keep ALMOST untouched by hilighter, give it to dry, then apply hilighter as prescribed (with removing excesses right after you put VERY libaral amount on belt and sponged it into cuts and curves). Finally put desired number of coats of the shene as usually you do. Different finishes/resists (super shene, satin shene or blockout) and different number of layers of them gives you different final look as they allow different amount of dye penetrate into leather (roughly you can consider hilighter as a mixture of diluted dye + stain in one). Such 2 coats of supershene as resist let you have the original leather in coated area color almost untouched - if leather had natural color, it still natural, if you dyed it before by let say red - it still red, etc. Satin shene as it has much less acrylics lets hilighter a bit penetrate (read tone color) into leather and you can control this penetration by applying additional satin shene coats - more coats - less penetration. So far to me it looks like 2 layers of full strength Super Shene or 3 full str layers of Satin Shene completely block any highlighter penetration in protected areas. Having less coats of dilute these finishes you can adjust final look of your item. If I'm not sure , I always try on scrap making few cuts and stamps on it, then dividing scrap area in to sections and applying different resists + highlighter, then letting it dry and choosing the best combination to apply on my project.

Thanks alot everybody for your advices! Exactly it is! I just got inspired by his works seen..

Seriously, guys, don't waste a time on carving these holes. Bring your masterpieces to Mr. Dwight to let him make his nice decorative shots! And remember leather must be properly cased to help Mr. Dwight do great, deep and crisp holes Sorry for flood but I also gotta love this forum for such a great guys here!

Hi TwoMikes, The major issue with buffalo is what it can't be molded. If its not an issue for you, then rest is depending on what kind of holster you'd like finally have. From these 2 options mentioned by you, I'd rather going for 2 layers buffalo+cow. The another option is to past a cow into buffalo. For it I'd use 6oz cow split and make outer layer from the 3 oz nice grainy buffalo. Cow gives a stiffness, buffalo - nice grainy texture. Making holster from just a thick buffalo gives you soft and comfortable item, most likely you even won't feel it beared with no gun in it. But to have it hold the gun securely you need great pattern and fitting (as you can't mold it). I attached couple of pictures how buffalo holsters may look like, it should give you some ideas.

Thanks for this tip also, I see what you mean.

Thanks!

Lace maker (Tandy) somehow works for me. I just replace blade with razor half blade (fit perfectly). Very depending on leather you are cutting. Thin, stretcheable and pliable leather gives you a headache with starting a cut and having even with for a lace. But using it you can really have about 4 yards of lace off from the square 4"x4".

Hi everybody. How can I have such groove? What tool should I use? big saddle stitching groover or v-gouge? or what?

If you need secured guy in NY , drop me a message. He sell on ebay, has stock of different leather (sheep, goat, cow, deer, buffalo, elk, sometimes exotic), all items exactly as described, you can easily reach him by email, pm or even by phone (if you proof he can trus you ), and he send his stuff even to Europe (that one is important moment for me). He has both auctions and buynow items, by your request can search you a several matched skins if you need more than one etc etc. Also he has very reasonable shipment prices and usually ship at the same day as you buy (or have done the last buy you want to be put into parcel). You can also agree to him for moneyback and returns (but this feature I have never tried ). Very nice guy overall, so I can recommend him. BTW AFAIK he also has a phisical shop in Gloversville, so you can visit it if you'd like to.

Thanks, pete!

Hi guys, I think I heard somethere what it is possible to use mulefoot stamps almost in a way as pro petal tool. Well, probablu do not undercut but at least to lift a petals. Can you please tell me IF it is possible , how mulefoot can be used for it? Thanks iun advance!

Thanks for reply, Bruce!

Seems I digged out the ancient post there, but anyway.... Thanks, Bruce for pointing this out. Can you please also share your experience with making a corners using these stamps? So far I tried to lean rope stamp at point of corner, but it doesn't help much and I always have a little toolmark off the connected rope line. On your pictures I see you handled 90 degrees as well as less pretty good (at least for me ) What the sequence of actions should be used for such corners? Thanks in advance!

I am a bit late on this but anyway wanted to stick my 2 cents into bison/bufalo. I am using a lot these kind of hides. Usually they are soft, stretcheable, pliable, EXTREMELY durable and easy to work with. Even being thick enough (8-10 oz) it can be sewed on domestic home sewing machines having just walking foot adapter or roller foot and leather needle. Being conditioned and waterproofed it has nice attractive grainy and shiny surface. Moccasins, wallets, purses, bags, garment stuff like vests, jackets etc, upholstery, decorative belts etc etc etc. As for saddles, basically it can be used everywhere where (and IF ) you used to use saddle sheepskins. The first saddle with buffalo made by one friend of mine now is about 10 years old, heavily used almost on the daily basis and still shows no wearing at buffalo's parts. You just need keep in mind possibility of stretching hence fix a big areas with decorative stitches or glue to avoid moving and stretching.

How about buying the yellow and red dyes (if they available separately at source) and mix them in desired proportions? You can have any orange tones and hues then...

Hi Chavez, Myself for "one time pattern" I used just a grocery store brown bags, cut , unfold and put several of them together (as many as requred) with narrow sort of transparent office tape like these For long lasting patterns (actually lalmost lifetime lasting ) I used to use different sorts of office binders. They are usually available in different thicknesses, sizes, from different plastics (firm, pliable, etc) so you can choose the right one. Just cut it with heavy duty shears. Also cost for cents (especially Chinese ones and with no any springs inside).

Thanks, Sixer! I don\t have fiebings Leather Sheen but give a try Satin Shene instead.

Ah, ok. Thanks for the explanations, it is clear now. I just was a bit confused with the shape of this needle and wondered what kind of surface shape it suppose to sew.

Hi everybody, What this sort of needles is using for? Thanks in advance!

Great job, Arno! 7 hours of BRAIDING??? How long that belt is ?? For me it actually took more time to have all the holes on the blank punched than this type of braiding itself ( Of course I mean a __normal__ belt which supposed to be weared on by human, not a 200m throw rope for ship or so.... ) Anyway, nice job: simple, strong and stylish.