TonyV

A couple different ways I know of, both involve getting the strap wet. Not soggy of course, just slowly draw a strap through a basin of water as if you were casing it, shake off the excess, then... 1- stretch it out between 2 clamps across your bench or a table and let it dry. Then do your magic. 2- My preference. Use your glass slicker in one direction only. Repeat as much as necessary to get it stretched. this way might even make it a bit thinner so you don't have to skive as much. Let it dry then do your magic. As with everything in leather craft, YMMV there are many ways of doing things. I'm looking forward to see what other methods there are.

Fred has the answer. I cut and straighten lace that way, too. Bonus hint, pull the strap through a round hole while it's damp to make it round.

Have you tried buffing it when dry? alternatively; Have you tried leaving off the Angelus 600 to see if that helps?

What vegetation and minerals in your area have been used in traditional dyes? Red ochre combined with a seed oil or NFO, maybe combined with coffee or black tea?. Is there some traditional crafts people in your area with whom you can share ideas? You might be able to find black walnut shells for sale online. Some people have good success on leather with wood stain.

other ingredients include soy lecithin and dimethyl silicone. YMMV. These ingredients make the oil rather sticky. I don't use cooking spray on my cast iron for just that reason. Just plain old avocado oil. Don't care to try spray on my leather projects.

Personally, I'm more inclined to be thinking of "How do I go about reupholstering?" I don't know of any adequate fillers, although there used to be (might still be) an As Seen On TV vinyl and leather "repair" kit available, which I think was just vinyl paste of different colors. I might use that stuff on naugahyde, but not real leather. You might be able to artfully patch the holes and cracks, giving it a little different character by gluing and/or over-sewing matching patterns of new leather. There are people here much more knowledgeable of furniture than I.

Tape and adhesives have a habit of sticking to stuff. It's their job. Even the 3M Command hooks can damage walls, despite the adverts. I know this because I used them in my RV to hang things. Every place I used them came they came loose after about 18 months and tore the wallpaper along with them. Ugly patches I have to repair somehow. You might try something like Command hooks, mounting tape or masking tape on a piece test of leather and see how well they hold, what damage they cause, and see what residue they leave behind. To remove tape residue I would try denatured alcohol first.

I don't see any issues with your stitching (yeah, I went there ). That's some good stitching. Time to pick up where you left off 8 months ago, IMO, and I'm looking forward to more of your work. My family has a history of retinal detachment and other eye issues, so I empathize with you. It may be only a matter of time before I join that club.

a desktop arbor press should work. or my ex could stand on it

Next project is in the wood shop, making nickels.

Dawn dish detergent works on most any organic oil, but try it in an inconspicuous spot first. It might be rough on the dye. But can it be much worse than a big, greasy bird dog?

Not knowing what is causing the stickiness, my best advice is to give it a cleaning with saddle soap and a soft brush, then carefully rinse. You don't want to get the leather soaking wet. The agent causing the stickiness could be well soaked into the leather and may not come out all in one wash. If it's some sort of chemical, it might be impossible to get out without using serious chemical cleaners like fredk suggests, but be sure to try it in an inconspicuous spot first. I take a slightly different route with mine because I know what's causing the stickiness. I have a dog that loves to share my leather sofa with me, and it gets quite greasy and sticky from his fur. It looks a lot like your bottom picture. I use Murphy's Oil Soap (if it's good enough to clean antique wood, it's good enough for my old sofa) to clean up his favorite spot, and after all is dry, I use some shoe polish to help restore some of the color. But while the leather is still intact, it is fading out and I've been thinking it might be time to re-dye the whole thing. But that's a whole thread of its own.

Good job! Now you have to make a pair every year because kids have a nasty habit of growing.

Nice!

You're very welcome. I'm always pleased to try to help those willing to accept help, even when it doesn't conform to preconceived notions.

My answer remains the same. A little bit of painter's tape to hold it while tracing (not cutting) the pattern. Any residual adhesive, which is rare, is easily cleaned off with denatured alcohol. Easy Peasy. I create most of my own patterns, I know how to make evenly spaced holes without taping up my patterns, and I have never bought anything from etsy. I have learned a thing or 2 about how things are done by listening to more experienced craftsmen, however.

If the paint you're using doesn't stick to the edges, it's not the paint I would want to be using. I use sandpaper on edges when it is to help smooth the edges for painting, and I think 80 grit is way too coarse on edges. I start at 220 grit and up to 400 or 600. depending on the look I want, I'll smooth it with 220, paint the edge and let it dry, sand with 400 or 600 to smooth it out some more, then paint it again. IN rare cases I might include a step to 1200 grit then another coat of paint. Paint doesn't really need a very coarse, rough surface to hold, just not a polished surface. If different acrylic paints are adhering to the edges better than the fancy stuff, I vote for the acrylics (which are used on all sorts of leather products anyway_). But any paint will rub off the edges of items like wallets and belts, sooner or later.

I suspect you're complicating things unnecessarily. Simply taping a pattern to a piece of leather shouldn't be a sticky mess. I don't use the pattern to cut out the leather, I tape the pattern to the very lightly dampened leather, trace it with an awl, remove the pattern and tape, then cut out. Any painter's tape should do just fine. A small bit of tape here and there is plenty to hold the pattern while I trace. Then, removing the painter's tape is a snap. If there is any minor residual adhesive, it is easily removed with a bit of denatured alcohol.

Nice leather and steel. I like your styling. What tool do you use on the bottom one, the scales?

In Texas and other parts of the southern U.S., fancy rigs are referred to as Picnic Guns. It's not uncommon for friends to wear their fanciest sidearms and leather to BBQs.

Sharpening and honing tools are definitely two of the skills that leather workers need to acquire. If you already have those skills, you're steps ahead, just learn the specialty techniques applicable to your edges. Now, start using those tools!

Sometimes the leather will have a finish on it and/or oils from people's hands, which cause a resist on the leather. A light cleaning with denatured alcohol helps a lot in that case. But I agree with AlZilla, embrace the differences in dye effect. It's a natural product with natural variables.

Have you tried looking at Buckleguy.com ?

Yes, they have certain uses and I keep a set in my drawer. They're not great for every cutting purpose, however. Small, precise cuts like filigree, cutting thin leathers and such they can be good. But for most cutting I use a heavier knife, which is much easier to control. I'll bet some of the other responses will say there is no need for exacto knives.

If there ain't no dogs in heaven then I ain't going. To control what dogs chew on there has to be a balance of training and owner vigilance. Any dog can be trained to not chew on objects that aren't good for them, and the key is to give them something better instead. Discipline and reward. Then, keep an eye on them, because any dog will try to get away with it when you're not vigilant about his activities and keeping things out of reach. My 12 y.o. WPG is rock solid about not chewing on shoes, belts etc., but if I leave a piece of rawhide where he can get it, he' will find it and the blame is 100% on me. He's not allowed rawhide, soft toys, cooked bones or brittle plastic toys. He gets all the dental chews, durable rubber toys and balls he can handle. At 12 years old, he has never had any dental problems. Useful commands to teach are; Leave it! Give! Drop! Then give them some praise and a safe alternative. But keep your leather out of reach (placed high, behind closed doors or in a container) and both your dog and your materials will be safe.