DoubleC

Yeah, read up on the wet stones. I can get 3 in one and use it to oil the tools afterward. I'm surprised these turned out as well as they did since it was my first try so maybe they'll even be better with oil. It even did a good job on my round punches. I'm glad I got the set finally. Thanks for all your help Kevin. Cheryl

Thanks Kevin but I did do them with soapy water at the kitchen sink. They are slick as a whistle now, can't believe the difference. Might have been even sharper with oil I don't know. But they did a good job on the strap. Unfortunately I mixed up the order of the layout and may have to do it all over but will see what Duane says after I dye it....getting ready to start right now. But thank you for contacting them for me. As soon as I can get some mineral oil I'll switch. Cheryl

Hi Lace, I make straps and line all of mine so I'd be happy to help if I can. I don't line my attaching strap and I only do one at the rear of the strap. But there's no reason why you couldn't line it I don't think. I just got some great lining material, glazed pig skin from SLC, very inexpensive, but have used suede before and I'm making a strap right now I'm going to lined with thin embossed veg tanned material. I guess if you going a strap from Tandy then you intend to sew the croc on top of that and a lining on the back? I haven't however worked with croc before. Is the entire top going to be croc or just part of it? Because you could do an inlay or an overlay of the croc which would prevent you worrying about the croc against his neck. I have pics below of an ostrich inlay and a lizard on leather overlay. If there's any questions I might be able to answer, feel free to PM me and I'll be happy to help. Cheryl

You mean it wasn't an oversight, they left it out of the program INTENTIONALLY? Good for you Johanna for not buying it. That is repugnant. And we'll have to start planning our trip to Sweden soon Cheryl

I think I'm cured maybe......addictions, who knows? I actually sold a machine, a 15-91 to a fellow leather worker on here I wasn't TRYING to sell. At one time I had 5 of them here, the 15-91s because I like them so much. I rehabbed all of them but this last one, was going to sell in on eBay for parts because I didn't want to stir up all the old behaviors, LOL. I was just hoping taking it APART didn't do that. So it's sat here for months waiting on me to take it apart and sell, and someone got in touch with me to see if I had any left, read one of my 1000s of responses on the glories of the 15-91s. It was a match made in heaven. He likes to refurb them and I had one that needed it, so it's off to it's new home this week. He's going to get one dandy machine and I almost broke even on this one, LOL. I'm sending him every left over part I have. Cheryl

I saw a CS Osborne video where he used a whetstone to sharpen an oblong punch and strap end punch which is what I'm going to sharpen. I'm also going to try to sharpen the two punches I use from my set that I use for the end holes. I just walked in from the drugstore and never thought about looking for oil. I'm on my was back to get some to oil the tools after. Thanks Art. Cheryl

I USE a sewing machine, or one of three singers I own on a lot of my projects but since I can't sew a straight line anymore than I can score or cut one, having a line to follow is a big help :-) I have a 1908 Singer 28 HAND CRANK I use on most of my straps. I truly get tired of hearing so often how these things won't sew leather, LOL. I also have a 15-91 that's such a beast I can't keep up with it most of the time. It would sew my HAND to the leather strap if I let it. But keep in mind these old domestic iron machines won't sew leather.....Aw fork it, they do great jobs.

Mike I hate using mine to and even though it adjusts where I can put it on the edge of an inside groove, it's nerve wracking. I recently had two grove 4 lines on a dog collar, two for stitching and two to put pyramid spots on. I messed up the outside when I got to the strap end, ran it off them end and I'm just going to use some water and my modeling spoon to smooth it as best I can before I dye it and stitch it. I needed something to follow for the spots too and used a fork I have to line up where I should put them to be far enough apart and the holes marks don't line up? Same fork, started the same place, first 4 do and rest don't. What's up with that? LOL Same fork so I had to have use it differently some where along the way but they are close enough that as I set the spots I think I can alter that too. If not my dog will have a new collar and I'll have to start over. I agree with you assessment %&)U%%*)^Y!, Cheryl

Thanks Big, I think I'm starting to get the idea here of what you need the liquid for and that it needs to stay in the same 'family.' Either use oils all the time or use water based liquid. actually from reading this I'm not sure even that's what's been said, that as long as you keep it clean you can pretty much use anything. Cheryl

Thanks Kevin. I'll email them although I'm not sure I can explain any of that. One is rough one is fine, LOL. No instructions came with them, they just came in a plastic package and on the top right corner it says finest quality silicon carbide. Perfect for general sharpening of hand tools and cutlery. It doesn't have a grit or any kind of instructions with them. Maybe I should call Kevin at SLC or any of those folks and ask them what to do with the daggone things. It's made by Sterling. I'm not sure another company would look so forward to servicing my abrasive needs if it's not their stones. But I'll try SLC and this company both on Monday.

Up until the year my uncle died, he came around to all the family once a year with his whetstone and sharpened everyone's knives. This has brought back some fond memories for me to LWM. Thanks for reminding me of that. Cheryl

Yes it does, it helps a lot. Thanks Rooster. Cheryl

WOW Mike, I LOVE this holster and I don't have a gun. This design would make a lot of cool things. Uh, I guess if I knew what it was, a combo tic tac toe and with a cactus and roman numerals, no, that can't be right. Well I like it. And loved your tutorial because of your usual wit. Not gonna make a holster but if I ever change my mind.......no me having a gun just flashed Lucile Ball through my head. Cheryl

Your work is very nice. Hope you post again when it's finished. Cheryl

Thanks LWM, I'll admit I have no experience using these at all. I'd like to learn how though because I honestly like learning new things. I just hope I don't destroy all my tools learning! Cheryl

At this point my man made whetstone will probably outlast me Rooster. I'd rather have a few heirloom quality tools before I have a stone but I did read about the superiority of using natural stones. But I just bought a man made set so I'm going to give it a try. thanks for the info though. Cheryl

I read the information Kevin, I'm learning more about whetstones than I thought I would ever know :-) That article says I can use water, oil, or nothing. Which is about what's been said here. I have a man made carborundum stone. So I guess it will be water since I happen to actually live in a house with plumbing but no mineral oil. Thanks Kev. Cheryl

Are my silicon carbide and carborundum the same thing? And Mike I always thought they were 'whet' (like sharpening your appetite) but of course 'wet' makes as much sense. Since I'm trying to figure out what to wet them with. Things didn't come with any instructions. Going to see if I can google carborundum and find out if mine are the same. OK that was easy. Same thing. Can use water or oil I guess from the responses here. Thanks folks, Cheryl

Gorgeous, gorgeous work. Detail is awesome. Cheryl

Really wonderful job on all of it. Cheryl

You know Chief? I think I knew the answer to this before I posted it:) I'm not sure it's truly a whetstone which makes it even worse. It's a sharpening stone set made of silicon carbide. Is it even a whetstone set? I just know it has a coarse and fine piece in the set. Thanks for your help because I'm not going to waste my time and the set just because I don't have mineral oil. I'll get some. Cheryl

Beautiful work, beautiful finished project. Cheryl

I finally got two whetstones to hone some of these tools I have. I was watching videos on Youtube about sharpening them, and finally came across CS Osborne's Leather Tools Sharpening. All the others showed things like knives and chisels being sharpened by putting water on the stones. But not CS, oh no, that video showed him using mineral oil. I don't HAVE any mineral oil of course Can I use water on the stone for my strap end punch and oblong punch?

I live in a small community that's really good about the artists helping each other out. I never really thought about it being an art gallery....even though I typed this up. That kinda makes me nervous now Odin. I never really thought of my straps as art but rather just wanting to get them displayed some where out in the community. But I hope everyone has the incredible opportunities I've had here. Cheryl

I just got back from our local music store and the last of the straps has a home :-) He said he'd take as many as I wanted to bring out so people had a choice. They are making up a special display for me to separate it from the 'pack.' Well actually it does that all on it's own, LOL. It's the one below and would stand out, good or bad, in any pack. Cheryl