lightningad

really nice looking work, and by a local chap too! just finished my first satchel last week http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=46748 - a thoroughly pleasant learning experience, and yes, i find the stitching can be very therapeutic. adam

i think we should also add that as well as buying the best tools you can, be sure to learn how to maintain and use the tools correctly! Sounds obvious, but i wonder how many tools don't live to expectations simply because the user was unaware of how to sharpen it before using it?

don't get hung up on "the right way" to do something, as there are usually many different ways to achieve your aim. Just make sure you learn from everything you try.

Damn, you're getting good at this stuff Renee!

i agree with the others - a more natural effect would be to have the shadows deeper... ..but then why not get a bit of scrap leather and try experiment by doing it both ways. You'll gain the experience of carving that particular design twice before committing to the good leather, and you might find you prefer the other look. adam

The Saddlers Round Knife from Le Prevo is really nice! and a very good price too. I got one for christmas, and although you will need a decent set of honing stones to get the initial edge, once its sharp it cuts through anything with ease. I made my own clams with some very basic carpentry, 30mins and some cheap bits of pine - works fine and cost me nothing. Bone Shaper - i made my own from a piece of Black Walnut - which i sanded down on a belt sander to get the profiles i wanted, then smoothed it out on finer sandpapers, works really well too. When you are buying leather, its worth ringing le prevo. I did and got some very helpful advice from the guy whos job it is to pick the leathers for you.

very nice camera!

thanks. My wife spotted the leather whilst rummaging through an offcuts pile at a suppliers exclaiming "...that would be good for a satchel" so a project was born! I made card templates for the main parts and stapled it up to check sizes...the main issues i had were that i chose to reposition the pockets once they had been constructed, so all other ideas about buckles needed to be adapted. And having never stitched around a gusset like this before, i was careful to leave enough overlap incase i had miscalculated the length needed, and because i had attached the pockets and strap hangers to the gusset first, this meant i needed to measure an equal overlap on each end, then stitch the gusset outward from the centre point of the bottom edge! Fortunately it worked! totally agree wiijjit - its the experimenting that makes it fun!

First time i have tried making a bag...very happy with the result! some dodgy stitching, but its 100% handstitched, with no glue used. The design evolved as i went along, and because its my own design, i was learning all the time. Hence the odd strap holding the buckle. A solution to a problem i had not considered when starting out. On the whole, i am happy for a first attempt, obviously lots of places for improvement...and i need to figure out edge finishing on chrome tan, as i have never used this kind of leather before. Love to hear your comments adam

hmmm...i can feel another project queueing up behind my two current ones!

Ingenious - couldnt do that myself - my hole saw uses a drillbit as a guide so the mug would have a perfectly central hole! If you dont mind me asking (and if its a secret thats fine) how do attach the handles?

WOW! really impressive work Renee. Really like the handles. I always thought the idea of leather mugs somewhat off putting...now my mind is totally changed. Did you figure out the process yourself or is there a tutorial somewhere? I'm also trying to decide if i should get a stamp or the next bit of leather! adam

Looking good Bryan. I made a very similar thing last year, and i didn't bother with any kind of permanent closure. I decided that as books don't need a fastener, then why should an electronic book? I just made sure the leather was firm enough to protect yet flexible enough to close or open as required. I notice you have done almost exactly the same as i did for the retaining straps...with hindsight i wish i had put the corner straps on all four corners, as the longer strap on the top makes it easy for the Kindle to slide out if the cover is held upside down. I got around this be retrofitting a tongue to prevent this. Four corners straps would have been easier and much more elegant! But if we weren't learning it would be boring! I found that the easiest way for me to stop the leather stretching whilst tooling is simply to cover the flesh side of the leather with packing tape before i start. Adam

would neoprene be any good? or even a craft product called "Funky Foam" - thats its name in the UK, don't know if that has other conotations in the US!!

well then why not around a thigh instead of an arm?

Finally managed to visit J Woods nr Keighley. Well worth the trip - i managed to get two really nice pieces from the offcuts pile. approx 45sqft at £2 a sqft - bargain! Now i have some lovely thick red stuff for making a couple of traditional satchels, and then i have a waxy finished chrome full grain cowside which is perfect for the flight bag i have been wanting to make myself for ages!

weird - 4 months after starting this thread, the forum has told me i've had a a reply! Thanks to all for their suggestions. Hopefully i'm visiting JWoods tomorrow so can have a proper rummage through the offcuts!

how on earth do you whistle approvingly via text? Stunning workmanship and design. Impressive.