TonyV

Nice work. The scales are well centered and, though the pic is a bit our of focus, stitching looks good.

If I have an old, dry piece of leather I want to carve, I will sometimes apply a bit of NFO a day or so before I case it. Seems to help restore the body sometimes, but I'm definitely not casing with oil. Some people use a light application of neatsfoot oil after carving. Some people use a light application of NFO before dying, others after dying, or both. Still not casing with oil.

I guess 2 screws are technically better than 1, but my favorite hunting rifle has worn the same sling with only 1 screw at each end for nearly 30 years of spot and stalk hunting in rough mountain conditions and they haven't come loose yet. The leather is wearing out at those points and I will soon need to make a repair (or build a new sling), but the chicago screws are still holding tight. A small dab of blue loc-tite is good insurance.

I would rather to look at Ebay and local classified ads, yard sales, estate sales and flea markets to find high quality used tools, rather than the cheap Chinese stuff from Amazon. I already made the Amazon Chinese tool mistake and I'm slowly replacing those. Yes, you can find some quality tools on Amazon, but they won't cost any less than dealing with the source retailers. I prefer the local route, so that I can handle and evaluate the tool before I buy. I recently bought a vintage swivel knife at a yard sale for $3 that is much smoother than my Tandy kit knife.

That's certainly a great option. Many crafters use hardware removed from thrift store finds or our own worn out goods.

Leathercraft involves lots of sharp tools, from knives and skivers to edgers and awls. Sharpening and honing your tools is not the most fun aspect of this world, but it is one of the most important and one of the most basic of all the skills you will use. IMO, sharp tools are a pleasure to use and help keep the work fun. As Chuck mentioned, sharpening takes expensive time. Do it yourself and save money.

If you can't find the color you have in mind on a store shelf, start experimenting with mixing your own colors. Virtually any color on earth can be created by mixing other colors. Also, you don't have to limit yourself to "leather edge paint". Do you see a metallic bronze car paint you like? example; a Toyota bronze, just get some of the touch-up paint that matches from an auto parts store. Yes, it will work, even if you have to thin it a bit. The stock leather dyes and paints are just a starting point. Experiment. Mix and match to whatever colors tickle your toenails.

Yes it fits on a belt. The photo on step 2 of the ammo pouch pattern shows quite clearly the belt loops. It's also a very simple matter to add a belt loop(s) to any pouch.

If any of those spots grow or change shapes it could be mold/mildew.

As they say in the military, "Never volunteer for anything".

Great recommendation. Joan at J.H. Leather sews an impeccable stitch has instructional vids on her traditional sewing technique and has a few great vids on making dog collars and leashes. As always, Stohlman is an authority on leatherwork.

Nice holster Jake! The thumb break stiffener is available from Tandy via Ebay or Amazon. I've also seen them made with hardened leather or plastic.

Tallow is just fat/oil. A cleaning with saddle soap might do wonders. It never hurts, and usually helps, to clean before dyeing, anyway. Try it on some scrap and judge the results.

very nice! Your customer will love it, I'm sure. I'm the proud owner of a genuine B-3 bomber jacket. It's not often cold enough in my area to need it, but when it does get that cold, I'm happy to have it.

Most of the time I sand by hand. Don't usually need much to even things up after a knife trim. On occasion though, the stars just don't align any better than my eyes. In that case, I use a small drum sander on my drill press. The most economical edge treatment is a little bit of water and vigorous slicking with a bit of canvas or white denim. Ain't fancy, but you can make it shine.