kayrunp

I don't think it's the manufacturer, I think I just need to do something different with how I am applying it. I think with the english bridle accepting the stamp and the way that the piece is being used, the stamp is not staying. I guess the real question is if a bend in the leather is popping out the stamp, should i go to branding iron or will the consistent pressure of an arbor press give me less incident of uneven hits over and under hitting it? Ferg, That's about the size of my stamp. Did you have to machine a hole on the arbor press to hold it? Thanks, Karen

I am having problems with my maker's stamp. They are magnesium dies. If I wet and stamp I get solid depth, but it seems to stain water spots in the mark on the English bridle. And it will mark up the leather on the other side. If I do it less it fades and works out with the use of the leather. So to get a more consistent stamping method should I try an arbor press, or move to a branding iron? I have one stamp that it a silhouette of a bird and the other is just words. Also with the hefty handle one side also stamps deeper then the other. Thanks, KP

I found a FH Smith little press. I found some line 20 snap dies that fit in the top, but the anvil section doesn't work in the bottom not enough space. I mainly want to do snaps with these presses. Anyone ever convert them? Do I have to drill out the whole bootom for the anvil section of the dies? I also happened upon a Stimpson 479. it has no dies in it. I need to find snap dies for it. Anyone ever modify or locate dies for this machine? Thanks for your help! KP

I actually found 2 odd ball presses, I just got them and haven't gotten them up and running. I found an FH SMith hand press that takes screw dies and a foot press 479 by stimpson. I am going to post about the stimpson to see if anyone had figured out the dies for it.

Hey Grump, I'll try some smaller needles, What brand of needles are you using?

Hello, I am using the osborne 2 1/4 stitching awl, barbours 18/3 linen and 00 harness needles. Sometimes I use a 2mm 4 prong craftool stitching punch. I do some thick 8oz belts and then down to 3-4oz wallets. I also have a 12/3 linen I use too. I am using 6 holes per inch. With the awl I have the problem of the diamond shape cutting to close to the other stitch hole when i go deep in the leather . Can i file down the size to shrink its sides? I want to order some linen thread from campbell-randall and I don't know what ply to get because it doesn't list with 2 numbers like what i have. Is it the 3 ply and they are all 18 weight? When I use the craftool punch it is a nightmare, huge diamond holes, it looks really big for the thread. I was thinking of switching to a kiewa, they don't sell the 2mm so i would need to get the 3mm. I am hoping they might be more tapered for the holes? I also started to worry on the strength of the linen, i like using it and waxing myself but I don't want to see my stuff fall apart too early. I see from reading, a lot of people use sinew or the tandy sewing awl thread. Any feedback on these threads? what about the royalwood waxed linen threads? I am trying to avoid buying the wrong stuff, I have already spent so much on things i didn't really need or like! It is so hard to order everything from the web when I really feel like i need to see it and touch it. thanks for any feedback. KP

I wanted to get a hand press for snaps. The Tandy one is so darn expensive, has anyone used Kam? http://www.kamsnaps.com/Snap-Press-p112.html With Tandy, if I get the line 20 snap dies I can use any brand line 20 snaps? And if anyone has the Kam, for leather does it matter between the dx 98 or dx 93? also if I get the line 20 snap dies, i can get my snaps anywhere? or is it tandy snaps with tandy press and kam snaps with kam press? I saw some people mention they had to use tandy snaps with the tandy press. Thanks for your help. KP

Hello, I made myself a bracelet. I burnished the edges with water and canvas and then waxed them. I got them to a nice smooth finish. After wearing the bracelet it's gotten hairy again. Is this the wear of this type of burnished edge or did I not burnish enough? Thanks, KP

Thank you, I will check it out. By the way, nice briefcase you made on your gallery. Great work.

Hello, I want to invest into some strap end punches. I am realizing a good tool is worth its money, but I also realize that with the strap end punch you need a few so a miffle ground would be good in price. I was looking at those Kyoshin elle punches? how do they compare with the osborne? and the Tandy pro? also what is your ideal surface and tool for hitting to be good to the tool, the leather and the yourself? I have that black poundo board on a floor mounted anvil and it is getting all kinds of punches in it that are starting to imprint on the leather. Thanks for your help! KP

i used water and saddle soap to burnish, first water, than some saddle soap. When i got a nice edge, i coated with the edge kote. now if i try and buff it up it comes off. if it gets wet it comes off. I am afraid to touch it. It says on the bottle water-resistant. I don't want it to come off on peoples clothing and also to just come off and look bad.

Thanks for the info. I think it was the saddle soap that caused the problem for adhering the evil edge kote. Can I save the project or should i toss them aside. Could I rub alcohol on them to get what I can off and apply regular oil dye? Thanks, Karen

I used edge kote on a bracelet and key fob. I tried applying leather balm with atom wax but when i rub the edges it just pulls the stuff off. Also if it gets wet it just comes off. was this a mistake? I wanted the edges dyed in contrast to the leather. is there something I am suppose to do to seal? the directions say buff, but it comes off when I do that. I burnished them with water and saddle soap before applying. I am afraid the bracelet is just going to bleed and the edges just disappear. Thanks for any help!

Thanks. I started working on finding the right tension. I got it to start winding on pretty good, then it just got funky again about a 1/4 in. Every time I have to do a bobbin, the whole tension is thrown off and i get one side as a solid string. And it changes everytime I do bobbins and rethread. Unfortunately my inner foot just snapped and flew off, so I am on hold until I get a new foot to continue this journey.

Hello, I am new to my consew 226r. I have been problem solving and figuring out how to work things out as I go. My newest problem is the bobbin winder. It seems like it would be the easiest thing to do, but it became all wacked out and I can't get it back. It will start out okay and then it will be either too loose or it will wrap and spring off if i tighten the tension. it also begins to favor a side towards the end. How would i reset and figure this out? any place to find some info on this to problem solve? Thanks for any help. Karen

Hello, I am using the osburne diamond awl. I notice the stitchs at the end really show the slit of the cut and pull on it so it looks like a cut, should I punch round holes for the ends? second question, for a project I switched to a 3-4 oz leather, and I just need to do a few stitches to hold some thing together, and it looks terrible. I know the first mistake is I used the stitching prong- the holes are just too big right? so I was going to switch to the awl, (i used the prong, because it was in a real awkward part of the piece.) The leather is so thin, that when I tighten the stitch it tears the leather. So I was thinking maybe smaller hole with a different awl? or thinner thread? When I do thicker leather, it looks great, with this thin leather and short stitch line it looks like a mono brow stitch. Thanks for your help, Karen

Thanks, will do!

Hello, I am a newbie working on my hand sewing. I am using white barbour linen that I wax. By the end of the sewing, my thread looks so dirty, especially when I am doing a dyed piece. I see work with alot of beautiful white thread work, is there a way to clean it up or is just a white glove kind of situation? I was trying to hide the end pieces tucked in with a little wax and a lighter, but that blackens it of course so I have to bail on that with the white thread. Thanks for your help! Karen

Hello, I am learning the craft. I got a maker's hand stamp and couldn't get it to really mark well. I was using one of the hammers with the plastic clear yellow head. I started trying to hit harder, not realizing I needed a heavy hammer for this job. Now that I type with one hand while my finger heals from being smashed, I have decided I need to look into a better tool. I was also having lots of problem with oblong punches. I really just do the maker stamps and punching and setting, no tooling right now. What will make my hands safer? I have read that people use presses or really heavy plastic mallets to mauls? I can't afford to buy every weight maul, as I am just starting off, I could probably afford one good one, but I wasn't sure if it would be the right tool for the maker's mark and the holes, Is there other affordable options? Thanks for your help, Karen

Hello, I want to get my first maker's mark made and I am a bit confused on what I need. At the moment I am making leather wallets out of wicket & craig leather. I am using there veg tan natural and bridle leather. I also hope to make pouches out of chromexcel leather. For the maker's mark do I need a branding iron or a stamp? If i do the stamp, I don't have a press so I would have to pound it. Who makes one with a handle for that? Thanks, Karen

the actual clamshell hinge stitches are gone, I would love to reattach it, the holes are there and could just be stitched, do you think that is a problem? I would like to have it as one piece and not 2, but i see what you are saying, and won't touch anything else.

Hello, My brother would like me to fix his wwII japanese type 14 nambu leather holster. I don't know much about holsters. There are triangular stitches on the side that seem to secure layers of leather in the center that hold the pistol in place in the holster. Did that stitching go all the way through the leather or just attached before it was folded over? The stitching has come undone and I am not sure how I could stitch it back up without taking it apart. Also he wants it to stay original, but the the thread has aged, can i tea stain my linen thread to match? The piece is really dry and worn, Is there any oiling I should do that won't wreck the piece? He want's it restored, but not redone. Thanks, Karen

Does anyone know if this machine-JUKI LU-563 subclass 3 has reverse to it? I see the 563 advertise with reverse on the internet, but then I see that if it is a 563s it doesn't, so I don't now how the subclass 3 fits into the picture. The guy who has it has no idea about it. They say there is a knee switch on it that my husband, who found it, says it could be the reverse? This will be my first industrial machine so I am as green as they come.

Hello, I am looking to get a sewing machine, I am making totes and bags. I found a juki lu-563 subclass 3. Does this model have reverse? I notice a lot of machines don't have reverse. If the machine doesn't have reverse to lock a stitch what do you do? Is there a good looking technique? and would I be paying the price later for not getting a machine with reverse? and anyone have any thoughts on this model? I would like to get something I can work on for awhile. also what servo motor options are there for this? Thanks a lot for your input!